A ceremony on Friday is to remember the four immigrant workers who died last Christmas Eve when their scaffolding collapsed. Investigations revealed they were not properly affixed to a solid structure.

Four men who fell to their deaths last Christmas Eve when their scaffolding broke will be remembered Friday afternoon at a Toronto ceremony.

The immigrant workers were suspended in a maintenance basket and had been pouring concrete outside a highrise on Kipling Avenue when their platform suddenly collapsed.

They plunged 13 storeys. A fifth man was seriously hurt in the fall.

Friday's vigil will be at 2 p.m. at the apartment where last year's tragedy occurred.

The ceremony was organized by Justice for Migrant Workers, No One is Illegal Toronto and the Industrial Accident Victims Group of Ontario.

"There are many migrants workers, many undocumented workers who are dying on the job," said Chris Ramsaroop, with Justice for Migrant Workers.

"While the provincial government has taken some initial steps, the federal government also has an important role to play in providing status for these workers."
Tragedy prompted review of workplace safety

Last year's tragedy prompted calls for tougher workplace safety regulations in Ontario, including recommendations for mandatory training of construction workers.

Aleksey Blumberg, 33, Vladimir Korostin, 40, Fayzullo Fazilov, 31, Aleksanders Bondarevs, 25, and Dilshod Marupov, 22, were working on the scaffolding before it came apart last Christmas Eve.

Marupov, who survived, was seriously injured and is now destitute, depressed and can barely walk.

An investigation revealed that although the men wore harnesses, none of them were properly secured to the structure.

Three officials with the construction company are now facing criminal charges.

Ontario Federation of Labour president Sid Ryan reminded employers that they can be held personally liable if a worker is killed on the job.

"We are absolutely determined to put an end to the carnage," Ryan said in a written statement. "If a worker is killed, we will be there and do everything possible to ensure?charges are laid if any negligence has taken place."