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6 * WATERLOO CHRONICLE + Wednesday, May 7, 2008 1 ark Channer invites you to (é'gb by our new Wiatertoo store Fn row: Duane Sauder, Ron Sitver, R. .(flqga- Gibson, Mark Biancale www.waterloochronicle.ca Channer‘s MEN‘S | APPAREL | Shnores 5 King St. South, Wiatertoo ~ 519â€"888â€"9888 www.channerswaterloo.com Back Row: Seott Dickie, Govanni Giardino On Dec. 15, 1990, Don Klassen became a statisâ€" tic â€" one of the many Canadians who dies each year while on the job. e The city does something to commemorate his death each year, whether it‘s a treeâ€"planting cereâ€" mony or holding the Don Klassen Memorial Walk. The former City of Waterloo building inspector hasn‘t been forgotten though. â€" This year, it will unveil a plaque in his honour, along with all the Ontarians who have lost their lives or been critically injured on the job, within the Uptown Loop at City Hall in a special ceremoâ€" ny that‘s open to the public on Thursday at noon. "It humbles me and it would humble Don to know they are still doing that â€" he wouldn‘t have expected this kind of thing," said Don‘s widow, Donna Klassen. "They‘ve planted a tree in his memory, and I thought that was something wonderful. This is overâ€"theâ€"top." â€" â€" After the ceremony, which Donna will attend, participants will embark on the annual memorial City remembers worker killed in onâ€"theâ€"job accident By Jennirer OrMstON Chronicle Staff walk to Waterloo Park, where a barbecue lunch will be served. Don was a runner who enjoyed taking part in marathons. He also had a passion for singing, both as a tenor in the philharmonic choir and in his church choir. The building inspector loved his job â€" the possibility of a workplace accident never entered his mind, Donna said. He was on a routine inspection the day of his accident. He looked up, stepped back, hit his head on a beam and fell down a stairwell. He later died in the hospital. In a way, Don‘s death has served the purpose of bringing awareness to the potential dangers that exist in workplaces, Donna said of her late husband, who was 44 years old when he died. "Accidents are always preventable, and it just reminds us when someone like that who‘s in the course of his employment passes away," he said. The plaque ceremony and memorial walk will be held on May 8 to coincide with the North American Occupational Health and Safety Week. "We want to take the opportunity once a year to highlight the personal loss, but also to remind each and every 5 one of us at the city that it‘s important g to work safely because we don‘t ever want to go through another experience sf like that," McLean said. His death was a devastating loss, said Coun Ian McLean, who has worked in health and safety. The city regularly reviews its healthâ€" and safety practices with its building inspectors, who are required to wear safety gear, including a hard hat and boots, said Ralph Kaminski, the city‘s chief buitding official. Inspectors also must follow protocols when doing an inspection, whether they‘re climbing a ladder or entering foundation excavaâ€" tions. And since Don‘s death some changes have been made, such as the requireâ€" ment that all inspectors carry a cellâ€" phone, Kaminski said. "We take safety for granted because (accidents) happen so infrequently," he said. "We have to be aware of our surâ€" roundings."