DUNMORE, Pa. — People gathered outside the PennDOT office in Dunmore for a worker memorial ceremony. Members of local unions spoke up, reminding people how quickly life can change, especially while doing your job.
"We remember and honor all working men and women who lost their lives on the job. We mourn not only for those we've lost but for those they left behind," said Jeff Ritter, an official in OSHA's Wilkes-Barre area office.
90 PennDOT employees have died since 1970. Officials read the name of PennDOT employees from this area who lost their lives on the job. Wreaths stood next to the monument bearing their names.
"They expected to go home at the end of the day, and they were just doing their job," said PennDOT official Jonathan Eboli.
PennDOT says the most dangerous place for its employees is in construction zones.
Jack McNulty worked for the state and said this ceremony is a solemn reminder of why people need to be more careful on the roads.
"I saw how important it is for these people that are out there working on the highways to have a safe day and get home at night. Unfortunately, more times than not, I saw some things that should not be going on on the highways," McNulty said.
PennDOT hopes to cut down on dangerous and distracted drivers in construction zones with Operation Yellow Jacket, with law enforcement teaming up with PennDOT workers to keep the roads safe.
"You never know when there's going to be a state trooper in a PennDOT truck in a work zone this year," Eboli said.
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