Every hour of every day a family in Britain loses someone they love

John Monks, TUC general secretary

The TUC says only a third of Britain's workers currently have access to an occupational health professional.

Spokesman Owen Tudor told the BBC that 10 years ago, this figure was 50%, "so the situation is getting a lot worse".

The union wants an expert to be on hand in every office, factory and workplace to give advice on both safety precautions at work and on how to avoid such things as stress-related illnesses.

General secretary John Monks said: "Every hour of every day a family in Britain loses someone they love.

"Those personal tragedies mask a public disgrace, because only a third of British workers have access to the sort of occupational health service that could save their lives."

Stress at work can also have serious consequences

Latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive show that deaths resulting from accidents at work are up by more than a third.

In total, 295 people died at work in the 12 months up to April 2001, up 34% from 220 deaths in the previous 12 months.

Of the dead, 106 were building workers.

Half of the 10,000 workers who die from occupational diseases each year suffer from asbestos-related problems.

Earlier this year families of workplace death victims banded together to demand the introduction of a corporate killing law.

Jail sentences

Relatives of those who died in tragedies like the Ladbroke Grove rail crash lobbied MPs over making company directors legally accountable.

Their campaign was backed by the TUC, and is also supported by Bob Crow, general secretary of the Rail Maritime and Transport union.

He said: "We need a change in the law so that corporate bosses responsible for workers' deaths are brought to account and face jail sentences.

"We need the right to earn a living wage without working dangerously long hours."

Events being held to mark International Workers' Memorial Day include church services organised by trade union members, the dedication of memorial trees, the releasing of balloons, lectures, film shows and demonstrations.