Following the devastating forest fire tragedy that plunged Turkey into mourning, the risks and safety standards of firefighting have been put on the table. The forest fire tragedy in Eskişehir Seyitgazi, which claimed 10 lives, has brought the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) rights of the heroes battling the flames on the front lines back into focus.
OHS Expert Asst. Prof. Dr. Nuri Bingöl stated that the biggest problem underlying these tragedies is that firefighting is left 'outside the scope' of the current OHS law, saying, “In Occupational Health and Safety Law No. 6331, unfortunately, the intervention activities of emergency and disaster units are outside the scope. The hazard class for workers in such firefighting operations is far, far beyond the 'very hazardous' class, which is the highest hazardous class specified in OHS legislation. If a new class were to be created, we could call it the 'extremely hazardous class,' but unfortunately, no such class exists.” he said.
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences Deputy Dean and OHS Expert Asst. Prof. Dr. Nuri Bingöl evaluated the issue of occupational health and safety, which came to the agenda with the death of 10 people – 5 forest workers and 5 AKUT employees – who were responding to a forest fire in Eskişehir Seyitgazi.
Intervention activities outside the scope
Asst. Prof. Dr. Nuri Bingöl stated that one of the biggest dangers faced by firefighters is that their work is not fully legally defined, saying, “First of all, it should be noted that forest fires and all types of fires are not directly included in occupational health and safety legislation. In Occupational Health and Safety Law No. 6331, unfortunately, the intervention activities of emergency and disaster units are outside the scope. The hazard class for workers in such firefighting operations is far, far beyond the 'very hazardous' class, which is the highest hazardous class specified in OHS legislation. If a new class were to be created, we could call it the 'extremely hazardous class,' but unfortunately, no such class exists.” he said.
New personnel not on the front lines
Asst. Prof. Dr. Nuri Bingöl stated that while training exists, the real determinant on the field is experience and proper assignment, saying, “Special training is, of course, provided to firefighting personnel, be it for fire departments or forest workers. There is a center in Antalya for this, and regular training sessions are held, including simulations, practical applications, escape, and rescue drills. However, the really important thing is this: Generally, to my knowledge, new personnel, including firefighters, are not put on the front lines of firefighting; usually, experienced teams work there. Relatively new and inexperienced individuals are assigned to cooling operations after the fire is extinguished. This is the correct approach.” he said.
Clearing dry grasses before the fire reaches is important
Asst. Prof. Dr. Nuri Bingöl stated that alongside water, which is always the biggest weapon in forest fires, clearing dry grasses, also known as undergrowth, is crucial because they ignite faster and can spread the fire, saying, “It is of great importance to remove dry grasses with vehicles like bulldozers and graders before the fire reaches them, and to open roads for intervention teams to access. Compared to urban fires, forest fires generally occur in steep, rocky, and impassable terrains. Therefore, having a good understanding of the terrain's topographical structure, obtaining support from the local population, and involving forest workers who know the area well in the intervention are vitally important.” he added.
Wind is one of the most critical factors in forest fires
Asst. Prof. Dr. Bingöl, also addressing common misconceptions, emphasized that neither equipment nor planning can always provide absolute protection, and that the dynamic nature of forest fires particularly increases the risks.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Nuri Bingöl said, “It needs to be corrected: there is no 'fireproof clothing,' there is 'heat-resistant clothing.' This means that when a fire reaches very large proportions, this clothing will not save anyone in any way. One of the most critical factors in forest fires is also the wind. Imagine a path being opened for a team to advance where there is no road. If the wind suddenly changes direction and closes this newly opened path, escape can become impossible. Foreseeing this in risk assessment is vitally important. Therefore, the commander managing the fire must be very experienced and knowledgeable in this regard.” he concluded.