According to Social Security Institution data for 2023, 681,000 occupational accidents occurred in Türkiye, resulting in 1,966 deaths. Asst. Prof. Sertaç Temur from the Occupational Health and Safety Department, making evaluations on April 28, World Occupational Health and Safety Day, emphasized that occupational health and safety is not limited to workplaces but is a matter of societal awareness.
Stating that the construction sector still ranks first among the sectors where occupational accidents and diseases are most frequently observed in Türkiye, Dr. Temur said, “Healthcare sector employees also face ergonomic risks and occupational diseases related to biological agents.”
Dr. Temur, stating that lasting success in occupational health and safety can only be achieved through a “safety culture,” said, “Safety culture means that occupational health and safety becomes a lifestyle, not just a procedure. The formation of this culture is possible not only in workplaces but also by adopting safe behaviors in schools, homes, and even public transport.”
Asst. Prof. Sertaç Temur from the Occupational Health and Safety Department of Üsküdar University’s Faculty of Health Sciences made evaluations on April 28, World Occupational Health and Safety Day.
The aim of occupational health and safety is to ensure people live a healthy and safe life
Asst. Prof. Sertaç Temur, stating that being healthy means a person is physically, psychologically, and socially healthy, said, “Occupational health refers to practices carried out to ensure a person's healthy state in the working environment; occupational safety, on the other hand, refers to the safety measures that must be taken or implemented to ensure the person's safety in the working environment. From this perspective, the fundamental aim of occupational health and safety, in its simplest form, is for employees, or more generally, people, to have a healthy and safe life. When we consider that nothing is more valuable than human life, the primary goal of every activity carried out in workplaces should be to protect employees from possible accidents, occupational diseases, and physical and mental harm. This is vital not only for the workplace but also for the general welfare of society.”
Most risky areas: construction, health, and transportation
Asst. Prof. Sertaç Temur also touched upon the sectors where occupational accidents and diseases are most frequently observed in Türkiye, stating, “When we look at the areas where occupational accidents and diseases are most common in Türkiye, the construction sector still holds the first place. In addition, healthcare sector employees face ergonomic risks and occupational diseases related to biological agents. Recently, fires in hotels reminded us once again how vital fire safety measures are in the service sector. Furthermore, traffic accidents encountered by truck drivers in long-haul transportation, and the underlying factors such as fatigue, distraction, and risky driving behaviors, reveal that OHS is necessary not only in areas like factories or construction but everywhere in life.”
Law No. 6331 is an important turning point
Emphasizing that Law No. 6331 on Occupational Health and Safety, which came into force in 2012, is one of the most important steps in the field, Asst. Prof. Sertaç Temur said, “With this law, obligations such as conducting risk assessments in every workplace, providing training to employees, and assigning occupational safety specialists were introduced. Since 2012, many regulations have been made to Law No. 6331 on OHS to ensure compliance with today's conditions and Turkish work culture. These legislative innovations and developments are important steps towards establishing a safety culture in workplaces in our country and are guiding in transforming it into a systematic structure.”
Regulations should not remain on paper
Asst. Prof. Sertaç Temur stated that the updates made to the legislation contribute to the creation of a safety culture in workplaces, adding, “However, when regulations remain on paper, these gains may not find their real-life counterparts. In practice, due to reasons such as insufficient inspections, employers acting only with the motivation to fulfill legal obligations, and some employees having low levels of awareness, the system becomes completely inoperable. Yet, for a safe working environment, regulations need to be internalized and become a habit.”
Safety culture must become a lifestyle
Asst. Prof. Sertaç Temur, stating that lasting success in occupational health and safety can only be achieved through a “safety culture,” said, “Safety culture means that occupational health and safety becomes a lifestyle, not just a procedure. The formation of this culture is possible not only in workplaces but also by adopting safe behaviors in schools, homes, and even public transport. A safety awareness spread throughout society safeguards not only today but also tomorrow. Steps taken today towards popularizing a safety culture will only enable us to lay the foundations for a much safer societal structure within 10-15 years.”
OHS is not a precaution, but a value of life
Emphasizing that occupational health and safety should not be seen merely as a package of precautions, Asst. Prof. Sertaç Temur concluded by saying, “Following an inductive method will be an important strategy to achieve the long-term goal. Since young children acquire new habits more easily, providing safety culture training at an early age is of great importance. Furthermore, as individuals spend a significant portion of their lives in workplaces after high school and university graduation, safe behaviors acquired in workplaces eventually permeate into an individual's general life. This will be effective in initiating a societal transformation in safety culture. Education, communication, participation, and exemplary behaviors are the fundamental components of this process. OHS is not just a package of precautions, but a value that prioritizes life.”
