The “VIII. Symposium on Problems and Solution Proposals in Occupational Health and Safety in Turkey,” organized by Üsküdar University, was held on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at Üsküdar University NP Health Campus İbni Sina Auditorium.
In the program, Üsküdar University Founding Rector and Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, emphasizing that OHS training cannot be without practical application, underlined that Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) should be considered as a separate scientific discipline and must be defined as an associate professorship field.
Prof. Dr. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin: “Turkey ranks high globally in terms of work accidents and worker fatalities.”
Assist. Prof. Dr. Rüştü Uçan: “Increasing awareness efforts on critical issues and developing measures that minimize the human factor, such as automatic intervention systems, are of great importance.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Ensari Özay: “Our responsibility is to develop more projects in close cooperation with the sector and companies. However, these projects should not remain on paper; they must be applicable and effective in real life.”
The “VIII. Symposium on Problems and Solution Proposals in Occupational Health and Safety in Turkey,” organized this year by Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Occupational Health and Safety, and ÜSGÜMER, with the theme “Resilience and recovery practices in disasters,” was held at the İbni Sina Auditorium of Üsküdar University NP Health Campus.
The opening speeches of the symposium were delivered by Üsküdar University Founding Rector and Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Head of Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Occupational Health and Safety and Meska Foundation Dr. Assist. Prof. Rüştü Uçan, R&D and Innovation Policies Director (ARGEYEP) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Ensari Özay, Dean of Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences Prof. Dr. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin, and a representative from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security - Directorate General of Occupational Health and Safety (ÇSGB-İSGGM) Statistics.
Occupational safety culture has not yet been sufficiently internalized in Turkey…
Üsküdar University Founding Rector and Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that such meetings on Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) are very beneficial, saying, “These meetings provide a significant accumulation of knowledge. Many valuable projects emerge from here, and these projects are carried out with our stakeholders, transforming into meaningful scientific studies. Furthermore, these studies serve as a guide for bureaucracy. Important results are presented, especially regarding which steps need to be taken. However, the most important need we see here is that the culture of occupational safety has not yet been sufficiently internalized in Turkey. The fact that occupational safety has not become a culture and a way of life appears as a fundamental problem.”
Disseminating OHS culture is crucial…
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan noted that some employers may evade occupational safety measures but are still obliged to take them due to legal requirements, stating, “At this point, I believe that projects should be developed to guide bureaucracy and strengthen occupational safety awareness in society. Such projects can be an important step for the dissemination and stronger adoption of OHS culture. I particularly think that bureaucracy in Turkey acts overly conservative in this regard. I believe that bureaucracy needs to change this conservative approach, and I think it will change sooner or later.”
Open education is not possible in OHS!
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan pointed out that the Ministry should reconsider the meaning it attributes to OHS in university and particularly in Open Education programs, stating, “Within the scope of Open Education, training is provided without any practical application or field experience. This leads graduates who will work in dangerous areas — such as construction, mines, or similar sites — to graduate with only theoretical knowledge, without knowing the field. This is similar to the idea of a doctor graduating from medical school without ever seeing a patient. Can an OHS specialist with no field experience be expected to be effective in dangerous work areas? Therefore, more emphasis needs to be placed on practical training and hands-on learning.”
Training without practical application is inconceivable in OHS!
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, pointing out that a situation occurs where a person who has never practiced with danger tries to make a diagnosis just by looking at a book, continued:
“These individuals then take an exam administered by the Ministry, which, to my knowledge, is solely theoretical. Upon passing this exam, they become eligible to receive a certificate. However, they usually acquire their field knowledge through trial and error. This situation, in my opinion, is a factor that increases errors and work accidents. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) training needs to be regulated. The current training lacks practical application. Just as a medical faculty without a hospital is inconceivable, OHS training without practical application is also inconceivable. I believe this deficiency plays a significant role in the failure to establish an occupational safety culture.”
The fact that the field has not yet been defined as an associate professorship area is a deficiency
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that another problem is the insufficient importance given by higher education to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), saying, “The fact that this field has not yet been defined as an associate professorship area is a major deficiency. Investments are made and budgets are allocated for an important field like OHS, but to support academic studies, this field must be included within the scope of associate professorship. Furthermore, we observe that OHS primarily focuses on engineering and computational aspects. However, this field needs to be approached with a broader perspective. While computational approaches using fuzzy logic and artificial intelligence are now adopted even in psychiatry, we must not overlook these technological developments in an important field like OHS. Integrating such innovations into OHS education and research is of great importance.”
It should be a separate scientific discipline
“Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) should be considered as a separate scientific discipline and must be defined as an associate professorship field,” said Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, adding, “When this happens, the public perception will also change positively. Currently, the lack of career paths in this field, due to it not being an associate professorship area, creates a false perception that the scientific value of OHS is weak. This situation also leads to the tendency to view OHS as a sub-discipline of other fields. At this point, I believe that preparing a conclusion statement supported by scientific reasons, rather than criticism, would be more effective. With the contributions of all participants here, a statement answering the question ‘Why should OHS be an associate professorship area?’ can be prepared, and this can mobilize bureaucracy. We need to set medium and long-term strategic goals and concretely address the deficiencies in this field. Such an approach will both meet the needs in the field and contribute to advancing discussions in the OHS area.”
Raising public awareness is crucial…
Dr. Assist. Prof. Rüştü Uçan, Head of Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Occupational Health and Safety and Meska Foundation, noted that the first of this symposium series was initiated after the Soma mine disaster and the death of 202 miners, and has continued without interruption, stating the following:
“I would like to address three different topics here. First, the issue of public awareness. As the Occupational Health and Safety department, we receive invitations from television channels after various accidents and incidents. In these invitations, we voluntarily give interviews and try to inform the public to rectify the mistakes that have occurred. This is an important part of our work. Secondly, I want to talk about a project we are carrying out with TÜBİTAK support. Immediately after the earthquake, we conducted dust measurements in the earthquake region and submitted our results to TÜBİTAK. The third topic is our field studies related to natural gas explosions. Natural gas explosions occur three or four times a year, and we go to the scene to investigate after these incidents. However, the last accident I attended was different from the others. In an apartment in Beylikdüzü, a natural gas smell was detected around midnight, and this situation was shared in a WhatsApp group. Despite the increasing smell, no one called emergency services (187) between 7:00 and 7:30 in the morning. Unfortunately, the explosion occurred at 7:35. As we saw in this incident, people sometimes prioritize their personal inconvenience and hesitate to report the situation to the authorities.”
The weak point is human…
Dr. Assist. Prof. Rüştü Uçan, stating that this situation shows the human factor is the weak point in interventions left to humans, said, “People prioritizing their personal comfort and neglecting the situation can lead to serious consequences. Therefore, increasing awareness efforts on such critical issues and developing measures that minimize the human factor, such as automatic intervention systems, are of great importance.”
Recalling that one person lost their life, three were injured, and significant material damage occurred in this incident, Dr. Assist. Prof. Rüştü Uçan stated, “Due to the gas leak that continued for approximately nine to ten hours, gas accumulated, and a powerful explosion occurred over a much wider area. If an alert system had been activated or if the 187 Emergency Natural Gas hotline had been contacted in time, this incident might not have happened at all. Such events once again demonstrate how important it is to raise public awareness and sensitivity.”
Early warning systems in earthquakes can provide warnings within 15-60 seconds
Addressing the topic of early warning systems in earthquakes, Dr. Assist. Prof. Rüştü Uçan noted the following:
“Last year, an academic committee was formed to develop post-earthquake early warning systems and provide rapid alerts to citizens, and I served on this committee. During this process, we held discussions with universities and manufacturing companies both domestically and internationally. I would like to share the experiences I gained from this. In early warning systems, thanks to centers established near earthquake fault lines, the magnitude and intensity of the earthquake's first P-wave are measured and evaluated very precisely. More effective use of these systems can save many lives and minimize damage during an earthquake. Many of our colleagues will also share important information through various presentations in this field. Information about these systems will be provided through presentations. Thanks to state-of-the-art fiber optic networks, warnings can be given to the end-user within varying times, ranging from 15 to 60 seconds. The time difference between the earthquake wave transmitted through the ground and the transmission in the optical network makes it possible for us to provide advance warning.”
It is important for the system to work even during an earthquake
Emphasizing that it is vital for this system to continue operating even during an earthquake, Dr. Assist. Prof. Rüştü Uçan said, “For this, generators that will activate in case of power outages must be started in advance, or alternative measures must be taken in case of natural gas interruptions. The early warning system provides a significant advantage. Precautionary measures and efforts to be taken are very important.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Ensari Özay: “The importance of training students at the doctoral level is immense”
R&D and Innovation Policies Director (ARGEYEP) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Ensari Özay stated that in this symposium, they aimed to bring together the university, industry, students, and academia to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing, saying, “The primary mission of our university, especially the Department of Occupational Health and Safety, is to serve the industry and sector, develop innovative projects, and train qualified students. Since Occupational Health and Safety is a relatively new scientific discipline, the importance of training personnel in this field, especially students at the master’s and doctoral levels, is immense.”
Projects should not remain on paper
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Ensari Özay noted that Occupational Health and Safety is a field that concerns every sector and where employees are present everywhere, stating, “Our goal is to ensure the occupational safety of employees everywhere, from universities to factories to small businesses. In this context, we aim to create a broader safety culture. Laying the foundations of this culture from primary school onwards will enable us to achieve true success in the field of Occupational Health and Safety. Our responsibility is to develop more projects in close cooperation with the sector and companies. However, these projects should not remain on paper; they must be applicable and effective in real life.”
Prof. Dr. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin: “If we can prevent work accidents and related deaths…”
Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences Dean Prof. Dr. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin stated that the long-term continuation of such events is an indicator of both the institution's importance given to this issue and the sensitivity shown by countries towards occupational health and safety, saying, “Occupational health and safety and occupational diseases, generally speaking, are preventable conditions. If we can prevent work accidents and related deaths, we will have fulfilled a great service and responsibility. Furthermore, studies have shown that the costs of rehabilitation and recovery arising from occupational health problems and work accidents are much higher than the expenditures for preventive measures. Therefore, a prevention-oriented approach will provide great benefits both economically and socially.”
Nearly 90% of work accidents and deaths are observed in men
Prof. Dr. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin stated that as of 2024, a total of 1,371 work-related deaths have been recorded in Turkey, adding, “The sectors with the most frequent work accidents are construction, agriculture, and transportation. Additionally, women, children, and refugees are also among these fatalities. Nearly 90% of work accidents and deaths are observed in men. There could be two reasons for this: either men have a higher rate of employment in these fields, or men are more negligent in adhering to safety rules. Women acting more cautiously in this regard could also be a contributing factor.”
900 people die in work accidents every day
Prof. Dr. Arif Aktuğ Ertekin stated that approximately 420,000 work accidents were reported in 2019, adding, “Globally, according to 2023 data, a total of 3 million deaths occurred due to work accidents and occupational diseases. Of these, 330,000 are attributed to work accidents. This indicates that approximately 900 people lose their lives every day. The riskiest sectors worldwide have been identified as agriculture, construction, forestry, fishing, and manufacturing. Although a large portion of these accidents occur in Asia and the Pacific regions, Turkey also ranks high in terms of work accidents and worker fatalities.”
At the symposium, a representative from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security - Directorate General of Occupational Health and Safety (ÇSGB-İSGGM) Statistics and Ali Emre Erişen, CEO of EDIS Disaster and Earthquake Systems Inc., also delivered speeches. Afterwards, a group photo session was held.
Topics discussed in 4 different sessions
Four different sessions were held at the symposium. In the first session, various topics were discussed, ranging from emergency disaster and earthquake systems to technological solutions in occupational health and safety. In the second session, innovative solutions such as the role of digitalization in occupational safety and generative artificial intelligence applications in smart cities were addressed.
In the third session, topics such as the role of motorcycle riders in the transportation network in disaster management and disaster risk management with artificial intelligence were discussed, while the final session also debated vital issues such as occupational health and safety in hydroelectric power plants, fire safety in nuclear reactors, and earthquake risk for nuclear power plants in Turkey.