Occupational Safety and Labor Regulations in Turkey

Introduction: Accidental Threats and Occupational Hazards

Accidental threats such as car accidents, plane crashes, and industrial accidents are significant social threats to any nation. In Turkey, as in other nations, occupational hazards are likely the most fundamental of accidental threats to address and prevent. These threats can be regulated through safety legislation and the enforcement of such regulation upon industry.

Occupational Injury and Fatality Trends in Turkey (1997–2006)

In Turkey, there was a significant drop in the rates of occupational injuries that resulted in lost workdays or ended in fatalities between 1997 and 2005, only for the rate of incidents to rise again in 2006 to greater than previous levels. Fatal workplace injuries followed this pattern: 1,474 in 1997; 1,252 in 1998; 1,333 in 1999; 1,291 in 2000; 1,008 in 2001; 878 in 2002; 811 in 2003; 1,096 in 2005; and 1,601 in 2006.

Occupational injuries resulting in temporary or permanent incapacitation showed a more fragmented pattern but remained significant in number, with a notable spike in 2006: 3,850 in 1998; 3,407 in 1999; 1,848 in 2000; 2,183 in 2001; 2,087 in 2002; 1,596 in 2003; 1,693 in 2004; 1,639 in 2005; and 2,267 in 2006.

Statistics for all non-fatal occupational injuries reported by insured workers demonstrate a marked decline. The number of insured workers per 100,000 who reported injuries was: 69 in 1998, 68 in 1999, 35 in 2000, 45 in 2001, 40 in 2002, 28 in 2003, 27 in 2004, 24 in 2005, and 29 in 2006. This marked decline in the rate per 100,000 coincides with a decrease in the overall incidence relative to the total number of insured workers over the years. By far the most dangerous job category is mining and quarrying, which in 1998 alone recorded 1,840 non-fatal injuries per 100,000 insured persons — far exceeding any other occupational category.

Fatal injury statistics (expressed as the number per 100,000 insured workers) were: 29.0 in 1997; 22.5 in 1998; 22.9 in 1999; 24.6 in 2000; 20.6 in 2001; 16.8 in 2002; 14.4 in 2003; 13.6 in 2004; 15.8 in 2005; and 20.5 in 2006. Mining and quarrying stood out clearly as the sector with the highest number of worker fatalities relative to other industries. A key limitation of this data, though it is valuable, is that many individuals likely do not report injuries, and a significant number of workers in uninsured employment go entirely uncounted.

ILO Influence and Turkish Labor Law Reform

Collectively, when the data is compared across industries, it can be said that most, if not all, industries have shown a marked decline in accidental deaths and injuries relative to the number of people employed. There is a clear sense that Turkey has progressed significantly in injury prevention. The question, then, is how Turkey has achieved such strides.

Many would attribute Turkey's progress to external pressure from organizations such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), the first specialized agency of the United Nations. Established in 1919 and formally partnered with the UN as its first specialized agency in 1946, the ILO's mission is not only to collect labor data but also to work with all nations to develop fair labor conditions for all employees, as part of the broader UN goal of lasting peace.

According to the ILO, Turkey has made significant strides in adopting constitutional and civil codes and laws that protect workers, allow collective bargaining, and promote social change. Through these regulations, individuals can seek redress for wrongdoing, and industries are required to comply with the law to protect workers from harm. However, these laws are only enforceable when employers work within them — rather than hiring contract or day laborers to circumvent them — and when workers are not compelled by economic necessity to work without the safety net of insurance.