Within the scope of Improving Occupational Health and Safety Especially in Mining Sector Project (MISGEP), implemented by the Directorate General of Occupational Health and Safety (DGOHS) and financed by the European Union and the Republic of Turkey, “MISGEP Mining Sector Consultation Meetings”, which cover 25 provinces around the 7 regions of Turkey, continue in Elazığ to improve occupational health and safety conditions in mining workplaces and to raise awareness on the subject. Elazığ Governor Mr. Erkaya YIRIK, Fırat University Vice Rector Bilal ÜSTÜNDAĞ, Chairman of the Assembly of Elazığ Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ahmet YAŞAR, representatives of public institutions, mining enterprises operating in Elazığ and senior directors of NGOs participated in the meeting.
In his opening speech, Elazığ Governor Erkaya YIRIK said, “We thank our distinguished Director General for holding this meeting in Elazığ. I wish MISGEP to be a beneficial project for our province and for all of Turkey, and I would like to express my thanks first of all to our Director General, our team leader and everyone who contributed.”
In his opening speech, Director General of Occupational Health and Safety Cafer UZUNKAYA said that as the Directorate General, they continue to support both the employees and the employers during the pandemic as they did before the pandemic. Emphasizing the importance of human life, UZUNKAYA stated that occupational health and safety is one of the top priority issues to be taken into account, and said, “With these meetings hosted by our governors, we aim to raise the awareness of not only the mining industry but all other parties in our province on occupational health and safety. Occupational health and safety laws apply to workplaces in both the private and public sectors. Within the scope of MISGEP, Elazığ Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Zeycan Yıldırım Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School benefit from the grant support. There has been a 46% improvement in fatal occupational accidents in Elazığ since 2013, which is above the average of Turkey. Occupational health and safety is not just the absence of accidents; It means that the employees will go to work happily and peacefully and continue to work and produce.”
In the consultation session of the meeting, MISGEP Team Leader Mr. Gökhan GÜLER and Asst. Prof. Dr. Hacer KAYHAN informed the participants on topics such as occupational health and safety practices in mining industry by reviewing examples from the world, legal obligations regarding mining and administrative fines, compensation after occupational accidents, the impact of unionisation on occupational health and safety, pneumoconiosis which is the most common occupational disease in the industry, and the costs and benefits of preventing occupational accidents. The opinions of the participants were received after each topic during the meeting.
