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 Çorum to improve occupational health and safety conditions in mining workplaces and to raise awareness on the subject. Deputy Governor of Çorum Tamer ORHAN, Director General of Occupational Health and Safety Cafer UZUNKAYA, Provincial Director of Turkish Employment Agency Levent TUZCU, Deputy Provincial Director of Social Security Institution Mustafa GÖNCÜ, Provincial Director of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organization Yusuf YILDIZ, the representatives of public institutions, mining enterprises operating in the Elazığ region, Joint Health and Safety Unit employees and the senior directors of NGOs participated in the meeting.
In his opening speech, Deputy Governor of Çorum Tamer ORHAN, said, “There is no old Turkey anymore, there is a new Turkey. We have to act with this consciousness. I invite all our citizens to give importance to occupational health and safety. I wish the MISGEP team, especially the Director General of Occupational Health and Safety, continued success, and wish it to be a beneficial project for our province and for all of Turkey.”
In his opening speech, Director General of Occupational Health and Safety Cafer UZUNKAYA, emphasized the importance of human life and stated that there is no doubt that the occupational health and safety is one of the top priority issues to be taken into account and said, “Due to the failure to take occupational health and safety measures, 2 million 780 thousand people lose their lives every year. In other words, we lose more people due to occupational accidents and occupational diseases because we are not meticulous enough than the number of people who lost their lives in a year due to the pandemic. However, it is possible to prevent 100% of occupational diseases and 98% of occupational accidents. As a result of the Law no. 6331 on Occupational Health and Safety that came into force in Turkey in 2013 and the subsequent developments, the rate of fatal accidents per hundred thousand decreased by 41.3%. This is an achievement, but it also confronts us with a reality. These deaths occur due to people’s negligence. In addition, many of our workplaces suffer material and moral losses due to occupational accidents. That’s why we have to build a decent work life for a decent life. It is very important to create a culture on occupational health and safety.”
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 one of 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.