At least 1,320 workers killed in Turkey in first nine months of 2019: Report

ISTANBUL

At least 1,320 workers were killed in Turkey in the first nine months of this year, according to a monthly report released recently by a non-governmental organization focusing on worker health and safety issues.

Of this figure, at least 145 workers were killed in September, the Workers’ Health and Work Safety Assembly (İSİGM) report published on Oct. 6 showed.

The most fatal month for workers in 2019 was July, with 178 deaths, while the least deadly month was March, with 114 deaths, the NGO said.

Some 48 percent of the workers who lost their lives in September was in the age group of 28-50; some 26 percent in the age group of 51-65; 17 percent in the age group of 18-27; 3 percent over the age of 65; 3 percent under 14 years old; 1 percent in the age group of 15-17, while the age group of the last two percent is not known.

The deadliest province for workers in September was Istanbul, with 17 deaths, according to the report. Istanbul was followed by the western province of İzmir, with eight deaths.

Deaths mostly occurred in the agriculture and construction sectors in September. Deaths in the agriculture sector accounted for 28 percent of the total deaths, while deaths in the construction sector accounted for 21 percent.

Of the total figure of 145 deaths in September, six were children, 11 were women and nine were migrants. Four of the nine killed migrants were from Afghanistan, two from Uzbekistan, and one each from Azerbaijan, Russia and Ukraine. In the first nine months of 2019, on the other hand, at least 91 migrants lost their lives in work-related accidents, the report said.

In September, workers were killed mostly in traffic accidents commuting on shuttles, falling from high places, being crushed under heavy equipment, from heart attack, being subjected to electric shock, in suicides or violence.

“The top three reasons of work accidents never change [over months and years]. But no precaution is taken regarding transportation, falling from high places and being crushed under heavy equipment,” said the report.

İSİGM is an NGO comprised of workers, workers’ relatives, doctors, engineers, academics, journalists and lawyers who deal with labor issues. It prepares its reports based on data gleaned from media reports as well as the relatives and colleagues of workers.