1,042 workers lost their lives in Turkey’s mines in 10 years

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

Click to read the article in Turkish

The Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) and Chamber of Mining Engineers held a press conference on March 3 Day of Joint Struggle Against Occupational Homicides.

Speaking at the conference in the central office of the Chamber of Mining Engineers in Ankara, TMMOB Executive Board Chair Emin Koramaz raised concerns about "lack of inspections." Chamber of Mining Engineers Executive Board Chair Ayhan Yüksel then made a presentation of the report titled "2010-2020 Report on Occupational Homicides in Mining."

Taking the floor first, Koramaz reminded the audience that the mine explosion that occurred in Kozlu on March 3, 1992, claiming the lives of 263 workers was one of the biggest disasters in the history of mining.

'The murderer of 301 miners outside'

Koramaz underlined that the number of occupational homicides in Turkey increased incrementally over the years, indicating that while 1,252 workers died in occupational homicides in 2015, this number increased to 1,405 in 2016 and to 1,633 in 2017. 1,541 workers lost their lives in occupational homicides in 2018, according to Koramaz.

"The fact that around 2 thousand laborers striving to bring bread home lose their lives in occupational homicides and around 10,000 laborers lose their lives as a result of occupational diseases a year is enough to tell us that we are faced with a problem," Koramaz noted.

Referring to the occupational homicide that claimed the lives of 301 miners in Soma, Manisa in 2014, Emin Koramaz said, "There has remained no arrested defendants among the ones responsible for the Soma Disaster that caused the losses of lives of 301 laborers."

Underlining that the struggle against occupational homicides is not an issue that can be postponed or delayed, he stressed that the struggle waged to prevent occupational homicides must be reinforced and necessary legal arrangements must be introduced without delay.

Calling for an end to the attitude that makes employers evade responsibility, Koramaz said, "Looking on occupational homicides and associating the incidents with fate and disposition in their statements, the political power holders are making great efforts to protect this system."

Concluding his remarks, TMMOB Executive Board Chair Emin Koramaz stressed that "ensuring workers' health and job safety is primarily a responsibility of the state and employers", calling on them to "put an end to the mindset looking for victims to put the blame on."

'Highest number of homicides in coal mines'

Afterwards, Ayhan Yüksek shared the findings of the report with the public. Some highlights from the report are as follows:

1. The number of accidents was 7 times higher than the US.
2. The number of deaths accounted for 7.5 percent of all deaths in all sectors.
3. 1,042 laborers lost their lives in the mining sector in the last 10 years.
4. Accidents accounted for 5 percent of all accidents in all sectors.
5. 73 percent of occupational diseases were diagnosed in coal mines.
6. 16 mining engineers lost their lives while working in the last 10 years.
7. The number of occupational diseases in the last 10 years accounted for all occupational diseases in all sectors.
8. 77 percent of accidents and 55 percent of deaths occured in coal mines.

(HA/SD)

* Click here to read the full report (in Turkish)