Parliament Approves Convention on Mine Safety

The parliament approved the Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995 (No. 176), an agreement that Turkey was criticized for not approving for years. 

The convention is expected to bring new responbilities for the government and mine companies. 

Turkey was criticized for not approving for years. 

What is in the agreement? 

* Employers have to take all measurements to prevent the accidents and educate and inform their employees.  

* Employers have to remove the risks at its source, create secure work systems, inform their employees on the accident risks and provide them the necessary medical aid if an accident occurs. 

* Employers are responsible from the quality of health and rescue events after the accident.  

* Governments have to prepare technical guidelines, organize the inspections, provide necessary legal regulations relating the inspections and effectively investigate the accidents. 

* Employees and representatives have to inform the accidents and risky situations, be informed of their health and security conditions and have the right to be involved into the decision processes of the health and security precautions.   

Countries that signed the agreement are as follows: 

Albania, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Check Republic, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, USA, Turkey, Zambia, Zimbabwe. (BK/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.