50 Workers Killed on the Job in February

According to a report released by Worker Health and Work Security Assembly, at least 50 workers were killed from work-related injuries in February. The leading sectors on worker deaths were construction (14), steel industry (8) and mining (5).

118 workers were killed on the job in 2013, the report said.  

Reminding the four workers contracted under Uyar Mining Ltd who were killed on the job over the past six months due to the lack of similar precautions, the report alerted labor ministry officials to take immediate action.

* On 25 February, Harun Tufan (35), who was contracted under Uyar Mining Ltd, was killed on the job due to a collapse in a coal mine in Manisa province.

* On 4 September 2012, Hasan Canbaloğlu (26) was killed on the job due to a collapse in the same mine. Only 1 month after the incident, another mining collapse left 13 workers wounded who were transferred to hospital by cars due to lack of ambulances in the mine zone.

* On 12 November 2012, a dust fire in the same mine left Murat Yılmaz and Hasan Gököz killed, and 7 other workers wounded.

Some of the highlights from this months' report included:

* On 10 February, a collapse accident in a mine located in Afşin-Elbistan left 9 workers killed. The bodies of workers (Cuma Yıldırım, Turhan Gökhan, Halil Tatlı, Nail Yılmaz, Muhsin Koşan, Kemal Elmas, Adnan Demir, Aydoğan Polat, and Mehmet İpek) are yet to be recovered.

* On 24 February 2012, an explosion at a dam tunnel gate in Kozan district caused 10 workers to fall into a water stream. 5 workers' (Latif Değirmenci, Mehmet Yılmaz, Veli Damaksız, Selahattin Aral and Necmettin Karayiğit) bodies are yet to be recovered.

According to statistic by Turkey's labor ministry, at least 12,418 workers were killed on the job between 2001 and 2011.

At least 878 workers were killed from work-related injuries in 2012, Worker Health and Work Security Assembly cited. (NV/BM)