İSTANBUL - According to the figures announced by the Health and Safety Labor Watch (ISIG), 1,477 workers have lost their lives in occupational homicides in the first 10 months of 2019. 155 workers, including two children and seven women, died in October.
The Health and Safety Labor Watch (İSİG Assembly) released its monthly report on occupational homicides in Turkey today (November 4).
Accordingly, at least 155 workers lost their lives in occupational homicides in October. When the first 10 months of this year is taken together, at least 1,477 workers have died in occupational homicides.
Preparing 83 percent of its report based on national and local press and 17 percent based on the information given by the colleagues and families of workers, occupational safety specialists, occupational physicians and unions, the İSİG Assembly has shared the following information:
* Of the 155 deceased workers, 124 workers were wage earners (workers and civil servants) while 31 workers were working on their own behalf (farmers and shop owners).
* While seven of the deceased workers were women, 148 of them were men. Two children, one of whom was under the age of 14, and eight migrants/refugees also lost their lives in occupational homicides in October.
* The occupational homicides of women took place in the sectors of agriculture, textile, bureau, trade and transportation.
* The sectors with the highest number of occupational homicides were agriculture, constructions, transportation, trade/bureau, municipal/general affairs, metal, mining, textile/leather, food and accomodation/entertainment.
The Report of the İSİG Assembly has indicated that the number of occupational homicides in the construction sector has been on the decrease in comparison with previous months. However, this decrease has been caused "not by the measures taken, but by the shrinkage observed in the sector due to financial crisis", the Assembly has underlined.
* The most frequent causes of death were traffic/service bus accidents, falling from a high place, being crushed/trapped under debris, violence, electric shock, being poisoned/suffocated and suicide.
* In October 2019, occupational homicides occured in 57 of 81 provinces in Turkey and five countries.
The highest number of occupational homicides took place in the provinces of İstanbul, Konya, Antalya, Bursa, İzmir, Sakarya, Ankara, Denizli and Antep.
None of the 155 workers who lost their lives in occupational homicides in October was the member of a labor union.
The İSİG Assembly has emphasized that there might be union member workers among the deceased; however, it is not possible to give precise information "as their union memberships remain on paper and do not indicate real organization and several unions do not confirm that the deceased were their members".