At least 1,359 workers die on job in Turkey in first nine months

Duvar English

The Workers' Health and Work Safety Assembly (İSİG) has said that the number of workers who died while on the job in Turkey in the first nine months of 2022 was 1,359.

Of these deaths, 157 occurred in September, the organization said in its report. This figure was 120 for January, 109 for February, 121 for March, 129 for April, 176 for May, 189 for June, 171 for July, and 186 for August.

The highest number of deaths occurred in the agriculture and forestry sector, with 275 workers losing their lives in the January-September 2022 period. The construction sector followed the agriculture and forestry sector, with 269 deaths. After that came the transportation sector with 163 deaths and metal sector with 79 deaths.

Children were also among the workers that died. In the first nine months of this year, at least 21 child workers under the age of 15 have lost their lives, while 31 child workers between the ages of 14-17 died.

The most common cause of work-related deaths was traffic accidents, which claimed 306 lives. It was followed by the reason of being crushed by heavy equipment, with 266 workers. Other instances included being electrically shocked, falling from heights, and suffering from heart attacks. 

There were 75 refugees/migrants among the workers who lost their lives in the relevant period, with Syrians topping the list. Afghans came second on the list, with 16 workers.