ELAZIG GUNISIGI NEWSPAPER - November 2010
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY IN CONSTRUCTION WORKS
Construction work is too diverse to be reduced to just a few points, but it is worth noting that residential construction constitutes a significant portion of the construction industry. Therefore, this article focuses on residential construction.
As in all fields, one of the most important issues in construction is worker safety. Every year, a considerable number of workers are injured or lose their lives in accidents. This results in great losses not only for the workers but also for the employers. Preventing such undesirable situations cannot be achieved simply by posting warning signs such as "entering the construction site is dangerous and prohibited." In fact, in construction sites where safety measures are neglected, accidents can happen to people outside the workforce as well.
Construction accidents are common across Turkey every day. For example, in Adana, a 30-year-old woman was seriously injured when a piece of scaffolding fell on her while she was walking by a building undergoing renovation. The incident occurred last Saturday afternoon when a piece of scaffolding weighing about 3 kilograms fell from a height of 10 meters and hit her head. Unfortunately, her life remains at risk. The lack of necessary precautions during the renovation led to this tragic event.
This incident is not unique to just one province; similar negligence happens in Elazığ as well. When a construction project is underway, the same level of care given to the project's design and construction should also be applied to worker safety.
Especially in city centers, examples of negligence include excavation pits that are left uncovered, and the continuous falling of people into uncontrolled spaces on construction sites. Safety measures in construction sites located in areas with pedestrian traffic should not be limited to makeshift tents. Measures that only serve as a facade or deceive oneself should not be used to jeopardize the health and safety of others. The mentality of “nothing has happened until now, so it won’t happen in the future” is not in line with today’s approach to work and trade. Moreover, even in the smallest accidents, the employer holds significant legal and moral responsibilities. If the employer only considered their own well-being, they would still need to take the necessary safety measures.
Of course, not all of the observed deficiencies can be attributed to ill intentions. However, ignorance does not change the nature of the offense. In order to avoid unwanted events, necessary safety precautions must always be taken.
The Regulation on Worker Health and Safety in Building Works outlines the health and safety measures to be taken in detail. According to this regulation, "building works" includes, with the exception of mining operations, construction, repair, renovation, and demolition of buildings, embankments, dams, roads, railways, overhead lines, tunnels, metro systems, bridges, steel structures, scaffolding, ports, shipbuilding, breakwaters, sewage systems, pits, canals, walls, and similar constructions, as well as earthworks, excavation, filling, and various electrical, plumbing, and heating installations; and the use of fixed and movable machinery and equipment related to these tasks.
Every employer is required to ensure the health and safety of workers at construction sites by fulfilling the conditions specified in this regulation and by providing the necessary tools and equipment. Workers are also obligated to follow the prescribed procedures and conditions.
The effectiveness of this regulation lies in its knowledge and application. Therefore, just like building inspections, the safety of construction sites must be regularly monitored. First, institutions and organizations related to construction should carry out informative activities on this issue. Expert-led seminars can be used for further education. After these informative sessions, occupational safety inspections should be conducted to prevent accidents.
Wishing you a safe and accident-free working life in every aspect!