At least 1,932 workers killed on the job in 2023

The Health and Safety Labor Watch (İSİG) has released its annual report on occupational homicides, revealing that at least 1,932 workers were killed on the job in 2023, averaging at least 5 workers per day. 

The breakdown of fatalities per month is as follows: 115 in January, 261 in February, 130 in March, 123 in April, 147 in May, 160 in June, 184 in July, 206 in August, 154 in September, 151 in October, 145 in November, and 156 in December. 

Among the deceased, 147 were women and 1,785 were men. Disturbingly, 22 were children aged 14 or below, while 32 were in the 15-17 age group. Age-related information for 163 workers remains unknown. 

In 2023, 106 of the deceased workers were refugees or migrant workers, arriving from countries such as Syria, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Iraq, Iran, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Egypt, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, the Philippines, Japan, Colombia, Moldova, Nigeria, Romania, Russia, Sudan, and Tajikistan. 

Only 54 of the workers who lost their lives (2.79%) were unionized, while a staggering 1,878 (97.21%) had no union affiliation. 

The highest number of fatalities occurred in the construction and road sectors, claiming 389 lives. Following closely were agriculture and forestry with 371 fatalities (194 workers and 177 farmers). The transportation sector saw 221 deaths, accommodation and entertainment recorded 157, trade, office, education, and cinema sectors reported 116, and municipal and general services resulted in 100 fatalities. 

The causes of these workplace fatalities varied: 444 due to traffic and service accidents, 291 due to crushing and collapsing, 259 from falling from heights, 218 due to heart attacks or strokes, 158 due to earthquakes, 105 from electric shocks, 85 due to violence, 80 from explosions and burns, 64 from poisoning and drowning, 64 from suicide, 35 from object impact and falls, 17 from cutting and severing, and 112 from other reasons. 

Construction, agriculture, and transportation 

Reflecting on the data, İSİG noted that there are three sectors with concentrated workplace fatalities (981 deaths): construction, agriculture, and transportation. These sectors, characterized by precarious work conditions and a lack of union organization, continue to see significant challenges and risks for workers. 

Since the Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power on November 3, 2002, a total of at least 32,478 workers have lost their lives in workplace accidents. İSİG Meclisi criticized the government, stating, "Whether you enact Law No. 6331 on Occupational Health and Safety or give speeches about 'reduced worker deaths proportionally,' the reality remains unchanged. The AKP has turned job insecurity into today's proletarian work and life discipline." 

Despite the rhetoric of 'economic development,' 'growth,' 'Advanced Turkey,' 'New Turkey,' 'indigenous-national,' and 'Turkey Century' used by AKP officials over the past 22 years, İSİG Meclisi emphasized that nothing has changed for the working class and the people of Turkey. On the contrary, each passing year witnesses laws that disadvantage workers, increasing inflation, declining purchasing power, and ongoing repression against struggles for rights and freedoms, shaping a 'Workplace Homicide Regime.' İSİG Meclisi concluded, "This is the summary of 22 years..." criticizing the government's handling of the situation. (HA/VK)