Two workers are killed on the job working in extreme heat

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A Toroslar Electricity Distribution Inc. (Toroslar EDAŞ) worker lost his life due to a heart attack while working in extreme heat in Osmaniye in southern Turkey. 

July has been announced as the hottest month by the World Meteorology Organization (WMO) and Copernicus Climate Change Service alike. 

Extreme heat is increasing the risk of a sudden heart attack due to dehydration for people with chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure, renal disorders, or diabetes.

 Workers are obligated to work risking death although experts state that it is not safe to work outside especially between 11.00 and 15.00 at noon.

Two workers died

30-year-old Toroslar EDAŞ maintenance worker Erdem Ezgi died due to a heart attack triggered by heat in Kadirli, Osmaniye today (July 28). 

The previous day, Berran Özen Kırmızıgül, a 42-year-old Post Telegraph Organization (PTT) worker lost her life due to cerebral hemorrhage after hours of mail delivery in heat and sunstroke. 

Media Communication and Postal Employees Union (Haber-Sen) affiliated with KESK organized a demonstration in front of the PTT headquarters and protested the conditions.

Petition

Electricity, Gas, Water and Dam Workers Union (Enerji-Sen) affiliated with DİSK started a petition at change.org after the passing away of the EDAŞ worker in extreme heat. 

Öte yandan DİSK Enerji-Sen EDAŞ işçisinin, çalışırken aşırı sıcaklardan dolayı kalp krizi geçirerek ölmesinin ardından change.org'da bir imza kampanyası başlattı.

The union called for the following measures to be taken:

• Adaptation plans should be drawn and special measures should be taken for the workers according to the changing weather conditions,
• The breaks should be extended and water should be provided for the workers,
• Burning of coal, oil, and gas, deforestation and other human activities are triggering the climate crisis. We request that global warming be stopped at an increase of 1,3 degrees and that just transformation policies be adopted and implemented for the workers. (ZA/AÖ/PE)