Safety Supervision

The power of controlling working life belongs to the State in general terms in Turkey. This matter has been explained in the 88^th article of the Labor Law, and in the first article of, it says; “The State monitors, supervises and inspects the implementation of the law about working life”. In the second sub clause of the same article, it is explained that this duty will be done by government employees who are from the Ministry of Labor, and are authorized to inspect and supervise, in the number and qualities that will meet the requirement. The unit of the Ministry of Social Security that is responsible for the inspection regarding workers’ health and occupational safety is Labor Inspection Committee.

In addition, the inspectors that work within the body of General Directorate of Social Insurance Institution also have some powers regarding inspection. Within the body of the ministry, there are Department of Workers’ Health, which is not directly related to inspection but serves in the matter of workers’ health and occupational safety, and Occupational Health and Safety Center (İŞGÜM) and Near and Middle-East Labor Training Centre (YODÇEM) within its body.

1. Labor Inspection Committee

Labor Inspection Committee, which operates being directly under the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, was established according to the “Labor Inspection Regulation” that had been enacted on 28.8.1979. Still, all Labor Inspectors who investigate and inspect in technical or social field, operate under this Committee.

2. Inspection of the Organization of Social Insurance and Security

The 130^th article of the Law on Social Insurance numbered 506 indicates that the Organization has the power of inspection, control and supervision laid out in Labor Law, by its officers who are authorized to inspect. The inspections that are done at workplaces regarding workers’ health and occupational safety are reported to the Organization with a report arranged by the inspectors. If it is determined that required measures had not been taken at the workplace, as a result of these inspections, it causes the increasing of the hazard level of that workplace, and therefore, increasing of the amount of the premium that is paid to the Organization (Law on Social Insurance, Article 74).

Evaluation of State Inspection

It is understood that with the inspection of all workplaces in Turkey within the framework of the law that is in force and with sufficient frequency, beneficial results will be obtained. Because there are legal provisions that provide for the ceasing of the work when the deficiencies and the conditions against the law, which had been found out during the inspections, are not resolved, or those that provide for the closing of the workplace, when necessary. However, due to the insufficiency in the number of inspectors, at most 10% of workplaces can be inspected in a year.