A painful toll: At least 1,897 workers lost their lives in 2024

The Health and Safety Labor Watch (İSİG) has released its 2024 work-related homicide data. According to the report, at least 1,897 workers lost their lives in workplace accidents in 2024. It was stated that at least 5 workers lost their lives every day.

According to the data, 106 of the workers who lost their lives were women, 1,791 were men, and 94 were refugees.

The data indicated that only 1.89 percent of the workers who lost their lives were unionized. It was determined that 1,861 workers, corresponding to 98.11 percent, were non-unionized.

DATA FROM EARTHQUAKE ZONES DRAWS ATTENTION

In a statement regarding the issue, İSİG noted that construction activities in the 11 provinces affected by the February 6 earthquakes accelerated last year, and recorded the following:

“At least 106 construction workers lost their lives in the earthquake zone. These work-related homicides are concentrated in certain areas. For example, at least 9 workers lost their lives in the construction of TOKİ earthquake housing in the İndere (Zey) village of Adıyaman city center. On the other hand, many serious injuries occur at construction sites in the earthquake zone, and workers are left disabled and unable to work. Dozens of workers stay in the same container, experiencing problems with food, kitchens, toilets, and hygiene. There are no facilities for showering or heating in the container dormitories, which also lack electricity.”

DISTRIBUTION OF DEATHS BY SECTOR

According to İSİG data, the distribution of deaths in workplace accidents last year by sector was as follows: “656 workers in the industrial sector, 484 workers in the construction sector, 431 workers in the service sector, and 326 workers in the agricultural sector.”

The distribution of worker deaths by cause is as follows:

387 workers due to traffic or shuttle accidents;

334 workers due to crushing or collapse;

321 workers due to falling from height;

238 workers due to heart attack or brain hemorrhage;

103 workers due to poisoning or suffocation;

99 workers due to electric shock;

90 workers due to violence;

78 workers due to suicide;

74 workers due to explosion or burning;

40 workers due to being struck by an object or falling objects;

12 workers due to cuts or amputations;

121 workers due to other causes

Distribution by age group is as follows:

22 child workers aged 14 and under,

49 child/young workers aged 15-17,

395 workers aged 18-29,

793 workers aged 30-49,

462 workers aged 50-64,

96 workers aged 65 and over,

80 workers whose age is unknown