At least 149 workers died in workplace accidents across Turkey in June, according to a monthly study released by a nongovernmental organization focused on worker health and safety issues, bringing the number of workplace deaths in Turkey in the first six months of 2018 to 907.
According to data compiled by the Workers Health and Work Safety Assembly (İSİGM), 144 workers died in January, 128 in February, 129 in March, 188 in April, 169 in May, and 149 in June.
Of those who lost their life in June, nine were women, and 140 men. The women who died were working in the agriculture, trade and hospitality sectors. The report also stated that a total of 6 child workers lost their lives at their workplaces. Two of them were 14 or younger. The six were said to be refugees and/or migrants.
On Jan. 6, 2018 the İSİGM published a report saying that 2,006 workers died at work throughout 2017. That number marked an increase from 2016, when 1,970 workers were killed in Turkey. According to the İSİGM, five workers were killed every 24 hours last year. Of the 2,006 workers who were killed on the job in 2017, 116 were women.
On Feb. 14, 2018 Turkey’s Labor Ministry announced that 27 workers have been killed in the construction of İstanbul’s third airport since it began in May 2015. That announcement came only after unconfirmed reports that 400 workers have been killed so far in work accidents at the multi-billion dollar project’s site, operated by the İstanbul Grand Airport (IGA).
