Turkey’s actual workplace death toll is likely nearly double the official figures, according to labor experts who note discrepancies between the number of fatalities and survivor benefits in Social Security Institution (SGK) records.
According to a report by the Birgün daily, data from the SGK shows that 27,695 workers were officially recorded as having died in workplace accidents or due to occupational diseases between 2005 and 2024. However, during the same period, SGK processed 52,455 “death/permanent incapacity” cases – instances where the institution granted survivor benefits to a worker’s family following their death.
Experts say this second figure –1.9 times higher than the officially announced number – offers a much closer estimate of the actual death toll.
SGK’s annual workplace death figures include only cases that are formally reported and confirmed. Many cases, however, are disputed between the institution and the victims’ families and therefore do not appear in the annual reports. These cases are often recognized only years later through labor inspector findings or court rulings and appear only in “death/permanent incapacity” statistics rather than in the original fatality statistics.
The large discrepancy has further fueled concerns about the accuracy and transparency of Turkey’s official economic and social statistics.
Even this broader figure does not cover all cases, experts say. Deaths that are never reported to SGK or never brought before a court — including those concealed or ignored by employers — remain entirely absent from the records.
Long-term data also point to a rising trend of workplace deaths in Turkey. Using five-year moving averages, workplace death notifications increased from 1,156 in 2009 to 1,609 in 2024, reflecting persistent shortcomings in occupational safety oversight.
According to data from the Health and Safety Labor Watch (İSİG), nearly 35,000 workers have died in workplace accidents since the Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power in November 2002.
Turkey’s poor record on labor rights has also been pointed out internationally. A yearly report produced by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) on labor rights revealed that Turkey is one of the 10 worst countries in the world for workers in industrial sectors. According to the Brussels-based ITUC, workers’ freedoms and rights have been further denied since police crackdowns on protests in Turkey in 2025, while strikes and attempts to unionize were prevented by the authorities.
