21st “MISGEP Mining Industry Consultation Meetings” was Held in Ankara”

Within the scope of MİSGEP, which is carried out by the General Directorate of Occupational Health and Safety (İSGGM) and financed by the European Union and the Republic of Turkey, in order to improve the occupational health and safety conditions in mining workplaces and to raise awareness in this field, 21st “MISGEP Mining Industry Consultation Meetings” covering 25 provinces in 7 regions of Turkey meetings was held in Ankara. Ankara Governor Vasip ŞAHİN, Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Security Prof. Dr. Lutfihak ALPKAN, General Manager of Occupational Health and Safety Mr. Cafer UZUNKAYA, European Union Delegation to Turkey, Sector Manager Mehmet Caner DEMİR, General Directorate of Occupational Health and Safety, stakeholder institutions, OSGB's, non-governmental organizations and representatives of private sector organizations serving in the mining field attended the meeting.

The Governor of Ankara, Mr. Vasip ŞAHİN, who attended the opening session for his speeches, said, “MoLSS has come a long way in occupational health and safety. With the policies and strategies made, Turkey has crossed a threshold in this regard. Thanks to such meetings, the awareness created will rise to even higher levels.”

For the opening speech, Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Security Prof. Dr. Lutfihak ALPKAN, in his speech, said, “MISGEP is an indicator of how much our Ministry attaches great importance to occupational health and safety.” Mr. ALPKAN also said that in addition to the capacity and awareness-raising activities carried out within the scope of MİSGEP, effective studies are carried out to reach thousands of our miners through Grant and Financial Support and Guidance Programs, to inform them and to make occupational safety a culture. In this context, he also emphasized that since the beginning of our project in April, approximately 2.5 million Turkish Liras have been provided to 80 workplaces in 3 months in return for the assignment of OHS Professionals. In addition to this, Mr. ALPKAN said, “We have very important duties on occupational health and safety, as well as on social stakeholders, NGOs, employers, employees and occupational safety professionals. In this context, it is the common mission of our Ministry and all actors in the field of OHS to reduce occupational accidents and combat occupational diseases.”

In his opening speech, General Manager of Occupational Health and Safety Cafer UZUNKAYA said that as the General Directorate, they continue to stand by both our employees and employers during the pandemic period as well as before the pandemic. Emphasizing the importance of human life, UZUNKAYA stated that the issue of occupational health and safety is one of the top priority issues to be taken into account, and said, “With these meetings hosted by our governors, we aim to increase the awareness of not only the mining industry but also all parties in our province on occupational health and safety. Occupational Health and Safety Law No. 6331 is valid for workplaces in both private and public sectors. Occupational health and safety is not just the absence of an accident; It means that the employee goes to work peacefully, works happy and produces.”

In the consultation session of the meeting, MISGEP Team Leader Gökhan Güler and Instructor Dr. Hacer KAYHAN, studied examples from the World such as occupational health and safety practices in the mining sector, legal obligations regarding mining and administrative fines, compensation after work accidents, the effect of unionization on OHS, pneumoconiosis; the most common occupational disease in the industry. The cost and benefits of preventing work accidents. During the meeting, the opinions of the participants were taken after each topic.