1. CONSTRUTION SAFETY AND ENGINEERING ETHICS
Lecture 1: Accident Statistics
Assist. Prof. Dr. Özgür KÖYLÜOĞLU
Yeditepe University, Faculty of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department, Room: A-202A

2. Definition of Work Accidents
Social Security and National Health Security Act (Law #5510):
An accident is an occurance happening when;
The employee is at work,
Due to the work executed by the Employer, if the insured is working on his/her behalf independently due to the work executed by himself,
Due to travel of the insured who is working as an amployee, at times he/she is not doing the main work
At the maternal employee’s is breastfeeding times, in accordance with Artcile 4 part 1 (a) of this Law
the insured is commuting to work with a vehicle provided by the employer
resulting in immediate or future mental or physical disability of those under social security

3. Scope of Work Accidents
Those employed on temporary employment, permanent employment, self employed, employer or family worker working on an unpaid basis are within the scope of the work accidents.
Work accidents include the accidents at the work site or during execution of the work, which may result in any type of injuries or fatality, including the traffic accidents while travelling for a business meeting.

4. Scope of Work Ill Health
Any kind of health problem the worker is subjected to during the last 12 months, which is attributable to existing work conditions or worsening previous health problems.

5. Motivation - UK
Construction is high risk industry. According to the ILO (International Labor Organization) risk of accidents is 6 times higher than other industries
In UK, 5% of the employees work in construction industry however it accounts for 31% of fatal injuries and 10% of reported major/specific injuries[1]. In 2013/14, there were 42 fatal injuries in the construction industry.
Fig Numbers of Fatal Injuries to Employees from 1973 to 2013/2014[1] (The Reporitng of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurances Regulations; RIDDOR)

6. Definition of Major Injuries[1’]
Fracture, other than to fingers, thumbs or toes
Dislocation of the shoulder, hip, knee or spine
Chemical or hot metal burn to, or penetrating injury of, the eye
Injury leading to hypothermia, heat-induced illness or to unconsciousness
Injury requring admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours
Acute illness requiring medical treatment or loss of consciousness, resulting from the absorption of any substance by inhalation, ingestion or through the skin

7. Definition of Major Injuries[1’]
Amputation (loss of a body part)
Loss of sight, temporary or permanent
Injury from electric shock or burn leading to unconsciousness or requiring resuscitation or more than 24 hours hospital
Injury requiring resuscitation
Los of consciousness through asphyxia (loss of breath) or exposure to a harmful substance or biological agent
Acute illness requiring medical treatment where there is reason to believe that it resulted from exposure to a biological agent or its toxins or infected material

8. Table 1.1. Work Accident, Permanent Work Loss and Death Statistics [5]
Motivation - Turkey
Total number of accidents is in 2011[2] ( in 2006), constituting appx. 1.0 % of employment as per Ministry figures[3].
In Turkey, 10% of the accidents occur in construction works, corresponding to 25% of work accidents resulting in permanent work loss and 34% of the fatal work accidents[3].
In 2012, 744 fatal accidents occurred; 256 of these working in the construction industry. Fatalities in 2011 in the construction industry was 570[4].
Table 1.1. Work Accident, Permanent Work Loss and Death Statistics [5]

9. Accident Statistics – Turkey -
Metal products industry has the highest number of accidents, yet fatalities in construction industry is 10 times higher.
Table 1.2. Work Accident, Permanent Work Loss and Death Statistics (2006) [2]

10. Accident Statistics – Turkey -
In 2012 total registered employment was 18.3 million.
Table 1.3. Work Accident, Permanent Work Loss and Death Statistics on 3 Highest Accident Industries (2011, 2012) [6]

11. Construction Accidents in Construction Types – UK-
Occurance in buildings is much higher than the infrastructure works.
Fig Percentage of Construction Injuries Classified as per Construction Activity[1]
RIDDOR – Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurances Regulations ; ONS – Office of National Statistics

12. Construction Accidents in Construction Types – Turkey-
Occurance in buildings is much higher than the infrastructure works.
Fig Percentage of Construction Injuries Classified as per Construction Activity[5]

13. Fatal Construction Injuries– UK-
For 2013/14, rate of occurance of fatal injuries was approximately 1.6 per workers (highest in 2006/07 with 3.1) [1].
Number of fatal injuries was 42 in 2013/14.
Table 1.3. Kinds of Fatal Injury in Construction[1]

14. Major/Specified Construction Injuries – UK-
For 2013/14, rate of occurance of major/specified injuries was approximately 160 per workers (highest before 2008/09 with 275)[1]
Table 1.4. Kinds of Major/Specified Injury in Construction[1]

15. Fatal & Major/Specified Construction Injuries – Turkey -
Table 1.5. Kinds of Injury in Construction[5]

16. Ill Health Issues – UK-
Table 1.4. Work Related Illnesses According to the Voluntary Reporting of Occupational Diseases by Doctors (THOR and THOR-GP) [1]
Occupational cancer is largest in construction industry than the other industrial sectors; due to exposure to asbestos (69%), silica (17%), paints (6-7%), diesel engine exhaust (6-7%); also solar radiation; coal tars and pitches.

17. Ill Health Issues – Turkey -
Table 1.5. Ill Health Statistics for All Industries (2006) [2]

18. Ill Health Issues – Turkey -
Table 1.6. Ill Health Reporting (2007) [6]
Reporting of ill-health is not satisfactory in Turkey.

19. Consequences of Failure in Safety
Ethical and emotional, remorse / feeling responsible.
Legal consequences – prosecutions / imprisonement
In 2013/14, number of fatal injuries were 42.
An estimated number of cases related to work ill-health is in UK of which were new cases
In Turkey number of work ill-health cases were in ( in 2007), constituting 2.1 % (3.7 %) of those employed
Financial consequences – fines / indemnities and costs to the government
Secondary effects – work days lost
In UK (2013/14), an estimated 2.3 million working days were lost; 1.7 million due to ill health and due to workplace injury

20. Losses and Financial Consequences - UK
Between 2011/12 and 2013/14 the average number of work days lost due to injury was 0.6 million, equivalent to 0.3 days per worker in construction industry (0.18 for all industries).
Imposes costs to employer (sick pay etc), on those suffering (pain, grief etc) and on government (health care expenditure etc)
Economic costs of workplace injury and work related illness cases was estimated 1.1 billion sterlin in 2012/13.
Fig Economic Costs 2012/2013[1]

21. Losses and Financial Consequences – Turkey
Direct financial losses due to
permanent disability and fatality,
work days lost or loss of production efficiency
treatment costs
amount to 3.9 billion liras in Turkey.
Indirect financial losses due to emergency actions right after the accident
work loss due to termination of works,
doctors and necessary equipments and activities for rescue
resuming the works
can cost the same amount
totalling 7.7 billion Turkish Liras [8].

22. Legal Consequences – UK-
Health and Safety Engineers and Local/Governmental Authorities are responsible for enforcing health and safety legislation.
Tools to secure compliance;
In 2013/14, nearly 95% of cases resulted in a conviction.
Improvement Notices
Prohibition Notices
Prosecution
Fig Prosecutions in Construction [1]

23. Legal Consequences – Turkey[8]-
CODE OF OBLİGATIONS (Borçlar Kanunu)
(6098)
Material Damages for Disability (49)
(Maddi Tazminat)
- Medical Costs
- Costs of Workpower Lost
- Costs due to Loss of Goodwill (İtibar)
Material Damages for Loss of Lifesupport (53) (Maddi Tazminat Destekten Yoksun Kalma)
Moral Damages (56) (Manevi Tazminat)
SOCIAL SECURITY AND NATIONAL HEALTH SECURITY ACT (Sosyal Sigortalar ve Genel Sağlık Sigortası Kanunu) (5510)
Rights (16) (Haklar)
- Temporary/Permenant Disability
- Income for Rightholders
- Marriage Aid
- Funeral Aid
Reclaiming from the Owner (21) (İşveren Rücu)

24. Penalties for Work Accidents – Turkey[8]
INDEMNITIES
PENAL LAW
Murder by Omission or Negligence (5237/85)
- Custody for 2-6 yrs
yrs for more than 1 casualty/injury
Injury by Omission or Negligence (5237/89)
- Custody for 3 mo’s-1 yr
- Legal compensation patyment
- 6 mo’s-3 yrs for more than 1 injuries
BUSINESS LAW
Administrative Enforcements
- Shut down (Kapatma)
- Suspension of works (Durdurma)
- Retaining the unsuitable workers from the work (Alıkoyma)
Financial Charges for Incompliances as per Law No 6331
- Absense of Occupational Physician 5000 TL/month
- Absense of Occupational Safety Specialist 5000 TL/month
- Absense of Risk Assesment 3000 TL TL/month
- …

25. Legal Authorities
Çalışma ve Sosyal Güvenlik Bakanlığı – İş Sağlığı ve Güvenliği Genel Müdürlüğü (Turkish Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Department of Occupational Health and Safety)
OSHA Law #6331
United States Department of Labor – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
OSHA Law and Regulations
United Kingdom Health and Safety Executives (HSE)
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)
European Directives

26. Professional Organizations for Construction Safety
Health and Safety Executive (HSE), UK
American Ladder Institute (ALI)
American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE)
International Organization of Standardization (ISO)
International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA)

27. Specifications for Construction Safety
OHSAS – An International Occupational Health and Safety Management System Specification (BSI-The British Standards Institution).
OHSAS – Occupation Health and Safety Assesment
OHSAS – Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems: - Guidance
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Safety Standards
HSE’s Guidance Documents
European Guidelines and Standards by European Standardization Organizations (CEN, CENELEC and ETSI)

28. References
1’ _Regulations#Major_injuries
İnşaat Mühendisleri Odası’nın hazırladığı İş Sağlığı ve Güvenliği Raporu, TMH /3.
İnşaat Sektörümüzdeki Başlıca İş Kazası Tipleri, Doç.Dr. M. Uğur Müngen, İnşaat Mühendisleri Odası, TMH /5
2012 SGK İş Kazası İstatistiklerinin Analizi, Kemal Üçüncü, İş GüvenliğiMühendisi
İş Kazaları ve İşe Bağlı Sağlık Problemleri, Araştırma Sonuçları 2013, Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu, Ocak 2014.
“İş Sağlığı ve Güvenliği’ne Şaşı Bakmak, İnşaat Mühendisleri Odası, İMO, TMH /3.
Canpolat Ceran, Mehmet Ceran, “6331 Sayılı İş Sağlığı ve Güvenliği Kanunu Bilgilendirme Semineri”, Ankara Serbest Muhasebeci Mali Müşavirler Meslekte Birlik Derneği.