Çankaya University ARCH 441 Lecture Notes on Occupational Health and Safety PDF

ÇANKAYA UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE 2023 – 2024 Fall Semester ARCH 441 - OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY I LECTURE NOTES Prof. Dr. Aslı ER AKAN Res. Assist: Yeliz Alevsaçanlar, Damla Yeşilbağ, Elif Aksel http://arch441.cankaya.edu.tr Chapter 1: Basic information on occupat...

ÇANKAYA UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE 2023 – 2024 Fall Semester ARCH 441 - OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY I LECTURE NOTES Prof. Dr. Aslı ER AKAN Res. Assist: Yeliz Alevsaçanlar, Damla Yeşilbağ, Elif Aksel http://arch441.cankaya.edu.tr Chapter 1: Basic information on occupational health and safety Chapter 2: Work accidents Chapter 3: Occupational diseases Chapter 4: Occupational health and safety in law (Act No. 6331 on Occupational Health and Safety) Chapter 5: Safety Signs &Symbols Chapter 1: Basic information on occupational health and safety What is the meaning of occupational health safety? Occupational Health and Safety is designed to create a safe, healthy work environment. It can generally be considered as two separate entities. Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) is extremely valuable and is rightly being incorporated into more and more workplaces around the world. Occupational Safety covers the risk factor in your workplace, and potential safety hazards that could possibly cause injury. Whether you’re stacking shelves, studying a PhD, working from an office, or using heavy machinery, there are health and safety risks. That being the case, your employer has a responsibility to minimize those risks and reduce the likelihood of any workplace accident or mistreatment. And, as we’re about to explain, it’s in more than just their legal interest to look after you. Why occupational health&safety is important? Your employer must consider the conditions you work in. OH&S puts a care of duty upon every employer to make sure that their staff work in reasonable conditions, and that their mental health is a top priority. Long hours, few breaks, little recognition, and impossible demands will quickly leave staff fatigued, stressed, and suffering from poor mental health. At best, workers will suffer slight mental health problems and only require a break from work. At worst, this could lead to life-changing and long-term mental health problems. Companies want to make sure that their staff are mentally healthy and contributing to the business. OH&S makes sure that staff health is looked after. How OHS can benefit your business It reduces injury and illness in the workplace It improves employee productivity It helps you retain your employees It reduces the cost of injury and workers’ compensation WHO: World Health Organization came into force on 7 April 1948 – a date we now celebrate every year as World Health Day. More than 7000 people are working in 150 country offices, in six regional offices and at their headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Primary role of WHO is to direct and coordinate international health within the United Nations system. The main areas of work are health systems; health through the life-course; noncommunicable and communicable diseases; preparedness, surveillance and response; and corporate services. WHO support countries as they coordinate the efforts of governments and partners – including bi- and multilaterals, funds and foundations, civil society organizations and the private sector. Working together, they attain health objectives by supporting national health policies and strategies. ILO: ILO means International Labour Organization. The main aims of the ILO are to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue on work-related issues. The ILO was founded in 1919, in the wake of a destructive war, to pursue a vision based on the premise that universal, lasting peace can be established only if it is based on social justice. The ILO became the first specialized agency of the UN in 1946. SAFETY: The word “safety” used to mean the older strategy of accident prevention through the use of hard hats, safety shoes, and a variety of rules and regulations. The main emphasis was on worker safety. Much more recently, “safety” has been replaced by “loss prevention”. This term includes hazard identification, technical evaluation, and the design of new engineering features to prevent loss. Safety, hazard and risk are frequently-used terms in process safety. Their definitions are: Safety or loss prevention: the prevention of accidents through the use of appropriate technologies to identify the hazards of a chemical plant and eliminate them before an accident occurs. Hazard: a chemical or physical condition that has the potential to cause damage to people, property, or the environment. Risk: a measure of human injury, environmental damage, or economic loss in terms of both the incident likelihood and the magnitude of the loss or injury Regulations in Health and Safety in Turkey Turkey’s Occupational Health and Safety Act 2012 (No. 6331) (hereafter the OHS Act) was enacted by Parliament on June 26, 2012, and entered into force on June 30, 2012. However articles 6 and 7 entered into force gradually, on Jan. 1, 2014 (for moderate and very high hazard workplaces with less than 50 employees), and on June 1, 2016 (for low hazard workplaces with less than 50 employees, and government establishments). The purpose of the OHS Act is to provide a framework within which employees and employers can interact with respect to occupational health and safety. The OHS Act extends the scope of safety regulations, and enforces the regulations for all workplaces including the public sector, and workers -- including apprentices and interns. Roots of the reform The origins of the reform of occupational health and safety legislation can be traced back to Labor Act No. 4857 of 2003. This brought fundamental changes to the occupational safety system as part of the process for ensuring consistency between laws in the EU and Turkey. Article 80 limited the role of employer in managing occupational health and safety issues, ensuring that decisions of health and safety boards must be respected. The act also required that employers appoint occupational safety and health officers. In addition, this act gave employees important rights with regard to occupational health and safety. To cite several examples, the minimum working age was raised to 16 years from 15 and the term “young worker” was introduced for the first time. The working time for these young workers was limited to an eight-hour day and a 40-hour week. Compulsory maternity leave was extended to 16 weeks - split into eight weeks prior to birth and eight weeks after. Paid annual leave was increased from 12 to 14 days. Responsibilities of employers The obligations of employers in the context of the OHS Act may broadly be classified into two groups: General and supervisory responsibilities Managerial responsibilities Occupational health and safety officer According to OHS Act, an employer must have a certified occupational health and safety officer. *The number and qualification level (A, B or C level) of these officers depends on the number of employees employed by the company and the perceived degree of accident risk. *Their basic duties are to conduct the services required under the OHS Act, and to ensure the implementation of measures required to create a safer work environment. Workplace physician According to OHS Act, an employer must employ a certified workplace physician. The legislation establishes three functions for this role. The first is to take the necessary measures related to occupational health and safety issues. Second, they provide preventive medical services at the workplace. Finally, the physician is also responsible for urgent treatment of employees and first aid. Fundamental principlesof the OHS Act The OHS Act provides three basic rights to employees: The first is the right to participate in occupational health and safety decisions through the formation of joint employer/employee boards on health and safety. The second is the right to know about occupational health and safety issues impacting the employee and how to safely handle these. The last is the right to refrain from unsafe work, indicating that the worker may refuse to work if there is a serious and imminent danger to their health or safety. The right to participate The OSH Act contains three regulations relevant to the right to participate in occupational health and safety decisions. These are: gauging workers’ opinion, electing an employee occupational safety representative,  the establishment of an occupational health and safety board in the workplace. Worker occupational safety representative According to OHS Act, workplaces with more than two permanent workers must have an occupational safety representative. *Elected by workers or appointed by the employer if election is not possible. *The number of representatives varies between one and six, depending on the number of workers at the workplace. Occupational health and safety board According to OHS Act, workplaces with more than 50 regularly employed workers must form an occupational health and safety board (OHSB). This board should be composed of the employer or their representative, the occupational health and safety officer, the workplace physician, the manager of human resources, the foreman and worker representatives. Historical background of occupational health The work place is a potentially hazardous environment where millions of employees pass at least one-third of their life time. This fact has been recognized for a long time, although developed very slowly until 1900. There has been an awareness of industrial hygiene since antiquity. The environment and its relation to worker health was recognized as early as the fourth century BC when Hippocrates noted lead toxicity in the mining industry. In the first century AD, Pliny the Elder, a Roman scholar, perceived health risks to those working with zinc and sulfur. He devised a face mask made from an animal bladder to protect workers from exposure to dust and lead fumes. In the second century AD, the Greek physician, Galen, accurately described the pathology of lead poisoning and also recognized the hazardous exposures of copper miners to acid mists. In the middle Ages, guilds worked at assisting sick workers and their families. In 1556, the German scholar, Agricola, advanced the science of industrial hygiene even further when, in his book De Re Metallica, he described the diseases of miners and prescribed preventive measures. The book included suggestions for mine ventilation and worker protection, discussed mining accidents, and described diseases associated with mining occupations such as silicosis. Industrial hygiene gained further respectability in 1700 when Bernardo Ramazzini, known as the "father of industrial medicine,” published in Italy the first comprehensive book on industrial medicine, De Morbis Artificum Diatriba (The Diseases of Workmen). The book contained accurate descriptions of the occupational diseases of most of the workers of his time. Ramazzini greatly affected the future of industrial hygiene because he asserted that occupational diseases should be studied in the work environment rather than in hospital wards. In England in the 18th century, Percival Pott, as a result of his findings on the insidious effects of soot on chimney sweepers, was a major force in getting the British Parliament to pass the Chimney- Sweepers Act of 1788. The passage of the English Factory Acts beginning in 1833 marked the first effective legislative acts in the field of industrial safety. The Acts, however, were intended to provide compensation for accidents rather than to control their causes. Later, various other European nations developed workers’ compensation acts, which stimulated the adoption of increased factory safety precautions and the establishment of medical services within industrial plants. In the early 20th century in the U.S., Dr. Alice Hamilton led efforts to improve industrial hygiene. She observed industrial conditions first hand and startled mine owners, factory managers, and state officials with evidence that there was a correlation between worker illness and exposure to toxins. She also presented definitive proposals for eliminating unhealthful working conditions. At about the same time, U.S. federal and state agencies began investigating health conditions in industry. In 1908, public awareness of occupationally related diseases stimulated the passage of compensation acts for certain civil employees. States passed the first workers ‘compensation laws in 1911. And in 1913, the New York Department of Labor and the Ohio Department of Health established the first state industrial hygiene programs. All states enacted such legislation by 1948. In most states, there is some compensation coverage for workers contracting occupational diseases. However, concrete approach to the control of occupational diseases became valid in most countries after the twentieth century. Emphasis was then given to the control of working hazards, and multidisciplinary approach to such effective measures in which at least triparty: the employer, the employee, and the competent authority are together participating in the problem solution. Much improvement in the workers’ health protection has been made in developed countries in the field of industrial hygiene and safety, and occupational medicine. There is still a long distance ahead for developing countries. NATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY SYSTEM IN TÜRKIYE Directorate General of Occupational Health and Safety ( Çalışma Bakanlığı, İş Sağlığı ve Güvenliği Genel Müdürlüğü) Labour Inspection Board (İş ve Teftiş Kurul Başkanlığı- İTKB) Social Security Institution (Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu-SGK) Occupational Health and Safety Research and Development Institute (İş Sağlığı ve Güvenliği Araştırma ve Geliştirme Enstitüsü-İSGÜM) Labour and Social Security Training and Research Centre (Çalışma ve Sosyal Güvenlik Eğitim ve Araştırma Merkezi-ÇASGEM) National Occupational Health and Safety Council (Ulusal iş sağlığı ve güvenliği Konseyi- NOHSC) DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY-DGOHS (ÇALIŞMA BAKANLIĞI, İŞ SAĞLIĞI VE GÜVENLIĞI GENEL MÜDÜRLÜĞÜ) The tasks assigned by Law to DGOHS are provided below: To determine the national policies and prepare programmes, To perform the prepatory work of legislation in the field of OHS and ensure the implementation of legislation, To ensure co-operation and co-ordination with national and international organizations and institutions, To provide necessary recommendations in order to ensure efficient inspection and monitor its results, To carry out standard studies, prepare and develop norms, carry out activities. Authorize persons and institutions that will manufacture personal protective equipment, to determine the compatibility of the imported equipment to the standards and to define the methods and principles on this subject, To plan, program and ensure the implementation of study and research activities on occupational health and safety and prevention of occupational accidents and diseases, To carry out activities on publishing and documentation in its field and to do statistical works, To carry out necessary activities and to ensure the protection of all workers, including those who are having occupational training, those who are rehabilitated, special risk groups and public servants, and to ensure that the necessary measures are taken. LABOUR INSPECTION BOARD (İŞ VE TEFTIŞ KURUL BAŞKANLIĞI- İTKB) Labour inspection is one of the key functions of the state in order to enforce the legislation and to monitor the work life. The role of the labour inspection is described in the ILO Convention numbered 81 which was ratified by Turkey in 1950 and classified as one of the “priority conventions” by ILO itself. The importance of an effective inspection system is also emphasized in the ILO Convention numbered 155 on Occupational Safety and Health, again ratified and implemented by Turkey. The Labour Inspection Board functions in 2 main paths: a) Inspections in the field of occupational health and safety; b) Inspections in the field of working conditions such as employment status, wages, working hours, unionization. The Labour Inspection Board carries out the following duties: Carrying out planned or occasional inspections and taking measures, Monitoring and investigating practices in workplaces according to international conventions, Monitoring compliance with the legislation on working conditions, Conducting works related to the preparation and improvement of national labour inspection legislation, in line with the inspection results preparing a “General Evaluation Report” which states problems, applicability of the legislation and measures to be taken by relevant institutions, Collecting, evaluating and assessing statistics SOCIAL SECURITY INSTITUTION (SOSYAL GÜVENLIK KURUMU-SGK) The duties of SGK are as follows: To implement the social security policies in line with the national development strategies and policies as well as annual implementation programs and to undertake endeavors for the improvement of these policies, To inform natural and legal persons for whom it serves with regard to their rights and obligations and to facilitate the exercise of these rights and fulfillment of these obligations, To follow up international developments, to collaborate with the European Union and International organizations, to undertake the necessary studies with regard to social security agreements to be concluded with foreign countries, to monitor the proper implementation of international agreements, To provide coordination and collaboration among the public agencies in the field of social security. In case occupational accident and occupational diseases occur, there are three kinds of benefits provided by SGK: a) Benefit for temporary disability b) Permanent incapacity income c) Survivors Benefits In addition to Labour Inspection Board, the Social Insurance Inspection Board also carries out inspections on occupational diseases and occupational accidents in terms of legal dimensions of the case. The main duties of the Social Insurance Inspection Board are: To widen social security scheme coverage, To inform employee and employer for their social security rights and obligations (includes occupational disease and accident), To prevent social security frauds, To detect or investigate occupational accidents/ diseases and the other insurance cases, To collect related information and to examine related persons and record their testimony OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (İŞ SAĞLIĞI VE GÜVENLIĞI ARAŞTIRMA VE GELIŞTIRME ENSTITÜSÜ-İSGÜM) İSGÜM was founded in 1969 as a sub-institution of Directorate General of Occupational Health and Safety of Ministry of Labour and Social Security by an agreement signed between Turkish Government and ILO in the scope of International Programme for the Improvement of Working Conditions and Environment (PIACT). İSGÜM is the only public organization executing workplace measurements and biological analysis together and evaluating the results in the scope of occupational health and safety. It conducts activities with the central laboratory in Ankara and six regional laboratories throughout Turkey. LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY TRAINING AND RESEARCH CENTRE (ÇALIŞMA VE SOSYAL GÜVENLIK EĞITIM VE ARAŞTIRMA MERKEZI-ÇASGEM) The aim of ÇASGEM is to engage in the activities of training, research, surveying, publishing, documentation and consulting at national and international levels on working life and social security subjects. The main tasks of ÇASGEM on OHS issues are: Providing training for OHS professionals (occupational physicians and occupational safety experts). Conducting research and organizing seminars on occupational life, social security, employee-employer relations, occupational health and safety, occupational medicine, total quality management, labour inspection, employment, productivity, research of labour market, ergonomics, environment, first aid, labour statistics and similar subjects to provide education to employers, employee or directors who work in private or public sector and to personnel of the Ministry, its subsidiaries and other related organizations. NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY COUNCIL (ULUSAL IŞ SAĞLIĞI VE GÜVENLIĞI KONSEYI- NOHSC) National Occupational Health and Safety Council (NOHSC) has been established in accordance with the Eighth Five Year Development PLan and ILO Convention No. 155, in order to socialize occupational health and safety, to solve the problems by reaching a consensus with social partners and to ensure health and social welfare of workers. Its legal basis has been clarified with the No. 6331 Law. The First NOHSC Meeting was held on 6th of May 2005. DGOHS has been appointed to execute the secretarial work of this NationaL Council which will convene at least twice annually. The aims of the NOHSC are to bring together the social partners (trade unions and employers’ organizations), universities, nongovernmental organizations and other relevant institutions and organizations in the field of occupational health and safety, and to create a platform where the partners could discuss, express their opinions and define the priorities, needs, policies and strategies in the field of OHS. Chapter 2. Occupational Accident Occupational accident is defined as unexpected, unplanned occurrences which may involve injury. (ILO) Including acts of violence, arising out of or in connection with work which results in one or more workers incurring a personal injury, disease or death. Occupational accident = Dangerous behaviour x Dangerous Situation 1. Handling accidents 2- Transport accident 3- Falls 4- Striking to objects 5- Struck by falling objects 6- Hand tools accidents 7- Machinery accidents 8- Electrical accidents 9- Accident by burning, fire and explosion HOW TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS? Notification of occupational accidents and occupational diseases The two essential indicators specific to working life are occupational accidents and occupational diseases. These indicators reflect the general conditions of occupational safety and health in the country, as well as the health status of the working group. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Law (No 6331, 2012), the employer shall keep a list of occupational accidents and occupational diseases and shall notify the Social Security Institution of these within 3 working days. Chapter 3. Occupational Disease An “occupational disease” is any disease contracted primarily as a result of an exposure to risk factors arising from work activity. “Work-related diseases” have multiple causes, where factors in the work environment may play a role, together with other risk factors, in the development of such diseases. Occupational ill-health is recognizable, undesirable physical or mental condition occurring by a work- related activity or conditions and may become severe overtime. It is a chronic disease caused by repeated exposure to work hazard during performing routine work activities. It has multiple causes including work environment together with other risk factors. Occupation diseases may be occurring individually or among a group of exposed people and develops over time. Before identifying, the illness may need substantial treatment or could be permanent. Type of Occupational Diseases/ ill-health Occupational health hazards are due to exposure of chemical, physical, biological or ergonomic. Occupational diseases are broadly divided into four categories 1. Disease caused by exposure to agent 2. Diseases by target organ 3. Occupational Cancer 4. Other Diseases 1. Occupational Diseases Caused by Exposure to agents 1.1. Caused by exposure to chemical agent Inorganic - e.g. lead, arsenic, silica, Organic - e.g. solvents, glues, resins, fluxes 1.2. Caused by exposure to physical agent noise, vibration, compressed air ionizing radiation, Eg. -X- rays, gamma rays, beta particles, alpha particles non-ionizing radiation Eg. Microwaves, infrared, visible and UV light (optical) Exposure to extreme temperature and humidity. Ergonomic exposure Eg. Repeated movement, body posture, load bearing, etc 1.3. Caused by exposure to biological agent Infectious Eg. Bacteria (Tuberculosis, Leptospira, Tuberculosis, etc), Viruses (Hepatitis B, etc) Parasitic diseases Allergens of biological origin Eg. laboratory animals, insects, mice, wood and other plant material, fungal spores. 1.4. Caused by Psychological exposure Various aspects of work activities, peer group pressure, and work environment and work organization may be stressors. 2. Occupational Diseases by target organ systems 2.1. Respiratory diseases/ Inhalation disorders Respiratory system is split into three areas 1. Upper respiratory tract or airways, including the mouth, nose, sinuses, throat and larynx 2. Middle respiratory tract, including the windpipe and bronchi 3. Lower airways, including bronchioles and lung vesicles Inhalation disorders are associated with inhaling a chemical or biological substance that may be in the form of dust, smoke, fog, gas or vapor or animal allergens, fungal spores and bacteria. When workers breathe them in, they can damage the lungs and other parts of the respiratory tract. In some cases, dangerous agents travel from the lungs to other parts of the body and damage other organs. Many people have a genetic predisposition to allergic diseases. After exposure to chemical or biological agents, they are more likely to develop conditions such as rhinitis and asthma. 2.2. Occupational Skin Diseases 2.3. Occupational Musculo-skeletal Disorders 3.Occupational Cancer 3.1. Cancer caused by the following agents 4. Other Diseases 4.1. Miners Nytagmus Chapter 4: Occupational health and safety in law (Act No. 6331 on Occupational Health and Safety) PROACTIVE APPROACH The Law introduces a general approach of prevention in all workplaces by taking into consideration the issues identified in the risk assessment. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed. The objective of the Law is to maintain the best possible occupational health and safety conditions and continuous improvement at workplaces. The Law ensures to focus on the steps to prevent occupational accidents or diseases rather than trying to take measures after an occupational accident or disease. In this respect, employers identify hazards arising from the operation at every single stage with the participation of workers and take precautions against potential risks accordingly. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY LAW Law No. 6331 Date of Enactment: 20/06/2012 SECTION ONE Object, Scope and Definitions Object ARTICLE 1 – (1) Object of this law is to regulate duties, authority, responsibility, rights and obligations of employers and workers in order to ensure occupational health and safety at workplaces and to improve existing health and safety conditions. Scope and exceptions ARTICLE 2 – (1) This Law shall apply to all works and workplaces in both public and private sector, employers of these workplaces and their representatives, all workers including apprentices and interns regardless of their field of activity. (2) However, this Law shall not be applicable to the following activities and persons: a) Activities of the Turkish Armed Forces, the police and the Undersecretary of National Intelligence Organisation except for those employed in workplaces such as factories, maintenance centres, sewing workshops and the like. b) Intervention activities of disaster and emergency units. c) Domestic services. ç) Persons producing goods and services in their own name and on their own account without employing workers. d) Prison workshop, training, security and vocational course activities within the framework of improvements carried out throughout the enforcement services for convicts and inmates. Definitions ARTICLE 3 – (1) For the purposes of this Law, the following terms shall have the following meanings: a) Ministry: Ministry of Labour and Social Security; b) Worker: any natural person employed at public or private sector workplaces, regardless of their status in their relevant laws; c) Workers’ representative: any worker authorised to represent workers in matters such as participating in occupational health and safety related activities, monitoring these activities, requesting measures, making propositions and the like; ç) Support staff: any person with appropriate equipment and sufficient training who is specifically put in charge of issues related to occupational health and safety such as prevention, protection, evacuation, firefighting, firstaid besides their main duty; d) Training institution: public institutions and organisations, universities and enterprises established by companies operating in accordance with the Turkish Code of Commerce authorised by the Ministry to provide training for occupational safety specialists, occupational physicians and other health-care personnel; e) Young worker: any worker who is of at least fifteen years of age but less than eighteen years of age; f) Occupational safety specialist: any engineer, architect or technician who are authorised by the Ministry to work in the field of occupational health and safety and who have occupational health and safety expertise certificate; g) Occupational accident: any occurrence taking place at the workplace or due to the performance of work which leads to death or physical or mental impairment to the physical integrity of the victim; ğ) Employer: any natural or legal person or any institution and organisation which is not a legal entity who has an employment relationship with the worker; h) Workplace: any organisation in which material and non-material elements and workers are organised together to produce goods or services, where the employer is linked in qualitative terms to the goods or services produced and which includes locations linked to the workplace organised under the same management and other premises and equipment such as rest rooms, nursing rooms, canteens, sleeping, washing, examination and maintenance facilities as well as physical and vocational training locations and courtyards; ı) Occupational physician: any physician who is authorised by the Ministry to work in the field of occupational health and safety and who has occupational medicine certificate; i) Workplace health and safety unit: any unit established to provide occupational health and safety services at the workplace with required equipment and personnel; j) Council: National Occupational Health and Safety Council; k) Committee: occupational health and safety committee; 1) Occupational disease: any illness caused by exposure to occupational risks; m) Joint health and safety unit: any unit which is established by public institutions and organisations, organised industrial zones and companies operating under the Turkish Code of Commerce in order to provide occupational health and safety services to workplaces, with required equipment and personnel and which is authorized by the Ministry; n) Prevention: all the measures planned or taken in order to eliminate or reduce occupational health and safety risks at all stages of work undertaken at the workplace; o) Risk: probability of loss, injury or other harmful result arising from hazard; ö) Risk assessment: activities required for identifying hazards which are existing in or may arise from outside the workplace, analysing and rating the factors causing these hazards to turn into risks and the risks caused by hazards and determining control measures; p) Hazard: potential which exists at the workplace or may arise from outside the workplace to cause harm or damage which could affect the worker or the workplace; r) Hazard class: hazard group in which a workplace is identified to fit in, taking into account the nature of the work performed, substances used or produced at every stage of work, work equipment, production methods and types as well as other issues related to work environment and working conditions in terms of occupational health and safety; s) Technician: any person with the title of technical instructor, physicist and chemist as well as any graduate of an occupational health and safety programme at universities; ş) Occupational nurse: any nurse/health technician who is authorised to perform the nursing profession pursuant to the Nursing Law dated 25/2/1954 and numbered 6283 and who has the occupational nurse’s certificate issued by the Ministry in order to work in the field of occupational health and safety. (2) Employer’s representatives who act on behalf of the employer and are involved in the work and the management of the workplace are considered as employers as far as the implementation of this Law is concerned. SECTION TWO Duties, Authority and Responsibilities of the Employer and Workers General responsibility of the employer ARTICLE 4 – (1) The employer shall have a duty to ensure the safety and health of workers in every aspect related to the work. In this respect, the employer shall; a) take the measures necessary for the safety and health protection of workers, including prevention of occupational risks and provision of information and training, as well as provision of the necessary organization and means and shall ensure that these measures are adjusted taking account of changing circumstances and aim to improve existing situations. b) monitor and check whether occupational health and safety measures that have been taken in the workplace are followed and ensure that nonconforming situations are eliminated. c) carry out a risk assessment or get one carried out; d) take into consideration the worker's capabilities as regards health and safety where he entrusts tasks to a worker; e) take appropriate measures to ensure that workers other than those who have received adequate information and instructions are denied access to areas where there is life-threatening and special hazard. (2) In case an employer enlists competent external services or persons, this shall not discharge him from his responsibilities in this area. (3) The workers' obligations in the field of safety and health at work shall not affect the principle of the responsibility of the employer. (4) Measures related to health and safety at work may in no circumstances involve the workers in financial cost. Principles of protection from risks ARTICLE 5 – (1) The employer shall fulfil these responsibilities on the basis of the following principles: a) avoiding risks. b) evaluating the risks which cannot be avoided. c) combating the risks at source. d) adapting the work to the individual, especially as regards the design of work places, the choice of work equipment and the choice of work and production methods, with a view, in particular, to avoiding or minimizing if cannot be avoided, the adverse effects of monotonous work and work at a predetermined work-rate on health and safety e) adapting to technical progress. f) replacing the dangerous by the non-dangerous or the less dangerous. g) developing a coherent overall prevention policy which covers technology, organization of work, working conditions, social relationships and the influence of factors related to the working environment h) giving collective protective measures priority over individual protective measures i) giving appropriate instructions to the workers. Recording and Notification of Occupational Accidents and Diseases ARTICLE 14 – (1) The employer shall; a) keep a list of all occupational accidents and diseases suffered by his workers and draw up reports after required studies are carried out. b) investigate and draw up reports on incidents that might potentially harm the workers, work place or work equipment or have damaged the work place or equipment despite not resulting in injury or death. (2) The employer shall notify the Social Security Institution of the following situations within a prescribed time as follows: a) Within three work days of the date of the accident. b) Within three work days after receiving the notification of an occupational disease from health care providers or occupational physicians. (3) Occupational physicians or health care providers shall refer workers who have been pre-diagnosed with an occupational disease to health care providers authorized by the Social Security Institution. (4) Occupational accidents referred to health care providers shall be notified to the Social Security Institution within ten days at most and authorized health care providers shall notify the Social Security Institution of the occupational diseases within the same period of time. (5) The procedures and principles as regards this article shall be defined by the Ministry following the receipt of approval from the Ministry of Health. Occupational Health and Safety Committee ARTICLE 22 – (1) The employer shall set up an occupational health and safety committee in enterprises where a minimum of fifty employees are employed and permanent work is performed for more than six months. Employers are under the obligation to enforce the decisions of the occupational health and safety committees taken in accordance with the legislation on occupational health and safety. (2) In the event that main employer – sub contractor relation exceeds six months: a) Where the main contractor and sub-contractor have set up separate committees, the contractor shall ensure cooperation in the enforcement of decisions and maintenance of activities. b) Where the contractor has set up a committee, the sub-contractor shall appoint by proxy an authorized representative to facilitate coordination. c) The contractor who is not required to set up a committee shall appoint by proxy an authorized member to be represented in the committee set up by the sub-contractor to ensure cooperation and coordination. ç) Where the contractor is not supposed to set up a committee and the sub-contractor employs more than fifty workers, the contractor and sub-contractor shall set up a joint committee provided that the cooperation is ensured by the contractor. (3) Where there is more than one employer in the same workplace and these employers set up more than one committee, these employers shall inform each other of the decisions of the committees which might affect one another. Chapter 5: Safety Signs &Symbols The use of symbols and graphical images is a simple safety system used to convey safety messages at a glance. Colours and symbols appropriately used can provide information and warnings of hazards which are essential to safety at work, and in some instances may be independent of language. Types of Safety Signs 1- Prohibition Signs: means a safety sign prohibiting behavior likely to cause a risk to health or safety and generally use a black safety Symbol in a red circle with a diagonal cross through. They are red in colour. 2- Mandatory Signs: These signs are blue in colour. They give a positive instruction. In other words they tell you what to do rather than what not to do. 3. Caution Signs: A warning sign is a type of sign which indicates a potential hazard, obstacle or condition requiring special attention. These signs are yellow. They are normally triangular but can be other shapes. 4. Information about safe condition Signs: These signs tell people of safe places to go or safe conditions. 5. Fire Safety Signs: Fire safety warning signs, fire exit signs and fire-fighting equipment are also covered. They require employers to provide specific safety signs whenever there is a risk that has not been avoided or controlled by other means, e.g. engineering controls and safe systems of work. USING SIGNS IN BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES People usually leave premises by the same way that they enter or by routes which are familiar to them. Alternative exits (ie all emergency exits and any exits not in normal use) should be clearly indicated so that people know there are additional ways to leave. In addition, the provision of well-signposted exits in full view will give a feeling of security in an emergency. Make sure the fire exit sign is displayed immediately above the exit opening or, if this is not possible, choose a position where the sign can be clearly seen and is least likely to be obstructed or obscured by smoke. Where an exit cannot be seen or where a person escaping may be in doubt about the location of an exit (eg in warehouses where goods for transit and other obstructions may prevent a clear view of the exit doors), fire exit signs, including a directional arrow, are appropriate at suitable points along the escape route. In buildings with multiple occupants a common approach to the provision of fire safety signs is sensible so that people are not confused about the exit routes from the building. In such cases, it is normally the owner of the building who has responsibility for displaying signs in common areas (eg stairways) and if there is any doubt check this with your enforcing authority for fire safety. Individual occupiers are normally responsible for the signs necessary within their part of the building. Your enforcing authority for fire safety may, in addition to the fire safety signs referred to in these Regulations, require provision of certain supplementary signs to aid the effective and efficient use of the escape routes provided. For instance, where there is a danger that a door which is a fire exit may become obstructed (because its importance is not appreciated) such as a final exit door opening into a car park or storage yard, or a seldom used intercommunicating or bypass door between rooms, a conspicuous ‘Fire Escape – Keep Clear’ sign should be shown on the appropriate faces of the door. Check with your enforcing authority if you have any doubts. If the level of natural light is poor, then adequate illumination (which includes emergency lighting) will be required. Signs incorporating photo luminescent materials may also have a role in poor light conditions. Examples of Prohibition Signs Examples of Caution Signs Examples of Fire Safety Signs Examples of Mandatory Signs Examples of Information about safe condition Signs