Work safety is ignored in healthcare

It was alleged that the Izmir Provincial Coordination Office, which was established with the claim of ensuring worker health and safety in Izmir, did not fulfill its duty at a sufficient level.

According to law no. 6331, a number of workplace physicians and safety services are required, determined by the hazard class and the number of employees. However, this is neglected in many places. The latest example of this was experienced in the Izmir Provincial Coordination Office, which was established with the claim of occupational health and safety, said General Health Labor Union President Dr. Derya Uğur said, “Despite the clear provisions of the law, in Alsancak Oral and Dental Health Center and many health facilities in Izmir, there are either no occupational safety specialists and occupational physicians that are legally required according to the hazard class, or they are not in the required number to be on duty.” Uğur reminded that hospitals in the very hazard class are required to employ one occupational health and safety specialist for every 250 employees and one occupational physician for every 750 employees, according to the law, and continued as follows: “Previously, this activity was carried out by the Public Health Environment Unit. This coordination, which was established with the claim of improving the occupational health and safety field, has not even shared sufficient documents and information yet. Since all hospitals affiliated with the Ministry of Health that have radiation and laboratories are in the very hazard class, an A class occupational safety specialist is required, a B class occupational safety specialist is required for ADSMs, and a C class occupational safety specialist is required for provincial health directorates. However, this essential need is still not met.”

Uğur continued as follows: “With the arbitrary practices of incompetent managers, the fact that it is possible with a coordinated effort consisting of the occupational physician, occupational safety specialist and other health personnel, namely the health worker who looks after the physician secretariat and health screenings, is ignored. Since the occupational health allocation, which should be put forward with collective effort, is assigned to a single person and this person has other duties in the health field, occupational safety is disregarded.''

Dr. Derya Uğur asked the following questions to the Ministry of Health:

• While the Ministry refrains from paying an additional 16 thousand liras of expertise fee to its own experts, does it pay up to 100 thousand liras by purchasing from outside in some areas for occupational health and safety?

• How many occupational safety experts and occupational physicians have not been assigned, although they are required both legally and in practice?