Occupational health and safety in developing countries and Turkey in globalization process

Abstract

Starting from the 1980s, globalization process has become increasingly visible worldwide. Globalization has mostly taken place in economical arena and manifested itself as the shifting of production in labor-intensive sectors towards developing countries.  Globalization of the production canalized by multi-national companies causes an increase in occupational accidents and diseases as an outcome of low level of social protection in these developing countries. Primary reasons lying behind the reason of the increase in occupational accidents and diseases in developing countries are such as insufficient business law and social security, low level of unionization, use of old technologies, unqualified personnel and long working hours. In terms of occupational health and safety (OHS) small and medium sized enterprises (SME) are affected most from this process. In our country industrialization gained speed after the 1980s and as a consequence of the increase in the number of personnel in industry and service sectors, occupational accidents have also risen. In order to diminish the negative effects of globalization in Turkey, primarily the current legislation which has a narrow scope should be widened, a participative OHS management model should be adopted, special measurements should be taken for SMEs, OHS institute should be established and OHS training should be emphasized particularly in school level.