The importance of preventing the work accident for an effective entrepreneurship and the case of gazi̇antep carpet sector

In this study, Gaziantep carpet sector has been examined in terms of the necessity to prevent work accidents (occupational accidents) for efficient business management. Starting from the description of the business including the purpose and method of the business as well as the functions of the business management, the necessity of preventing work accidents have been elaborately studied through also training the employees and using all kinds of financial opportunities in order to prevent work accidents and occupational diseases within the framework of the applicable legislation. Machine-made carpet sector in Gaziantep provides 82-90% of the area rugs in Turkey. Hence, this sector constitutes 27% of exports in Gaziantep and 1% of exports in Turkey. Such a development in the sector in Gaziantep has caused an improvement in the business life, increased the number of insured employees as well as the number of work accidents, which is a risk for the employees. As is known, Turkey is one of the countries in Europe, which experiences high numbers of work accidents; and a rapid development in the sector increases the number of work accidents even more. Any measures to be taken to reduce the number accidents, which may be taken in sectors that have high number of work accidents, shall influence general record of work accidents in our country positively. Although the carpet sector may be considered within the less dangerous sectors, the rate of accidents is still high; and hence any measures to be taken in relation to occupational health and safety will primarily reduce the risk on the employees and also lighten the burden on the employers and the social security institution. In this thesis, generally the description and functions of the business have been emphasized and the carpet sector and the history of the sector in Gaziantep as well as the dimensions of the development in the sector and the place of the sector in the country's economy have been evaluated; and also the issues such as why and how to prevent such work accidents have been underlined. Work accidents have been elaborated in terms of general business management principles and efficient business management; and any possible results, which may arise due to such accidents, have been evaluated in terms of the damages to the employers, insured employees and the government. Besides the pains and troubles faced, the work accidents cause a great cost on the employee, employer, business and the state economy. Therefore, priority must be given to safety measures to avoid work accidents. It should be kept in mind that to prevent work accidents is cheaper and more humane than paying for the damages caused by such accidents. It is possible to eliminate the dangers and risks at work places, to establish healthier and safer work places and to prevent work accidents through usage of the state of the art technology and the scientific developments and making use of the functions of law and business management.