Analysis of employer liabilities and legal consequences of occupational health and safety with case studies

Since the industrial revolution, there are many studies and legislations made in the world and in Turkey, regarding the occupational health and safety. These efforts often fell short, or could not be effective, and as a result there are many occupational accidents and occupational diseases occurred. As a result, lack of occupational health and safety efforts caused so many workplace accidents and occupational diseases, and it became an ever-increasing problem in our country. According to the statistics in our country, so many employees losing their lives due to occupational hazard and occupational diseases every year. Our social security system pay high financial costs as a result of occupational accidents and occupational diseases. Due to this dramatic table, governments are forced to make statutory regulations in order to reduce occupational accidents and occupational diseases experienced. With occupational health and Safety Act No. 6331, the government made a very detailed legislation, and with this legislation, important responsibilities are given to employers. At this point, we need to accept that changing laws and regulations, and telling what needs to be done is not enough to prevent workplace accidents and occupational diseases. The main problem lies in the regulations, laws and the implementation of its obligations and the problems caused in the control of these legislations. In this study, we looked at the concept of occupational health and safety at work, the last legal regulation in the law No. 6331 and what kind of liabilities it brought to employers, and what happens if employers do not follow their occupational health and safety obligations.