Investigation of the earthquake debris (dumping) site in Malatya province using Fine Kinney and occupational safety risk analyses

Aim: The primary aim of this thesis is to systematically analyze the occupational safety risks faced by personnel working in disposal sites where large volumes of construction debris were deposited following the earthquakes of February 6, 2023, in Malatya province. The study seeks to identify potential hazards encountered during post-disaster waste management processes and to develop preventive strategies against these risks. Materials and Methods: The Fine-Kinney method and Job Safety Analysis (JSA) method were used as methods, and two separate risk analyses were performed, with the results evaluated comparatively. Direct observations were made in the field as part of the research, photographs were taken, and a four-person team was formed for the JSA application. The L-matrix technique was used to rank the hazards identified in the JSA analysis. Findings: A total of 32 risk factors were identified in the risk analysis using Fine-Kinney, 2 of which were classified as "very dangerous." In the JSA method, a detailed examination of the work steps resulted in the identification of a total of 40 potential hazards across 6 work steps. It was found that 9 hazards fell into the "very high risk" category. Conclusion: The most significant contribution of this study lies in addressing the lack of occupational safety risk analyses in earthquake debris disposal sites, an area that has been largely neglected in the literature. Furthermore, by comparing the outcomes of two distinct methodologies, the research provides insights into which approach offers a more comprehensive and effective evaluation. In this respect, the study contributes both to practical field applications and to academic literature.