Investigation on perspective of labour inspectors on the occupational health and safety in Turkey

The health and safety of workers in response to risks and hazards in the work life is a fundamental, indispensable right. To ensure occupational health and safety (OHS) rights, the presence of inspection in the work life is essential. OHS inspection in Turkey presents a layered structure with many elements. Among these elements, the Guidance and Inspection Presidency of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security holds an important place. Labor Inspectors working in this institution closely monitor the conditions of work life and OHS due to their duties. Observing the state of occupational health and safety in Turkey from the perspective of Labor Inspectors constitutes significant data. For this purpose, a unique survey consisting of 112 questions was applied online to participants, who are Labor Inspectors conducting OHS inspections in the cities of Ankara, Adana, Istanbul, Bursa and Izmir. The survey includes questions related to OHS legislation, inspection practices, and general policies on OHS, comprising five-level Likert scale questions, multiple-choice questions, and open-ended question to generate in-depth information on the subject. The data obtained from 93 participants were analyzed using the IBM SPSS 25.0 program. The level of reliability test is 94.8 %. As a result of the statistical findings in the form of frequency analyses and cross-tabulation tables, the following findings were obtained: workers, employers, the state, and civil society have obligations in improving the state of OHS; civil society organizations such as unions and professional chambers should be more involved in OHS processes; inspections and administrative sanctions contribute to the development of OHS and its culture; there are deficiencies in the implementation of OHS legislation; there are situations that hinder the effective activities of OHS professionals; the insufficient level of OHS awareness should be instilled in individuals at an early stage; and there is a positive relationship between the social rights of employees and their compliance with OHS.