Examination of road cargo transportation sector in Turkey in terms of occupational health and safety

The cargo transportation sector has expanded its operations in response to increasing business demand, leading to a rise in certain adverse conditions within the industry. This thesis examines the negative physical and psychological challenges faced by employees in the cargo transportation sector from an occupational health and safety (OHS) perspective, focusing on the impact of unfavorable working conditions. A survey was conducted with 541 participants across the cities of Malatya, Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, and Adana. The results revealed that face-to-face OHS training significantly reduces workplace accidents. Additionally, long working hours were associated with sleep disorders, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and social withdrawal. Exposure to extreme temperatures was linked to heart-related health problems; noise exposure to hearing loss; and frequent vibration to circulatory disorders. Based on these findings, several recommendations are proposed to safeguard the physical and mental well-being of cargo transportation workers, including restructuring working hours, increasing OHS training, conducting regular health screenings and psychological evaluations, and enhancing the use of personal protective equipment. Keywords: Occupational health and safety, cargo transportation, cargo manegement, Chi-Square test