Assessment of electric vehicles and charging stations from an occupational health and safety perspective

This master's thesis multidimensionally analyzes the new risk areas arising from an Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) perspective during the industrial transformation process where electric vehicles (EVs) and charging stations are rapidly becoming widespread. The main objective of the study is to evaluate the adequacy of current OHS legislation and practices in Turkey in meeting the unique risk factors emerging in the electromobility ecosystem and to propose an effective management model. The research is structured within the framework of the mixed method defined by Creswell and Creswell (2018). By integrating literature review, international standard examinations, case analyses, and legislation comparisons; a risk assessment was conducted on three main axes: technological (high voltage, battery chemistry, thermal runaway), organizational (competence, maintenance processes), and cyber-physical (autonomous systems, cyber attacks). The findings indicate that chemical exposure and respiratory risk management are insufficient from battery production to recycling processes; and that electric shock, arc flash, and thermal runaway risks at charging stations are at a critical level. In particular, the lack of mandatory Type B RCD usage in national legislation has been identified as a serious safety gap. Comparisons made with international standards such as IEC 60364-7-722, NFPA 70E, and ISO 45001 have revealed that Turkey's current legal infrastructure (Law No. 6331) falls short in managing the hybrid hazards introduced by EV technologies. Furthermore, it has been determined that vulnerabilities in cyber-physical systems create new generation hazards for maintenance personnel and operators; in this context, the necessity of adapting UN ECE R155/R156, ISO/SAE 21434, and NIST IR 8473 frameworks at the national level has been emphasized. Consequently, this thesis proposes a hybrid risk analysis model in which Fine-Kinney, HAZOP, and FMEA techniques are integrated, incorporating specific methods such as mandatory biological monitoring, Arc Flash analysis, and Threat Analysis and Risk Assessment (TARA). The study presents a strategic roadmap for elevating OHS standards to contemporary norms in the Turkish electromobility sector.