Attitudes toward occupational health and safety of employees in construction industry: Tekirdağ Ergene province example

Occupational health and safety in the most general sense is a discipline which is entirely interested in studies that are made for minimizing the risk of occupational-work accident or occupational disease because of various reasons in course of business conduct by employees at workplace. The occurrence of occupational health and safety dates back to 2600's B.C. but it was introduced to Turkey in a widescale with Dilaver Pasha regulations and codified with signed agreements, legislated laws and regulations after the proclamation of the republic The system has gained a new identity with occupational health and safety law which was introduced in 2012. In virtue of this law disarrangements on legislation were settled, issues were unified besides responsibilities of employee, employer and government were augmented. In Turkey same as whole World both due to capital investments and due to employment opportunities, construction industry is the leading among the industries bursting into prominence. Because the construction industry includes risks and it ranks among perilous category, the importance of occupational health and safety on this field has emerged. The study is made by using qualitative research and interviewed with 40 employees who has been working for construction in business in Ergene district Tekirdağ. Interviews were made by voice recording then voice recordings were turned into text thereafter analysed with programme MAXQDA 2018. As a result of analyses and interviews it is determined that employees working for construction industry in this district are deficient in terms of knowledge perception and attitude. Major reason of this problem stems from neglecting responsibilities, which are indicated on laws and legislations in effect, by emplyoee, employer and government.