Evaluation of incidence rate for work accidents on business size scale

As workplace size (SW) increases, institutionality, occupational safety management system, safety culture and performance are expected to improve. Therefore, the incidence rate (IR, frequency) for work accidents is expected to decrease with increasing SW. In this study, based on provinces and economic activities, varies in IR and fatal IR (FIR) values of Turkey were investigated according to WS. Thus, the institutionality of larger workplaces in terms of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) was evaluated. In statistical analyses, the data of employees insured within the scope of Article 4-a of the Social Insurances and General Health Insurance (SIGHI) Law No. 5510 (the employees who are employed by one or more employers with a service contract) in the 2013-2023 Social Security Institution (SSI) statistical annuals were used. IR and FIR relationships with WS were analyzed using simple regression and correlation methods. The provinces and activities in which larger workplaces with higher IR and FIR values were engaged were determined using Iir and Ifir indexes, respectively. As a result of statistical analyses, it was determined that the IR-WS relationship for the provinces and the activities throughout the years of 2013-2023 (mir > 0), the FIR-WS relationship for the provinces in year ranges of 2013-2015, 2017-2020 and 2022-2023 (mfir > 0), and the FIR-WS relationship for the activities during the years of 2013-2022 (mfir > 0) varied in direct proportion. In brief, based on provinces and economic activities, the IR and FIR values generally increased with increasing WS. Based on workplace hazard classes, the IR-WS relationship for the activities generally varied in direct proportion throughout the years of 2013-2023 (mlh, mh and mmh > 0, except the year of 2020 for the hazardous class). IR values of the activities in the more hazardous class increased the most with increasing WS, and the IR-WS relationship of these activities was the strongest. Although the FIR-WS relationship for these activities was quite variable during the years of 2013-2023, this instability could be evaluated as completely negative manner. Therefore, it was revealed that the larger workplaces were not sufficiently institutionalized in terms of OHS. While the provinces with the highest Iir index were 11-Bilecik in ranges of 2013-2015 and 2018-2022 years, 70-Karaman during the years of 2016-2017 and 77-Yalova in 2023 year, the provinces with the highest Ifir index throughout the years of 2013-2023 were quite variable. The first five provinces with the highest Iir index in 2023 were 77-Yalova, 11-Bilecik, 45-Manisa, 41-Kocaeli and 67-Zonguldak, respectively. The activity with the highest Iir index throughout the years of 2013-2023 and the highest Ifir index in ranges of 2013-2015 and 2017-2023 years was NACE 05-Coal and lignite extraction. The first five activities with the highest Iir index in 2023 were NACE 05-Mining of coal and lignite, NACE 30-Manufacture of other transport equipment, NACE 29-Manufacture of motor land vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers, NACE 51-Air transport and NACE 24-Manufacture of basic metals, respectively. Consequently, to reduce Turkey's IR and FIR values, the larger workplaces which are especially engaged in provinces and activities with higher indexes and in activities of the more hazardous class need to be institutionalized firstly. During their institutionalization process, they can benefit from the advantages of being a larger workplace. In this way, they can improve their OHS management systems which are a part of their institutional management system, and their occupational safety cultures which are a part of their institutional culture, increasing their OHS performances.