The reflection of globalization process on occupational health and safety

In the world we live in, the origin of discussions in every area are globalization and its effects. Accordingly, it can be seen that, globalization become a process that affects every aspect of our lives. Therefore, with globalization, the living conditions of a growing population are deteriorating and unemployment, such as low wages, job insecurity, long working hours, irregularity of working time, work intensity etc. are becoming global. The approaches developed to solve this global problem vary depending on where and how the problem is viewed. In parallel with industrialization and technological developments, changing and developing working methods and working environment have brought many health and safety threats to the employees. In this context; occupational accidents and occupational diseases are one of the important problems of working life which directly threaten the workforce. Globalization, which stands out with its economic dimension, has emerged as the shift in production from labor-intensive sectors to developing countries. Globalization of production through multinational corporations leads to an increase in occupational accidents and occupational diseases due to the low level of social protection and structural disabilities in these countries. Globalization process affects the developed and developing countries in terms of occupational health and safety in different shapes and dimensions. While the rates of deaths from fatal accidents and occupational diseases are low in developed countries, mortal work accidents and occupational diseases are high in developing and underdeveloped countries. In addition to this, with the globalization process new types of diseases such as psychological disorders and occupational cancer emerge. Therefore, the need for improvement of employee health and safety concerning the future of occupational health and safety is increasing. Subject of the thesis is; to examine the effects of globalization on labor markets. In this context, the effects of globalization of production and labor market on the basis of developed and developing countries, which is a social and economic reflection of the globalization process, on the working life in general and on the occupational health and safety conditions in particular, have been examined and analyzed on the basis of the theoretical approach and the literature. Within the scope of the aim of the thesis; Whether the increase of occupational accidents and occupational diseases are a manifestation of polarization, deregulation and liberalization tendencies that are produced by globalization in labor market or the structural differences are behind the difference of occupational accidents and occupational diseases between developed and developing countries, is the basic question of the study.