Measurement of preschool teachers' level of knowledge on occupational health and safety

The study was conducted to determine the level of knowledge of preschool teachers about occupational health and safety and to evaluate whether these levels differ significantly in terms of various variables. This study is carried out in order to ensure that preschool teachers and students are in a safe environment, to protect from potential hazards, to minimize risks, to create awareness of occupational health and safety in teachers, students, parents and thus in society, and to determine the need for training on occupational health and safety in preschool education institutions. In order to examine the level of knowledge of preschool teachers about occupational health and safety, the survey model, one of the quantitative research approaches, was used in the study and the current level of knowledge of teachers was analyzed. In order for the questionnaire to be applied in the field; the necessary ethics committee permission was obtained and it was ensured that it was filled in via google forms. The population of the study consists of preschool teachers working in the central districts of Konya in the 2024-2025 academic year. When selecting the sample, 405 preschool teachers were selected by simple random sampling method, and data were collected with the "Occupational Health and Safety Knowledge Level Questionnaire" whose validity and reliability were tested. The questionnaire form consists of two parts, the first part includes demographic information of the participants and the second part includes items measuring their level of knowledge about occupational health and safety. The data were analyzed using independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA and Turkey HSD test for significant differences. As a result of the findings, the knowledge levels of preschool teachers about occupational health and safety were investigated according to variables such as age, gender, marital status, professional seniority, tenure status, whether they had received in-service training, and whether they had received occupational health and safety training before. As a result of the research, it was seen that preschool teachers have the necessary sensitivities about occupational health and safety, they have knowledge about general issues, but they have not received sufficient training, and there are some deficiencies related to specific terms, issues and legislation. In this context, the study draws attention to in-service trainings to eliminate the problems and risks that may arise during implementation and to increase the effectiveness of preventive measures. Suggestions were made to improve preventive studies by giving more space to training programs on occupational health and safety. It is evaluated that the study will contribute to increasing the awareness levels of school administrators and teachers about occupational health and safety, thus increasing their awareness levels and contributing to the creation of safer educational environments.