The The Impact of Law No. 6331 on Work-Related Incidents in Türkiye (2007–2023): Standardization Analysis of City-Level Data for Compulsory Insured Workers
Impact of Law No. 6331 on Work-Related Incidents
Keywords:
Work-related accident, Work accident, Occupational disease, Work-related mortality, Occupational health and safety, OHS, Türkiye, Province, City, Turkey, Standardization, 6331, RegionAbstract
Objective: This study examined the effects of the occupational health and safety (OHS) Law No. 6331, enacted in Türkiye in 2013. It analyzed the rates of work-related accidents (WrAs), occupational diseases (ODs), and work-related mortalities (WrMs) among compulsorily insured workers from 2007 to 2023. Additionally, it aimed to reveal the situation prior to the the introduction of compulsory OHS services for public institutions and low-risk workplaces with fewer than 50 workers in 2025. Pre-2025 before became mandatory.
Methods: Using data from Türkiye’s social security institution, trends across 81 cities were examined in an epidemiological, observational, descriptive study.The research evaluated trends across 81 provinces usingobtained) withapproach. An indirect standardization technique was applied to adjust for changes in the number of “4-1/a compulsory insured” workers, allowing for comparisons of standardized (s) WrA, sOD, and sWrM ratios between cities.
Results: Between 2007 and 2023, the number of insured workers in Türkiye nearly doubled. Regional disparities became evident, with sWrA ratios higher in western provinces and sWrM ratios elevated in the east. Inequalities sWrAs concentrated, while sWrMs were higher in eastern regions. The cities with the highest ratios of sWrA, sOD, included Zonguldak, Bilecik, Kütahya, Manisa, Bartın, Karabük, and Kocaeli following the after the law’s implementation, sWrA rose in the black sea region, while a modest rise in sOD was detected in Marmara. Of Law No. 6331, sWrAs increased significantly, especially. While sODs remained low nationwide, notable ratio increaserecordedthe region, and significant increases in sWrMs werePeaks in sWrM occurred in various cities, with clustering observed in the Eastern Black Sea. region
Conclusion: This study provided critical insights into occupational health indicators in Türkiye, highlighting systemic deficiencies and regional disparities. Significant improvements were expected in these data with the upcoming 2025 expansion of Law No. 6331 provides an opportunity for improvement; however, persistent underreporting, limited diagnostic capacity for ODs, and uneven implementation across regions suggest that significant structural gaps remain.6331 in 2025.
