An Institutional System Proposal for Advanced Occupational Safety and Labor Standards in the Turkish Construction Industry

Abstract

The Turkish construction industry is problematic with its inferior occupational safety practices and labor standards. This paper explores the current institutional system’s problems and designs a national institutional system to improve labor conditions in the Turkish construction industry. The study applies cause-and-effect analysis, stakeholder analysis, and information flow analysis based on the thematic literature and regulation reviews and the data collected from expert interviews. Findings revealed that the industry represents a drastically problematic context with high rates of occupational accidents, job insecurity, and excessive working time, and the inspection and enforcement system is still immature, calling for additional institutional arrangements to establish a collaborative and sustainable environment. There is a need for a holistic, multi-dimensional, and systematic perspective to develop coordination and inspection mechanisms in the sector. The paper proposes an institution and scorecard design by applying a quality function deployment framework matching needs and systemic functions that can overcome the existing deficiency in labor conditions. The paper contributes to filling the gap in the literature on the multi-dimensional, systematic institutional perspective to develop coordination and inspection mechanisms in the construction industry and proposes an institutional system example that could be adapted to other national contexts.

Evaluation of Occupational Safety Courses Given in Undergraduate Departments in Turkey and Investigation of the Effect on Working Life

“…Of the participants, 216 were students, 160 were graduates, 42 were academicians, and 22 were employers. Furthermore, 222 were between the ages of [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]139 were between the ages of 26-35, and 79 were 36 and over. Moreover, 333 of the participants were male and 107 were female.…”

“…Accordingly, system analysis and design methods should be applied to investigate the problems. In addition, solutions need to be proposed to improve the existing institutional working standards system [17].…”

“…Within the scope of the reports and findings collected from the literature and experts within the scope of the study, it has been revealed that there is still no maturity in issues such as occupational safety, measures against occupational accidents and diseases, working time, inspection, and control in Turkey. In this regard, it has been determined that systematic perspectives are needed to develop holistic, multidimensional, audit, and coordination studies in many sectors [17]. Determining who needs to be trained will improve performance in the field of occupational health and safety and prevent accidents and occupational diseases.…”