Scientists in Turkey Call for Mandatory Regulation Against Workplace Accidents and Fire Disasters
Following the workplace accidents and fire disasters that have plunged Türkiye into mourning, occupational health and safety experts have rolled up their sleeves for a permanent solution. Dr. Rüştü Uçan, Chairman of the MESKA Foundation and Head of the Occupational Health and Safety Department at Üsküdar University, announced that a 30-member team of experts led by Lecturer Abdurrahman İnce has prepared a comprehensive draft report aimed at making rules vital for welding and similar "hot work" operations a legal requirement.
Following workplace accidents and fire disasters that have plagued Turkey, occupational health and safety experts have rolled up their sleeves to find lasting solutions. Dr. Rüştü Uçan, Chair of MESKA Foundation and Head of the Occupational Health and Safety Department at Üsküdar University, announced that a 30-member expert team led by Lecturer Abdurrahman İnce has prepared a comprehensive draft report aimed at making mandatory regulations for vital safety rules governing welding and similar "hot work" operations.
Dr. Uçan emphasized that the 250-page study cannot remain merely a "guideline" and must be converted into a mandatory regulation:
"What we want is a mandatory regulation. It should be said: 'You cannot start this work without doing this.' This way, we will not be forced to appear on television after tragic events; we will have taken the necessary precautions beforehand."
Hot Work Permit Regulation
In the draft study, the framework was based on the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) regulations applied in the United States for 60 years, while practices in Japan and Europe were also examined to create an adaptable framework for Turkey. Dr. Uçan noted that there is a major legal gap on this matter in Turkey and that current practices are based on initiative.
"In the United States, hot work permits are never issued without regulation being enforced. We want to establish a similar system in Turkey. Events such as bar fires, the Haydarpaşa Station fire and the Galatasaray University fire could have been prevented if proper permit procedures were in place," he said.
Life-saving simple rules
Emphasizing that the rules in the prepared regulation are simple but effective, Dr. Uçan noted that one of the fundamental precautions is the "11-meter rule":
"There should be no flammable materials within 11 meters around the area where you will perform hot work. If you cannot remove them, protection must be provided with a non-flammable curtain. Additionally, a person equipped with a fire extinguisher must be on standby. These precautions can stop fires at the initial stage and prevent major disasters."
Dr. Uçan drew attention to the importance of converting the draft study submitted to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security into a regulation to be applied with legal obligation:
"Our goal is for this system to be officially established in Turkey and to ensure that all hot work activities are conducted safely."
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