It is sometimes difficult to perceive realities and somtimes they are hidden somewhere, not be easily discovered. But most of the time, those hazards underlying beneath what is seen above are transformed into situations and events at which it is too late to do something and to realize how near all those hazards are.

According to the legal declarations made to the Social Insurance Institution (SSK) which covers around 30% of workforce here in Turkey, around 84 000 employees are exposed to occupational accidents and diseases in year 2004. 63% of those accidents happened at workplaces employing 50 or less insured employees; in other words at small-scale enterprises. Unfortunately those cases not legally reported and those thousands of employees not insured are not in the scope of these statistics.

As a consequence of those accidents and diseases registered at SSK records only, there is a production loss of 2,03 million man days, of which 55 000 days were spent for treatment at hospitals. 88% of these accidents cause an work absence of 3 days of more. 69% of events result in temporary disability of 4 days up to 1 month.

According to the calculations of International Labour Organisation, every year around 2,8 million occupational accidents causing work absence of 3 days or more happen in Turkey. Around 30 000 employees lose their lives every year. Number of occupational diseases having their harmful effects long years after cannot be calculated unfortunately.

In addition to legal, commercial and medical costs, each accident and disease is just like an iceberg bringing much more serious and long-live problems like death and disability at the same time.