The Occupational Safety and Health Observatory in Smirna reported 97 victims in the last 9 years, including women and refugees. Meanwhile, the environmental risks of a contract to decommission a Brazilian army aircraft carrier are discussed.
Izmir ( / Agencies) – According to a report by the Occupational Safety and Health Observatory (İSİG), at least 97 workers have died in shipyards during the work of breaking Aliağa ships from Smirna in the past nine years, in June 2013 when the law on safety at work came into force in Turkey. The data was disclosed while there is an open discussion in the country about the risks associated with the dismantling of a Brazilian army aircraft carrier at the Turkish plant. Environmental groups have expressed fears that the operation could cause the release of tons of dangerous substances such as asbestos.
According to the İSİG report released by the Bianet site, the most common causes of death among workers were crushing, explosion, fire and falling from a height. Last year 7 workers died in shipbreaking. “Each year – reports the Observatory – there are about 2,000 work-related deaths in Turkey. In Aliağa there are about 1,500 shipbreaking workers. In proportion, the mortality rate in this sector is 30 times higher than the official rate from Turkey”.
Subcontracted and precarious work is very common in Aliağa, denounces the İSİG. The 11 construction workers and 11 of the 16 chemical workers who died at the plant were subcontracted. The victims also include two women and three refugee workers.
Last year, SÖK Denizcilik was awarded a $1.85 million contract to decommission Brazil’s decommissioned aircraft carrier. The ship contains tons of dangerous chemicals, including asbestos, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins and furans, and various heavy metals. Turkey’s environment ministry authorized the operation, saying the dangers are limited.
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