Occupational fatalities among coal mine workers in Zonguldak, Turkey, 1994-2003
2006
56
2
144-146
analysis of accident causes ; coal mining ; fatalities ; occupational accidents ; underground mining
Occupational accidents
English
Bibliogr.
"BACKGROUND: Fatal underground coal mine injuries are a worldwide problem. Zonguldak holds 95% of all Turkey's coal reserves. AIM: To investigate fatalities in the underground coal-mining industry in the Zonguldak province. METHODS: Retrospective study of fatal underground coal-mining accidents from 1994 to 2003 through evaluation of industry records. RESULTS: There were 164 deaths available for analysis. The median age was 36 years (range: 14-56 years). Eighty-one fatalities (49%) were due to subsidence, 33 (20%) were due to underground railway accidents and 18 (11%) were due to gas poisoning. Asphyxia was the most common cause of death (99, 60%). The majority of fatalities (144, 87%) occurred instantaneously at the scene of the incident. The remainder (20, 13%) occurred on the way to the hospital or in the emergency room or the intensive care unit. CONCLUSION: The underground coal-mining industry in Turkey requires strategies to improve safety and reduce the number of fatalities occurring. These strategies should focus on improved underground safety through engineering measures."
Digital
The ETUI is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the ETUI.