ELDER inaugurated the 3rd Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Congress in the Electricity Distribution Sector. The theme of this year's congress was towards the vision zero approach accepted in the world.

ANTALYA - The 3rd Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Congress in the Electricity Distribution Sector was opened by ELDER – Electricity Distribution Services Association, which aims to develop Occupational Health and Safety practices with an approach specific to the electricity distribution sector. The main theme of this year's congress was the world-accepted "Vision Zero" approach. Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA) Vice President Hacı Ali Ulutaş, TEDAŞ General Manager Halil İbrahim Levendoğlu, TES-İŞ President Ersin Akma, ELDER Chairman of the Board Serhat Çeçen, as well as many national and international experts from the energy sector and representatives from public institutions and organizations attended the congress.

EMRA Vice President Hacı Ali Ulutaş stated that during the earthquakes in Elazığ, Malatya and Van, the field employees in the electricity sector forgot their own pain and tried to provide electricity, and said, "I would like to thank our colleagues in the field for knowing that they will continue to supply electricity in all natural events." Ulutaş underlined that as an Authority, they started occupational health and safety as a quality parameter during the tariff period and that they will continue to do so in the next implementation period.

Ulutaş mentioned that occupational health and safety is a culture, and if this culture is not established, it is not possible to get results. Ulutaş said that the R & D studies carried out by the Electricity Distribution companies to improve the awareness of occupational health and safety are important and that the support to these studies will continue.

"WE WILL FOCUS ON THE VISION ZERO THEME"

TEDAŞ General Manager Halil İbrahim Levendoğlu stated that it is important to eliminate risks and reduce occupational accidents. Levendoğlu made the following assessment:

"By finding ways and methods of continuous improvement for the better, we will focus on the theme of Vision Zero. Providing a healthy and safe working environment is defined as fundamental human rights in the universal declaration of human rights. We should see it as our obligation to give this right to the rightful owner. We have to continuously improve occupational health by combining prevention activities with a proactive approach."

"OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CULTURE SHOULD BECOME WIDESPREAD"

TES-İŞ President Ersin Akma stated that companies in the electricity distribution sector, which is in the very dangerous class, are working to provide services all over Turkey under difficult conditions. According to ILO figures, more than 3 million workers lose their lives every year in the world due to occupational accidents and occupational diseases. Akma said:

"It is not possible for us to accept these grave figures in our country and in the world. The high number of work accidents resulting in death shows that we cannot fulfill our responsibilities in this regard. The high figures also emphasize that each of us has to work without a break in order for the culture of occupational health and safety to spread throughout the country. I think the congress organized by ELDER is important in terms of bringing the parties together."

PUBLIC-PRIVATE SECTOR COOPERATION IN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

ELDER Chairman Serhat Çeçen stated that they are in the effort and pride of providing uninterrupted service to our 83 million citizens and 45 million consumers 365 days a year and 24 hours a day. Çeçen stated that for this purpose, they made an investment of 40 billion TL with the current inflation figures in the 2014-2019 period following 2013, when the privatizations of the network, which reached 1.1 million kilometers of line length and 210 thousand transformers, were completed, and said:

"The health and safety of our approximately 100,000 direct and indirect employees and the 83 million people we serve have meaning and importance for us beyond all our goals. In this context, we always feel the support and contributions of our Ministries, TEDAŞ and EMRA with us. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them once again.

TEDAŞ offers invaluable contributions to our sector with its decades of experience and experience. Our Regulatory Agency has implemented regulations supporting Occupational Health and Safety in the 3rd Implementation Period. In addition, our institution paves the way for technology and innovation in the field of Occupational Health and Safety with R&D projects. Our Ministry of Labor and Social Security and the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources guide and guide the sector with the vision they share and the policies they produce."

"PROACTIVE AND PARTICIPATORY OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CULTURE"

Referring to the fact that it is not possible to prevent Chechen work accidents only with the use of appropriate protective equipment or the full implementation of legal obligations, he said, "The human being who is the target of accidents also has a decisive role in the prevention of accidents. For this reason, as a sector, we attach great importance to 'OHS Culture and Behavior Changes'. Our primary goal is to spread a proactive and participatory Occupational Health and Safety culture with high organizational awareness to our sector and all of our stakeholders."