INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate the trend of occupational injuries in Turkey using epidemiologic criteria such as incidence mortality and fatality/all injuries recorded - rates.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Safety and health data were obtained from the Annual Statistic Books of the Social Insurance Institution (1988-2006) and Social Security Institution (2007-2011) of Turkey.
RESULTS: The results from the official data showed that although total employment is increasing the number of occupational injuries and incidence and mortality rates are decreasing. The results also demonstrate that occupational fatality/all injuries recorded - rate is increasing. The fatality/all injuries recorded - rate per 1000 injuries increased to 25.5 in 2011 from 8.6 in 1988. Each work day an average of five people died because of occupational injuries.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The fatality/all injuries recorded - rate (the number of fatal cases per 1000 occupational injuries) is an important indicator of the injury rate for a country. Systems of occupational injury and illness surveillance constitute a critical resource for the management and reduction of occupational injuries and illness.