The 10th International Occupational Health and Safety Conference, organized by our General Directorate under the theme “Shaping the Future Together: Sustainable Occupational Health and Safety for Everyone,” was held on May 12-13, 2026, at Ankara ATO Congresium.
Bringing together public institutions, universities, worker and employer organizations, private sector representatives, academics, occupational health and safety professionals, and students, our Conference formed an important platform in the field of occupational health and safety with its scientific sessions, international experience sharing, application examples, theatrical performance, exhibition area, and social programs.
In this major organization, which we brought to life completely free of charge and open to the participation of all interested parties without sector distinction; current approaches regarding the future of occupational health and safety were discussed over two days, drawing attention to the importance of sustainable, human-centered, and preventive policies.
The Opening Program Was Held with the Presence of Our Minister, Prof. Dr. Vedat IŞIKHAN
The opening program of our Conference was attended by our Minister of Labor and Social Security, Prof. Dr. Vedat IŞIKHAN, along with national and international executives, academics, sector representatives, and invited guests.
Opening speeches focused on developing the occupational health and safety culture, its relationship with sustainable development goals, and the importance of a human-centered working life.
Our Minister emphasized in his address that occupational health and safety cannot be evaluated merely within a legislative framework, but is also an area of responsibility centering on human life. Stating that the roadmap for the new period was established with the 2026-2030 National Occupational Health and Safety Policy Document, our Minister emphasized that decisive steps will continue to be taken toward strengthening a working life that protects its employees and adopts a safe production approach.
Turkish Confederation of Employer Associations Secretary General Akansel KOÇ, in his opening speech, touched upon the importance of public-private sector cooperation in occupational health and safety; stating that zero accidents should become a working standard rather than just a target.
Our General Director Erhan TAYLAN, in his opening remarks, drew attention to the importance of integrating technological developments into occupational health and safety processes; noting that even in the digital age, the focus must always remain on “human beings.”
Our General Director included the following statements in his address:
“We must now focus not only on preventing accidents, but also on constructing a zero-accident culture. While benefiting from all opportunities of technology from artificial intelligence to big data analysis, we are obliged to maintain a holistic approach centering on occupational health and safety.”
Following the opening program, our Minister visited the foyer area and booths, meeting with participants and company representatives.
The Scientific Advisory Board Added Academic Rigor to the Conference
Maintaining the scientific quality of our Conference at the highest level, the impartiality of presentations, and academic excellence was ensured thanks to the robust Scientific Advisory Board behind it. We extend our gratitude to our advisory board members who took part in shaping the program flow meticulously:
Our Scientific Advisory Board included:
Prof. Dr. Kemalettin AYDIN – Rector of University of Health Sciences
Prof. Dr. Levent AKIN – Ankara University Faculty of Law
Prof. Dr. Cemal İYEM – Vice Rector of Adnan Menderes University
Prof. Dr. Haluk Hadi SÜMER – Selçuk University Faculty of Law
Prof. Dr. Nezih ORHON – Anadolu University Faculty of Communication Sciences
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Işıl KURNAZ BALTACI – Hacı Bayram Veli University Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences
Dr. İhsan ESEN – Director General of Information Technologies, Ministry of Labor and Social Security
With the contributions of our Board members, the conference program was prepared to cover current developments, international practices, and new risk domains encountered in working life.
The Future of Occupational Health and Safety Was Addressed in the First Session
The session titled “The Future of Occupational Health and Safety: Sustainable Human-Centered Approaches,” held on the first day of our Conference, was moderated by Prof. Dr. Kemalettin AYDIN, Rector of the University of Health Sciences.
Comprehensive evaluations were made within the session by our General Director Erhan TAYLAN, HAK-İŞ Deputy President Atty. Mehmet Ali KAYABAŞI, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayşe Coşkun BEYAN, and Prof. Dr. Haluk Hadi SÜMER.
Our General Director Erhan TAYLAN drew attention to the importance of risk assessment activities in his address. Highlighting employers’ obligations to identify risks in the working environment in advance and take necessary precautions, TAYLAN shared information with participants regarding legislative renewal activities conducted by our General Directorate, collaborations maintained with social partners, and IPA projects.
HAK-İŞ Deputy President Atty. Mehmet Ali KAYABAŞI stated that occupational health and safety should not be viewed merely as limited to legal obligations, emphasizing that the creation of safe working environments is a fundamental right of workers, and drew attention to the importance of strengthening union organization.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayşe Coşkun BEYAN from Dokuz Eylül University stated that technological developments create new risk areas in working life, addressing the effects of climate change, air pollution, and new working models on occupational health. She emphasized that a sustainable occupational health and safety approach must be evaluated alongside green transition processes.
Prof. Dr. Haluk Hadi SÜMER from Selçuk University touched upon the importance of eliminating risks at the source in preventing occupational accidents; stating that safe system design must be taken as a basis before personal protective equipment usage. Stating that training activities are of critical importance in terms of the sustainability of the safety culture, SÜMER conveyed that psychosocial risks and new technologies in particular must be evaluated carefully.
The Societal Dimension of OHS Was Comprehensively Evaluated
The session titled “Impact from Institution to Society: The Expanding Role of Occupational Health and Safety,” held on the second day of our Conference, was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Işıl KURNAZ BALTACI.
In the session, it was emphasized that occupational health and safety is an area not only limited to the workplace, but directly related to social awareness, corporate culture, sustainability, and a human-centered management perspective.
Speaking in the session, Prof. Dr. Nezih ORHON shared his evaluations on the reflection of the OHS culture in society and the role of communication tools in raising awareness. Stating that the language of communication in occupational health and safety should not only be restrictive or punitive, ORHON underlined the necessity of adopting an inspiring communication strategy that touches human life.
Prof. Dr. Levent AKIN evaluated the interaction of legal regulations with working life and employer responsibilities. Emphasizing that occupational health and safety legislation should not be perceived as a formal obligation on paper, AKIN stated that the actual implementation of regulations on the ground is vital.
Prof. Dr. Cemal İYEM touched upon the relationship between corporate sustainability and employee welfare; noting that organizations prioritizing occupational health and safety gain competitive advantages in the long run.
Dr. İhsan ESEN shared information regarding digitalization, data-driven decision-making processes, and applications developed in the field of occupational health and safety within our Ministry. ESEN drew attention to the contributions of modern IT infrastructures to inspection, reporting, and monitoring processes.
Theater Event “Who is at Fault?” Left a Strong Impression
One of the most attention-grabbing events of our Conference was the theater play titled “Who is at Fault?” staged by the Ankara State Theaters artist group. Dramatizing an occupational accident that occurred in a workplace, the play effectively conveyed to the audience the responsibilities of employers, workers, and specialists, as well as the societal consequences of negligence.
Following the play, which was watched with great interest by the participants, our General Director Erhan TAYLAN presented a plaque of appreciation to the theater team.
High Participation in the Exhibition Area and Booths
Throughout the Conference, companies producing personal protective equipment, safety technologies, and measurement equipment exhibited their products and services in the exhibition area set up in the foyer. Participants had the opportunity to examine new technologies and innovative products in the sector on-site.
In addition, the İSGÜM booth, where our Institute’s activities, laboratory services, and publications were introduced, attracted great interest from participants throughout the event.
Conference Closed with General Evaluation Session
The 10th International Occupational Health and Safety Conference concluded with the Closing and Evaluation Session held on the afternoon of May 13. In the session, the main themes of the presentations and discussions made during the two days were summarized, and recommendations for future policy documents and action plans were compiled.
We express our sincere thanks to our Minister, our speakers, our Scientific Advisory Board, participating institutions, sponsors, and all guests who contributed to our Conference.
Source: https://www.csgb.gov.tr/isggm/tr/haberler/14052026/
(Access Date: 14/05/2026)