Associate Professor Dr. Ulaş Baysal, a faculty member of Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Business Administration, authored an article titled “A Critical Look at Turkish Occupational Health and Safety Legislation within the Framework of MLC 2006”.
The article, published in Dergipark, stated: “The Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006), one of the most comprehensive international regulations aimed at protecting the health and safety of workers in the maritime sector, imposes serious obligations on signatory countries to improve the working conditions of ship personnel. Although Turkey has not yet officially ratified this convention, it is de facto implemented on Turkish-flagged vessels engaged in international voyages.”
The article included the following statements: “Evaluations conducted in this context reveal that while the Occupational Health and Safety Law No. 6331 in force in Turkey contains general provisions, it falls short in meeting the unique needs of ship personnel. Particularly, the annulment decision of the Constitutional Court clearly emphasizes that ship personnel must be included within the scope of this law.”
Academician Baysal noted the following in his article:
“Although the obligations for risk assessment, training, information, and taking preventive measures envisaged by MLC 2006 exist in Turkish legislation, these obligations need to be restructured specifically for maritime activities. At this point, aligning the legislation with MLC 2006 through secondary regulations is of critical importance for the sector’s access to international standards.”
The article also emphasizes that specific risk assessment systems and training programs for ship personnel need to be developed. It is stated that MLC 2006 is not only a tool for legal compliance but also provides a strategic framework for ensuring fair, safe, and sustainable working conditions in the maritime sector.
Baysal used the expressions: “Turkey’s ratification of the convention and completion of the necessary regulations will be an important step both for the protection of ship personnel and for increasing the international competitiveness of the sector.”
The full article can be accessed via the link “”.
7DENIZ
