Türkiye Records 204 Worker Deaths in July, Yearly Toll Climbs to 1,165
worker welding steel in construction workshop
According to the Worker Health and Work Safety (İSİG) Assembly’s July 2025 report, at least 204 workers lost their lives last month, bringing the total worker death toll for the first seven months of the year to 1,165. The report highlights that many fatalities were linked to forest fires, extreme heat, child labor, and unsafe working conditions—all of which it stressed were preventable.
Fires and Heat Take Lives
In July, forest fires claimed 17 lives—including seven forest workers, five AKUT volunteers, three volunteer workers, and two firefighters. The report criticized the lack of adequate budgets, equipment, early warning systems, and staffing for firefighting efforts, stating these shortcomings directly contributed to preventable deaths.
Extreme heat also emerged as a major cause of fatalities. July 2025 ranked as the third-hottest month ever recorded globally. Outdoor workers—particularly in agriculture, construction, motorcycle delivery, and municipal services—alongside indoor industrial workers, were severely impacted by high temperatures and humidity. Heat-related health incidents such as heart attacks and brain hemorrhages were reported, with criticism directed at the Ministries of Labor and Health for failing to publish any public guidance despite meteorological warnings.
Child Labor and Precarious Work Persist
The month saw the deaths of at least nine child workers. Among them, 12-year-old Eyüp Can Güner, employed at a kebab shop in Mersin, was killed in a violent incident, and 17-year-old construction intern Mehmet Dallı in Kütahya died after a fall. The İSİG Assembly condemned the exploitation of minors under the guise of vocational training, warning it pushes children into unsafe and deadly jobs.
Of the total fatalities, nine were women and seven were migrant workers—the latter mostly employed in high-risk sectors such as agriculture, construction, mining, and transportation. The report noted that 96.1% of those who died were non-unionized, underscoring the prevalence of insecure employment.
Sectors and Regions Most Affected
The deadliest sectors in July were industry (59 deaths), agriculture and forestry (54), and construction and road work (47). The leading causes included falls from height, traffic accidents, crushing or cave-ins, heart attacks and brain hemorrhages, and explosions or burns.
Regionally, Istanbul recorded the highest number of fatalities (32 deaths), followed by Eskişehir (13), Bursa (10), Izmir (9), and Antalya (7).
