Psychosocial Risk Awareness and Expectations Regarding Risk Management: An Evaluation from the Mining Industry

Abstract

Psychosocial hazards and risks, the breadth of which is expanding continuously, both adversely influence the health and safety of employees and limit their productivity by jeopardizing organizations' regular operation. Despite its significant impact on the individual, organization, and societal context, research on identifying and managing psychosocial hazards is relatively recent. With international standards and guidelines, the effort to maintain employee health and safety becomes apparent, and the areas of responsibility in the processes of detecting sources of hazard and managing risks become evident, though partially. The purpose of this article is to describe the current state of workers' awareness of psychosocial risks in mining firms operating in the Zonguldak coal basin, as well as to reveal the employees' needs, expectations, demands, and suggestions for managing these risks, which are relatively new in the mining sector. In this aim, 29 focus groups with 90 participants in various roles within mining firms were conducted. The findings indicate that there is awareness of psychosocial risks in the mining sector, that this risk group, whose evaluation is not yet obligated by legal sanctions, should be included in routine risk assessments, and that employees have suggestions regarding the scope of these risks.

Keywords

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Psychosocial Risks
• ISO 45003
• Risk Management
• Employee well-being

Psikososyal Risk Farkındalığı ve Risk Yönetimine İlişkin Beklentiler: Maden Sektöründen Bir Değerlendirme

Abstract

Kapsamı gün geçtikçe farklılaşan, çeşitlenen psikososyal tehlikeler ve riskler hem çalışan sağlığını ve güvenliğini olumsuz olarak etkilemekte hem de işletmelerin düzenli işleyişlerini tehdit ederek, verimliliklerini düşürmektedir. Birey, örgüt ve sosyal bağlam düzeyindeki önemli etkilerine rağmen psikososyal risklerin tanımlanması ve yönetilmesine ilişkin çalışmalar oldukça yenidir. Çalışan sağlığı ve güvenliğini temin etmeye yönelik çaba uluslararası standartlar ve kılavuzlar ile somutlaşmakta, tehlike kaynaklarının belirlenmesi, risklerin yönetilmesi süreçlerindeki sorumluk alanları kısmen de olsa netleşmektedir. Bu makalede Zonguldak kömür havzasında faaliyet gösteren maden işletmelerinde çalışanların psikososyal risk farkındalıklarına ilişkin güncel durumun resmedilmesi ve madencilik sektöründe çok yeni olan bu risklerin yönetimine ilişkin çalışan ihtiyaç, beklenti, talep ve önerilerinin açığa çıkarılması hedeflenmektedir. Bu doğrultuda; maden işletmelerinde farklı görevlerde çalışmakta olan 90 katılımcı ile 29 odak grup görüşmesi gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bulgular; maden sektöründe psikososyal risklere ilişkin farkındalığın bulunduğunu, değerlendirilmesi henüz yasal yaptırımlarla zorunlu hale getirilmemiş olan bu risk grubunun da rutin risk değerlendirmelerinin bir unsuru haline getirilmesine ihtiyaç duyulduğunu ve çalışanların bu risklerin kapsamına dair önerilerinin bulunduğunu göstermektedir.

Keywords

• Çalışan Sağlığı ve Güvenliği
• Psikososyal Riskler
• ISO 45003
• Risk Yönetimi
• Çalışan Esenliği

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