Evaluation of the Importance Levels of Legal Responsibilities of Employers and Workers in Terms of Occupational Health and Safety with the AHP Approach

Saliha Ünver; Selçuk Gümüş

doi:10.33904/ejfe.1697789

Evaluation of the Importance Levels of Legal Responsibilities of Employers and Workers in Terms of Occupational Health and Safety with the AHP Approach

Abstract

In case of an occupational accident, the responsible party is identified by assessing fault rates in terms of occupational health and safety (OHS). This is based on the responsibilities defined for employers and employees in both international and national legal regulations regarding OHS. However, the legal regulations do not include an assessment of the fault rates associated with the scale of these responsibilities. This study aims to prioritize the legal responsibilities of employers and employees in OSH using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Eleven responsibility criteria were identified based on international and national OSH regulations: seven for employers and four for employees. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 52 experts, including OSH specialists and forest engineers. The results showed employers held a significantly larger share of OSH responsibilities (67.9%) compared to employees (32.1%). The most important employer responsibilities were providing personal protective equipment (PPE) to workers (14%), providing training to workers (13%), and conducting risk assessments (12%). For employees, the most critical responsibilities were avoiding risky situations (9%), refraining from behaviors that pose a risk to OSH (8%), and reporting hazards to employers (8%). The priority levels of employer and employee responsibilities determined in this study will help ensure a fair assessment of the fault percentages in occupational accidents. The results contribute to a more structured and quantitative approach to OSH responsibility allocation, emphasizing the need for a clear delineation of responsibilities and the implementation of robust training and risk management systems to ensure workplace safety. Effective collaboration between employers and employees, supported by adequate training, communication, and risk mitigation strategies, is essential to reduce workplace accidents and ensure long-term compliance with OSH regulations.

Keywords

Occupational safety and health, AHP, Responsibility levels, Work accidents, Fault percentages

Ethical Statement

The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that could influence the work reported in this study.

Thanks

We thank the experts who participated in the study for their evaluations and Mustafa IPEK for his assistance in conducting interviews with the experts.

References

Aguarón, J., Escobar, M.T., Moreno-Jiménez, J.M. 2021. Reducing inconsistency measured by the geometric consistency index in the analytic hierarchy process. European Journal of Operational Research 288: 576–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2020.06.014
Ahmed, S., Vedagiri, P., Krishna Rao, K.V. 2017. Prioritization of pavement maintenance sections using an object-based analytic hierarchy process. Int. J. Pavement Res. Technol. 10: 158-170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijprt.2017.01.001
Akadiri, P.O., Olomolaiye, P.O., Chinyio, E.A. 2013. Multi-criteria evaluation model for the selection of sustainable materials for building projects. Automat Constr. 30: 113–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2012.10.004
Akyüz, K.C., Turgay, T., Perçin, S., Yıldırım İ. 2020. An application for the selection of the best supplier in the furniture industry sector with AHP. International Journal of Economic and Administrative Studies 29: 1-22. https://doi.org/ulikidince.459650
Alrawad, M., Lutfi, A., Almaiah, M.A., Alsyouf, A., Al-Khasawneh, A.L., Arafa, H.M., Ahmed, N.A., AboAlkhair, A.M., Tork, M. 2023. Managers’ perception and attitude toward financial risks associated with smes: analytic hierarchy process approach. Journal of Risk and Financial Management 16, 86. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm16020086
Barati, A.A., Azadi, H., Pour, M.D., Lebailly, P., Quafori, M. 2019. Determining key agricultural strategic factors using AHP-MICMAC. Sustainability 11: 1–17. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143947
Chakraborty, S., Mukhopadhyay, S. 2019. Assessing flood risk using analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and geographical information system (GIS): application in Coochbehar district of West Bengal, India. Nat Hazards 99: 247–274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-019-03737-7
Chen, H.L., Hu, Y.C., Lee, M.Y., Yen, G.F. 2020. Importance of employee care in corporate social responsibility: An AHP‑based study from the perspective of corporate commitment. Sustainability, 12(15): 5885. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12155885
Çoban, V. 2023. Analysis of consistency indices of pairwise comparison methods. Erzincan University Journal of Science and Technology 16(2): 384-405. https://doi.org/10.18185/erzifbed.1241221
Council Directive. 1989. Council directive 89/391/EEC. Official Journal of The European Communities 334/30.

Du, S., Wang, J., Wang, M., Yang, J., Zhang, C., Zhao, Y., Song, H. 2023. A systematic data-driven approach for production forecasting of coalbed methane incorporating deep learning and ensemble learning adapted to complex production patterns. Energy 263, 126121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2022. 126121
European Commission. 2004. Health and safety at work directives 89/391 (Framework), 89/654 (Workplaces), 89/655 (Work Equipment), 89/656 (Personal Protective Equipment), 90/269 (Manual Handling of Loads) and 90/270 (Display Screen Equipment).
Ghafourian, K., Kabirifar, K., Mahdiyar, A., Yazdani, M., Ismail, S., Tam, V.W.Y. 2021. A synthesis of express analytic hierarchy process (EAHP) and partial least squares-structural equations modelling (PLS-SEM) for sustainable construction and demolition waste management assessment: the case of Malaysia, Recycling 6, 73. https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling6040073
Gompf, K., Traverso, M., Hetterich, J. 2021. Using analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to introduce weights to social life cycle assessment of mobility services. Sustainability 13, 1258. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031258
Grzybowski, A.Z., Starczewski, T. 2020. New look at the inconsistency analysis in the pairwise-comparisons-based prioritization problems. Expert Systems with Applications 159, 113549. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2020.113549
Gümüş, S. 2017. An evaluation of stakeholder perception differences in forest road assessment factors using the analytic-hierarchy-process (AHP). Forests 8, 165. https://doi.org/10.3390/f805016
Guo, X., Kapucu, N. 2020. Assessing social vulnerability to earthquake disaster using rough analytic hierarchy process method: a case study of Hanzhong City, China. Saf. Sci. 125, 104625. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2020.104625
Guo, X., Zhang, X., Ren, D., Lin, K. 2023. Research on risk management and control strategy of uranium resource procurement in China. Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects, 45: 4178-4194. https://doi.org/10.1080/15567036.2023.2203083
Han, Y., Wang, Z., Lu, X., Hu, B. 2020. Application of AHP to road selection. Int. J. Geo-Inf. 9, 86. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi9020086
Haegdorens, F., Franck, E., Smith, P., Bruyneel, A., Monsieurs, K. G., Van Bogaert, P. 2022. Sufficient personal protective equipment training can reduce COVID‑19 related symptoms in healthcare workers: A prospective cohort study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 126: 104132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2021.104132
Hong Yun, Z., Alshehri, Y., Alnazzawi, N., Ullah, I., Noor, S., Gohar, N. 2022. A decision-support system for assessing the function of machine learning and artificial intelligence in music education for network games. Soft Comput 26: 11063-11075. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00500-022-07401-4
ILO, 1981. International Labour Organization. Occupational safety and health convention, No. 155.
ILO, 1985. International Labour Organization. Occupational health services convention, No. 161.
ILO, 2001. International Labour Organization. Guidelines on occupational safety and health management systems, International Labour Office, Geneva.
Kaakkurivaara, T., Borz, S.A., Kaakkurivaara, N. 2022. Risk factors and occupational safety failures in forest work in the Southeast Asian Region. Forests 13, 2034. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13122034
Kil, S., Lee, D.K., Li, M.H., Newman, G. 2016. Utilizing the analytic hierarchy process to establish weighted values for evaluating the stability of slope revegetation based on hydro seeding applications in South Korea. Sustainability 8, 58, https://doi.org/10.3390/su8010058.
Kurşunoğlu, N., Önder, S., Önder, M. 2022. Selection of an appropriate personal protective equipment using the analytic hierarchy process. J ESOGU Engin Arch Fac. 30(1): 141-151.
Kut, P., Pietrucha-Urbanik, K. 2022. Most searched topics in the scientific literature on failures in photovoltaic installations. Energies 15, 8108. https:// doi.org/10.3390/en15218108
Li, X., Zhan, J., Lv, T., Wang, S., Pan, F. 2023. Comprehensive evaluation model of the urban low-carbon passenger transportation structure based on DPSIR. Ecological Indicator 146, 109849. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109849
Lima, K., Meira Castro, A.C., Baptista, J.S. 2023. Occupational risk assessment in native rainforest management (miarforest)-parameters definition and validation. Sustainability 15, 6794. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086794
Lipuscek, I., Bohanec, M., Oblak, L., Stirn, L.Z. 2010. A multi-criteria decision-making model for classifying wood products concerning their impact on environment. Int J Life Cycle Assess 15: 359-367. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-010-0157-6
Liu, R., Liu H.C., Shi, H., Gu, X. 2023. Occupational health and safety risk assessment: a systematic literature review of models, methods, and applications. Safety Science 160, 106050. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2022.106050
Lohiniva, A.-L., Lehtinen, J. M., Arifulla, D., Ollgren, J., Nuorti, P., Lyytikäinen, O. 2025. Factors influencing healthcare workers' compliance with personal protective equipment guidelines in long‑term care during the COVID‑19 pandemic: A theory‑based mixed‑methods study. PLOS ONE, 20(4): e0321851. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0321851
Nazim, M., Wali Mohammad, C., Sadiq, M. 2022. A comparison between fuzzy AHP and fuzzy TOPSIS methods to software requirements selection. Alexandria Engineering Journal 61: 10851-10870. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aej.2022.04.005
Nikkhah, A., Firouzi, S., Assad, M.E.H., Ghnimi, S. 2019. Application of analytic hierarchy process to develop a weighting scheme for life cycle assessment of agricultural production. Sci. Total Environ. 665: 538-545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019. 02.170
Nobanee, H. 2018. Efficiency of working capital management and profitability of UAE construction companies: size and crisis effects. Polish Journal of Management Studies 18: 209-215. https://doi.org/ 10.2139/ssrn.2971477
OHS, 2012. Occupational Health and Safety, No. 6331, Official gazette of the republic of Türkiye, Issue No. 28339.
Official Gazette. 2004. Regulation on workplace hazard classes regarding occupational health and safety. Issue No. 25432.
Official Gazette. 2012. Regulation on risk assessment for occupational health and safety. Issue No. 28512.
Official Gazette. 2013. Regulation on procedures and principles regarding occupational health and safety training of employees. Issue No. 28648.
Ong, M.S., Chang, M.Y., Foong, M.J., Chiew, J.J., Teh, K.C., Tan, J., Lim, S.S., Foo, D.C.Y. 2020. An integrated approach for sustainability assessment with hybrid AHP-LCA-PI techniques for chitosan-based TIO2 nanotubes production. Sustainable Production and Consumption 21: 170-181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2019.12.001
Parvaneh, F., El-Sayegh, S.M. 2016. Project selection using the combined approach of AHP and LP. J. Financial Manage. Property Constr., 21: 39–53. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFMPC-09-2015-0034
Potocnik, I., Poje, A. 2017. Forestry ergonomics and occupational safety in high-ranking scientific journals from 2005–2016. Croat. J. For. Eng. 38: 291–310.
Raslanas, S., Kliukas, R., Stasiukynas, A. 2016. Sustainability assessment for recreational buildings. Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems, 33: 286-312. https://doi.org/10.1080/10286608.2016. 1236086
Razi, P., Ali, M., Ramli, N. 2019. AHP-based analysis of the risk assessment delay case study of public road construction project: an empirical study. Journal of Engineering Science & Technology 14: 875–891.
Repetski, E., Sarkani, S., Mazzuchi, T. 2022. Applying the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to expert documents. International Journal of the Analytic Hierarchy Process 14: 1–14. https://doi.org/10.13033/ijahp.v14i1.919
SIGHI 2006. Social Insurance and General Health Insurance. Turkish Law No. 551031/5/2006.
Subramanian, N., Ramanathan, R. 2012. A review of applications of analytic hierarchy process in operations management. Int. J. Prod. Econ. 138: 215–241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2012.03.036
Saaty, T.L. 1990. How to make a decision: the analytic hierarchy process? Eur J. Oper. Res. 48, 9–26.
Saaty, T.L. 2006. Rank from comparisons and from ratings in the analytic hierarchy/network processes. Eur. J. Oper. Res. 168: 557–570. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.ejor.2004.04.032
Ünver, S., Ergenc, İ. 2021. Safety risk identification and prioritize of forest logging activities using analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Alexandria Engineering Journal 60: 1591-99. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.aej.2020.11.012
TLL, 2003. National Labor Law of Türkiye. No. 4857. Retrieved from http://turkishlaborlaw.com/ turkishlabor-law-no-4857/19-4857-labor-law-english -by-article.
Tolera, S.T., Gobena, T., Geremew, A., Toseva, E., Assefa, N. 2024. Compliance and associated factors of personal protective equipment among sanitary workers in selected public hospitals, Eastern Ethiopia: A cross‑sectional study. SAGE Open Medicine, 12, 20503121241308303.
Ünver-Okan, S., Acar, H.H. 2015. Evaluation of potential risk factors in forest stores in terms of occupational health and safety. Suleyman Demirel University Journal of Engineering Sciences and Design 3: 165-172.
Wang, Q., Zhang, F. 2021. The effects of trade openness on decoupling carbon emissions from economic growth evidence from 182 countries. J. Clean. Prod. 279, 123838. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro. 2020.123838.
Waris, M., Panigrahi, S., Mengal, A., Soomro, M.I., Mirjat, N.H., Ullah, M., Azlan, Z.S., Khan, A. 2019. An application of analytic hierarchy process (AHP) for sustainable procurement of construction equipment: multicriteria-based decision framework for Malaysia, Math. Probl. Eng., 6391431. https://doi.org/10.1155/ 2019/6391431
Yovi, E.Y., Yamada, Y. 2015. Strategy to disseminate occupational safety and health information to forestry workers: the felling safety game. J. Trop. For. Sci. 27: 213–221.
Zavadskas, E.K., Podvezko, V. 2016. Integrated determination of objective criteria weights in MCDM. Int. J. Inform. Technol. Decis. Making 15: 267–283. https://doi.org/10.1142/ S02196220165 00036
Zhang, J., Kou, G., Peng, Y., Zhang, Y. 2021. Estimating priorities from relative deviations in pairwise comparison matrices. Information Sciences 552: 310–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ins.2020.12.008
Zhu, X.G., Liu, J.L., Gao, H.L., Yang, C.C., Zhang, S.X. 2021. A method for determining the weight of combat capability evaluation index in synthetic battalion based on DEMATEL-TFNAHP. Fire Control & Command Control 46(6): 58–63.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Forest Products Transport and Evaluation Information

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Saliha Ünver ^*
0000-0001-9882-446X
Türkiye

Selçuk Gümüş
0000-0002-6942-160X
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

October 17, 2025

Publication Date

December 25, 2025

Submission Date

May 12, 2025

Acceptance Date

June 17, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 11 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.33904/ejfe.1697789

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA94ST67JZ

APA

Ünver, S., & Gümüş, S. (2025). Evaluation of the Importance Levels of Legal Responsibilities of Employers and Workers in Terms of Occupational Health and Safety with the AHP Approach. European Journal of Forest Engineering, 11(2), 174-183. https://doi.org/10.33904/ejfe.1697789

AMA

1.Ünver S, Gümüş S. Evaluation of the Importance Levels of Legal Responsibilities of Employers and Workers in Terms of Occupational Health and Safety with the AHP Approach. Eur J Forest Eng. 2025;11(2):174-183. doi:10.33904/ejfe.1697789

Chicago

Ünver, Saliha, and Selçuk Gümüş. 2025. “Evaluation of the Importance Levels of Legal Responsibilities of Employers and Workers in Terms of Occupational Health and Safety With the AHP Approach”. European Journal of Forest Engineering 11 (2): 174-83. https://doi.org/10.33904/ejfe.1697789.

EndNote

Ünver S, Gümüş S (December 1, 2025) Evaluation of the Importance Levels of Legal Responsibilities of Employers and Workers in Terms of Occupational Health and Safety with the AHP Approach. European Journal of Forest Engineering 11 2 174–183.

IEEE

[1]S. Ünver and S. Gümüş, “Evaluation of the Importance Levels of Legal Responsibilities of Employers and Workers in Terms of Occupational Health and Safety with the AHP Approach”, Eur J Forest Eng, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 174–183, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.33904/ejfe.1697789.

ISNAD

Ünver, Saliha - Gümüş, Selçuk. “Evaluation of the Importance Levels of Legal Responsibilities of Employers and Workers in Terms of Occupational Health and Safety With the AHP Approach”. European Journal of Forest Engineering 11/2 (December 1, 2025): 174-183. https://doi.org/10.33904/ejfe.1697789.

JAMA

1.Ünver S, Gümüş S. Evaluation of the Importance Levels of Legal Responsibilities of Employers and Workers in Terms of Occupational Health and Safety with the AHP Approach. Eur J Forest Eng. 2025;11:174–183.

MLA

Ünver, Saliha, and Selçuk Gümüş. “Evaluation of the Importance Levels of Legal Responsibilities of Employers and Workers in Terms of Occupational Health and Safety With the AHP Approach”. European Journal of Forest Engineering, vol. 11, no. 2, Dec. 2025, pp. 174-83, doi:10.33904/ejfe.1697789.

Vancouver

1.Saliha Ünver, Selçuk Gümüş. Evaluation of the Importance Levels of Legal Responsibilities of Employers and Workers in Terms of Occupational Health and Safety with the AHP Approach. Eur J Forest Eng. 2025 Dec. 1;11(2):174-83. doi:10.33904/ejfe.1697789

Creative Commons License

The works published in European Journal of Forest Engineering (EJFE) are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Evaluation of the Importance Levels of Legal Responsibilities of Employers and Workers in Terms of Occupational Health and Safety with the AHP Approach

Abstract

Keywords

Ethical Statement

Thanks

References

Details

Primary Language

Subjects

Journal Section

Authors

Early Pub Date

Publication Date

Submission Date

Acceptance Date

Published in Issue

DOI

IZ

Cite