121 workers die in Türkiye in February 2025 amid labor struggles

The Health and Safety Labour Watch Council (ISIG) reported that at least 121 workers lost their lives in February 2025, based on information gathered from national media (74%) and workers’ colleagues, families, workplace safety experts, workplace doctors, trade unions, and local media (26%).

With this, the total number of work-related fatalities in the first two months of 2025 reached 299, with 178 deaths recorded in January and 121 in February.

Workplace fatalities remain high over past decade

Over the past decade, the average number of worker deaths per month has ranged from 145 to 165. The lower number of fatalities in February was not a result of better worker health and safety measures but was primarily due to harsh winter conditions. These conditions caused a decrease in work in construction and agriculture sectors, leading to fewer fatalities.

A secondary factor was the difficulty in accessing information about fatalities in factories and industrial sectors in recent months, as pointed out in previous comparisons with Social Security Institution (SGK) statistics.

Leading sectors for workplace deaths in February

Fatalities were predominantly seen in the transportation, construction, trade, metal, and agriculture sectors in February. The number of workers who lost their lives in these sectors is as follows:

• Industry: 55 workers
• Services: 34 workers
• Construction: 19 workers
• Agriculture: 13 workers

Causes of work fatalities

The leading cause of work-related deaths in February was traffic and shuttle accidents, accounting for half of the fatalities in the transportation sector. The other half resulted from accidents involving workers in shuttle buses going to factories, construction sites, and workplaces.

The second most common cause of death was crushing and collapsing accidents, which affected workers across all sectors. The third leading cause was falls from height, which were mostly observed in construction sites.

Vulnerable groups: Migrant and child workers

February also saw the deaths of four child workers, aged between 14 and 17, who were employed in the trade, metal, construction, and hospitality sectors.

In addition, four migrant workers (two from Syria, one from Iraq, and one from Uzbekistan) lost their lives, primarily in agriculture, trade, and general labor.

Rising fatalities among older workers

Older workers aged 50 and above made up 43% of the fatalities in February.

These workers, often unable to retire or receiving low pensions, are increasingly forced into jobs that are physically unsuitable for their age, contributing to the higher risk of fatal accidents.

Regional distribution of work fatalities

Work-related fatalities were concentrated in metropolitan areas and industrialized cities of Central Anatolia. The highest number of fatalities occurred in Istanbul (16 deaths), followed by Antalya, Bursa, and Gaziantep (seven each), Kocaeli (six) and Izmir (five).

The deaths occurred across 45 cities in Türkiye and three countries abroad, including countries where migrant workers from Türkiye are employed.