With the Communiqué of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security on Amending the “Communiqué on Workplace Hazard Classes Regarding Occupational Health and Safety” published in the Official Gazette, the “Workplace Hazard Classes List” in the annex of the said communiqué was updated.
Accordingly, the item “Production and broadcasting activities of video content (by influencers and vloggers)” has been added to the “dangerous” category.
“Ergonomic risks such as poor posture”
Evaluating the change in the communique, Abidin Özler, Vice Chairman of the Occupational Safety Experts Association, stated that the works done by the phenomena, especially those who prepare videos to be published on social media platforms, carry ergonomic risks such as poor posture in terms of occupational health and safety.
Stating that these risks cause various occupational diseases, Özler said, “For this reason, long-term work in front of the screen has been classified as dangerous because it causes such diseases.” said.
“Includes influencers working as a team”
Expressing that the hazard class of the activity to be carried out when opening a workplace is also determined, Özler said:
“This classification has no benefits for influencers working alone. In order for the danger class to be applied, the influencer must be covered by the Occupational Health and Safety Law No. 6331. In order to enter the law, at least one SGK employee must work. People working on their own behalf and account. The danger class here has no meaning for him. If he takes a worker with him, then he has to train that worker according to this danger class, make a risk analysis of his work, and prepare emergency action plans.”
Providing information on the emergency action plan, Özler said, “If he is shooting a video or something outside, he will have to take all kinds of technical safety measures related to occupational health and safety. Therefore, this arrangement includes influencers working as a team.” he said.
Özler stated that with the increase in the hazard class of a workplace, the frequency and duration of training on occupational health and safety for those working there also increased, and the renewal period for risk assessment and emergency action plan was shortened.
Özler said that with the amendment made in the communiqué, activities such as attending congresses and meetings and conducting research by those who receive attendance fees are also included in the “less dangerous” category.
