The development of industrialization and technology on a global scale has created some problems that threaten the health and safety of employees in workplaces and put the business and production in danger. As a result of the studies on these problems, the term of "Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)" has emerged in the world. Occupational Health and Safety Law No. 6331 came into force as a result of the studies carried out to determine and implement of safety measures in order to minimize the occupational accidents and losses caused in Turkey. The law mentioned, which covers all fields of activity, including the private and public sectors employing workers or civil servants, is based on a proactive approach.
Academic and research laboratories within universities contain various hazards, and the risks associated with these hazards can be significant if not properly managed. In the university laboratories, the laboratory personnel may be exposed to chemical, physical and biological risks that threaten for their body health and safety; and various accidents can be occured. Occupational accidents in academic laboratories often indicate that the absence of a risk analysis of the situation that led to the accident. Thus, it is very important to make risk analysis and create management plans in research laboratories. Risks should not only be revealed but also brought to an observable and measureble level for laboratory studies. In this context, occupational health and safety precautions should be implemented regarding the reliability of the analysis results and personnel health for laboratory studies.
The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) developed as an estimation and decision-making method, was used in this study; and was applied in some research laboratories of Dokuz Eylül University within the framework of current legislation. The laboratories where risk assessment will be carried out were examined with a proactive approach by conducting both on-site observation and survey studies. Information about the work accidents they had previously experienced was collected by applying a questionnaire to the employees. On-site observation studies were carried out in selected laboratories, and the safety measures taken and to be taken are listed. After deciding on the occupational risks that may be encountered, the safety measures against these risks were determined. While determining the safety measures, the Occupational Health and Safety Law No. 6331 and other regulations related to this law were considered. In addition, the cost analysis of the safety measures to be taken in the selected laboratories was also studied. The cost of the safety measures for the examined laboratories (L-1, L-2, L-3, L-4, L-5, L-6, L-7 ve L-8) was calculated as 54,390.00 TL in total. The results obtained from the modeling study with AHP indicated that increasing the number of safety measures taken in laboratories would reduce the number of occupational accidents by 92%.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), Accident index, Occupational accident, Cost analysis, Safety index, Laboratory
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