Mining disaster in Soma brings revolutions in legislation
The mining accident which killed 301 people in western Turkey has paved a way a revolution in the legislations regarding the mining operations. The Labour Ministry is expected to launch an initiative to improve safety and working conditions in the mining facilities.
The Ministry will accept standards of the International Labour Organisations, (ILO) and all mining works will be suspended until all the facilities adhere the conditions listed in the ILO contract, according to a 7-point action plan due to be made public by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan later this week.
State of emergency will be declared in all mines. Previous investigations into mine accidents will be reviewed along the previous reports on the mine accidents. Inspections on the mines will be handled again by the commissions in accordance with the new regulations.
Labour regulations will be changed. Working conditions will be equal to the conditions in the developed countries.
Turkey will sign the 176-numbered Convention for Safety and Health in Mines, submitted by the International Labour Organisation in order to provide rescue chamber and safety at the maximum level in the underground facilities. Under this Convention, the mine operators will be expected to improve working conditions at the highest level.
All operations in the mines will be suspended until the organisations will be accommodated to the terms listed in the ILO''s convention.
Public Institutions and especially the Labour Ministry, in charge of the mine inspections, will be inspected separately as well.
The state will guarantee for the trial process will provide justice and clear the public conscience. The hearings will be completely transparent and all court decisions will be given for inspection on the faults and negligence of public workers. The families of whose relatives were killed in the last week''s disaster, will be given legal support during the trial process.
The state will offer a package of compensation to the families in Soma for their loss as well as all a regular payment as the slain miners will be regarded disabled-service. The children of the miners, killed in the disaster, will be provided state grant for their education.
Prime Minister Erdogan also ordered a regulation for the victims to be considered as civilian martyr.
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