The symposium, held under the auspices of Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar at the TEDAŞ Istanbul International Training and Certification Center, lasted two days.
The event was attended by German Social Accident Insurance Board Member Nevzat Bağlı, ISSA Electricity, Gas and Water Section President Jens Juhling, Vision Zero Steering Committee Chair Helmut Ehnes, German Social Accident Insurance Deputy Director Sven Timm, Elder Secretary General Fakir Hüseyin Erdoğan, as well as senior executives from 21 electricity distribution companies, TEDAŞ employees, occupational health and safety professionals, and sector representatives.
The symposium covered leadership, risk and hazard management, safety, health and employee well-being, contractor management, road safety, the role of digital media in occupational safety, artificial intelligence applications, Vision Zero examples from Germany and around the world, and best practices in the electricity distribution sector.
At the conclusion of the symposium, a common will was expressed to strengthen the safety culture in the electricity distribution sector, manage risks with a proactive approach, increase employee participation, and enhance international knowledge sharing.
TEDAŞ General Manager highlights 'invisible heroes'
TEDAŞ General Manager Ömer Sami Yapıcı stated that the electricity distribution sector is a high-risk strategic field, and that occupational health and safety is not only a legal obligation but the most concrete indicator of the value placed on human life.
Expressing his satisfaction with the cooperation with ISSA, Yapıcı described employees as 'invisible heroes.' 'Every colleague working on top of poles, in transformer centers, underground cable networks, or high-voltage lines is not just an employee to us. They are a mother's child, a child's father, a family's hope, and the invisible heroes of this country,' he said.
Yapıcı noted that TEDAŞ provides training to an average of 8,000 people per year, supported by a digital workshop system and virtual reality technologies. He added that they are making intensive efforts to implement 'Live Maintenance' practices, aiming to maximize employee safety while reducing power outages and increasing customer satisfaction.
Vision Zero and the 7 Golden Rules
ISSA Electricity, Gas and Water Section President Jens Juhling stated that the symposium was an important start for building a strong occupational health and safety culture in the sector. Juhling drew attention to the '7 Golden Rules' model that forms the basis of the Vision Zero approach: leadership, identifying risks and hazards, setting targets, establishing safe systems, effective use of technology, developing employee competence, and a people-centered approach.
Juhling said, 'We will now work together for more safety, health and well-being in workplaces,' and thanked TEDAŞ for its contributions to the symposium.
Common will from 21 companies
Elder Secretary General Fakir Hüseyin Erdoğan emphasized that occupational health and safety is not a cost but the most valuable investment in human life. Erdoğan noted that the gathering of 21 electricity distribution companies around the same goal demonstrates the will to create a common occupational safety culture in Turkey.
