Fatal Accidents in Coal Mining: A Ten-Year Analysis of Risk Factors and Prevention Strategies in Turkey
Cagri Aldi
article (Uluslararası, Hakemli) | Yazar(lar): Cagri Aldi | Yıl: 2026 | Dergi/Kurum: MINING METALLURGY & EXPLORATION | İndeks: WOS.SCI | DOI: 10.1007/s42461-026-01653-6 | Anahtar Kelimeler: Coal mining, Occupational safety, Fatal accidents, Turkey, Risk factors, Prevention strategies, Mining disasters, Occupational heal
Coal mining remains among the world's most dangerous professions, particularly in developing nations where fatality rates continue to be alarmingly high. Despite holding merely 0.2% of the world's coal reserves, Turkey has experienced numerous catastrophic mining disasters, including the Soma tragedy in 2014 (301 deaths) and the Amasra explosion in 2022 (42 deaths). A thorough understanding of how occupational accidents evolve over time provides the foundation for creating effective, evidence-based prevention strategies. The primary aim of this study is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of fatal accidents, work accidents, and occupational diseases in Turkish coal mining over a 10-year period (2015-2024), identify temporal trends, examine risk factors, and provide evidence-based recommendations for prevention strategies. This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from the Turkish Social Security Institution (SGK) annual statistical yearbooks covering 2015-2024. The study population consisted of all formally employed coal and lignite sector workers classified under NACE Rev. 2 code 05 (n = 70,848 accident records across the decade). Primary outcomes examined included work accidents, fatal accidents, occupational diseases, and fatality rates. Statistical analysis following ESAW methodology (European Statistics on Accidents at Work, 2021) involved descriptive statistics, linear regression, and Pearson and Spearman rank correlations (p < 0.05), utilizing Python 3.12, SciPy, and Matplotlib software packages. Normality of variables was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test prior to parametric analysis. Coefficients of determination (R-2) and correlation coefficients (r, rho) are reported as effect-size measures alongside 95% confidence intervals and p-values throughout. Over the 10-year study period, 70,848 work accidents, 275 fatal accidents, and 446 occupational diseases were recorded. The mean annual fatality rate stood at 0.441% (SD = 0.208%). Work accidents showed a significant decline from 2015 to 2020 (slope=-808.9, R2 = 0.89, p = 0.005), followed by a dramatic surge in 2023-2024 with 13,199 and 12,592 accidents respectively. The peak fatality rate of 0.961% occurred in 2022, coinciding with the Amasra disaster. Occupational diseases demonstrated a declining trend (r=-0.86, p = 0.001), while the correlation between work accidents and fatalities remained weak (r = 0.24, p = 0.51). Despite post-Soma reforms implemented after 2014, Turkish coal mining continues to exhibit persistently high fatality rates, approximately 20 times higher than those observed in the United States (U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration, 2024). The 2022 Amasra disaster and the 2023-2024 accident surge demonstrate ongoing systemic vulnerabilities in the sector. Urgent interventions are needed, including mandatory real-time gas monitoring systems, enhanced ventilation infrastructure, independent safety inspections, comprehensive worker training programs (minimum 40 h annually), and strengthened regulatory enforcement mechanisms. This study provides critical evidence for developing targeted safety interventions in Turkey's coal mining sector.