Online Training Era for Worker Safety in Small Businesses

Small business owners can now complete occupational health and safety trainings online. The Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK) along with the Labor and Social Security Training and Research Center (ÇASGEM) signed a protocol for occupational health and safety (OHS) training. TESK President Palandöken announced that OHS trainings can now be easily completed online. According to the protocol, entrepreneurs and employees who successfully complete the 16-hour training by entering the official website of the confederation will be entitled to receive the necessary certificate. Palandöken stated, “If a business owner says, ‘I don’t need this certificate, I have my son, daughter, or employee in my business, let’s authorize them,’ the relevant individual can take the training.” Since the training will be conducted entirely in electronic format, there will be no loss of work or need to close shops. Palandöken mentioned that OHS certificates are usually priced at high amounts like 8-10 thousand liras, but with the TESK-ÇASGEM collaboration, they are making it accessible to small business owners at a symbolic amount of 250 liras.