Health Minister: 2000 People Die Annually in Iran Due to Work-Related Accidents

The Iranian Health Minister reported that over 2000 people die each year due to work-related accidents, stating that 40% of workshops lack 'necessary safety.' According to Etemad Online, Hassan Hashemi announced this at the annual Safe Communities conference on Saturday, January 30. The Health Minister described incidents such as the Plasco building fire and traffic accidents in Iran as 'symbols of inefficiencies' that have 'accumulated over several decades and today cause harm, death, and numerous disabilities in the country.' He noted that 900 people are injured daily and 333,000 annually due to these accidents, many of whom become disabled, adding that such incidents are 'predictable.' Previously, Ali Mozaffari, the Director General of Inspection at the Ministry of Labor, Cooperatives, and Social Welfare, stated that 98% of work-related fatalities are preventable, mentioning that construction workshops are among the most hazardous workplaces in the country, with 50% of accidents occurring due to falls from heights. Reports indicate that falls, being struck by hard objects, burns, and oxygen deficiency are the main causes of work-related fatalities. The Health Minister pointed out the poor conditions of construction workshops in Iran, stating that 'three people die daily in these workshops due to accidents, and dozens are injured.' Earlier, Masoud Ghadi Pasha, the Director General of Forensic Medicine in Tehran Province, noted that 'more than half of work-related fatalities occur in the construction sector,' reporting the death of 1200 construction workers in 2015 due to work-related accidents. The Health Minister mentioned that the costs of these accidents amount to 'eight percent of the gross national product,' also referring to burn incidents in Iran, most of which occur in 'work environments,' resulting in 3000 deaths annually. He highlighted that 30,000 people are hospitalized each year due to burn injuries, with 150,000 becoming disabled annually. He stated that 40% of workshops in Iran lack 'necessary safety' and that 'over 100 people become disabled daily due to work accidents.' According to Etemad Online, Hassan Hashemi criticized the negligence in enforcing the national building regulations for structures over 20 years old and the lack of accountability for those responsible for such incidents, adding, 'We say a lot, but we do not play a significant role in implementation and oversight.' This official noted that 'after a few years, the results of incidents like Plasco, earthquakes, and the Sanchi will only be the lack of accountability for those responsible and incorrect information that fuels rumors.' He emphasized that compliance with the law, especially regarding national building regulations, is more important among officials than the public, stating that 'the more people see lawlessness from officials, the more they will act similarly.' Hassan Hashemi added that factors such as 'weak capabilities, individual and social responsibility, infrastructure deficiencies, negligence, failure to enforce the law, and deflection' have led to the failure of responsible authorities in reducing accidents in Iran despite considerable efforts. The Health Minister considered 'many of these pains to be the result of strict and uncompromising law enforcement' and urged the judiciary to 'hold anyone accountable anywhere who shirks responsibility.'