@article{ref1,
title="Occupational fatalities among coal mine workers in Zonguldak, Turkey, 1994-2003",
journal="Occupational medicine",
year="2006",
author="Kucuker, Hudaverdi",
volume="56",
number="2",
pages="144-146",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Fatal underground coal mine injuries are a worldwide problem. Zonguldak holds 95% of all Turkey's coal reserves. AIM: To investigate fatalities in the underground coal-mining industry in the Zonguldak province. METHODS: Retrospective study of fatal underground coal-mining accidents from 1994 to 2003 through evaluation of industry records. RESULTS: There were 164 deaths available for analysis. The median age was 36 years (range: 14-56 years). Eighty-one fatalities (49%) were due to subsidence, 33 (20%) were due to underground railway accidents and 18 (11%) were due to gas poisoning. Asphyxia was the most common cause of death (99, 60%). The majority of fatalities (144, 87%) occurred instantaneously at the scene of the incident. The remainder (20, 13%) occurred on the way to the hospital or in the emergency room or the intensive care unit. CONCLUSION: The underground coal-mining industry in Turkey requires strategies to improve safety and reduce the number of fatalities occurring. These strategies should focus on improved underground safety through engineering measures.",
language="",
issn="0962-7480",
doi="10.1093/occmed/kqj023",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqj023"
}