Occupational health and safety that is implemented in disasters has an important place due to the complexity of the process. Especially in our country, the risks and loss of life and property caused by earthquakes and natural disasters can be minimized by cautionary measures taken beforehand. Learning basic knowledge and concepts related to this subject will play an active role in preventing the hazards and risks that will occur in the events of disaster.

Unfortunately, many of our cities in our country are under the threat of great risks posed by disasters, notably earthquakes and fires. Indeed, the disaster of the century we suffered on February 6 shows that the loss and damage that has emerged is enormous. For this reason, people should be informed about what should be done during and after a disaster. In addition, the means to be used and the materials, tools and equipment to be utilised in rescue activities should be readily available. We had gone through this experience together in the earthquakes of February 6 and after.

The concept of "Occupational Health" offer services in the same field with the title of "Occupational Health and Safety" in our country. Of course, all studies and researches are for health, medical and technical studies are required under all conditions, but primarily in emergencies, in order to fulfill the definition of occupational health,  and these studies are legally regulated. As it is known, the "Regulation on Emergency Situations in the Workplaces", which was published in the Official Gazette on 18 June 2013, was issued. The objective of this regulation is to regulate the procedures and principles regarding the preparation of emergency plans in the workplaces, the work to be done on prevention, protection, evacuation, fire fighting, first aid and similar issues, and the safe management of these situations and the identification of the employees to be assigned in these matters. However, risk assessment, mitigation, and preparation stages of risk management, which is the first phase of disaster management, is regulated by the relevant regulations of the Occupational Health and Safety Law No. 6331. It is necessary for the implementation of disaster management that these two legal regulations should be implemented together. The conclusion arrived is that the safe continuation of social and working life, the perpetuation of the country's development and the establishment of occupational health and safety are only possible through the implementation of a good disaster management plan.

For this reason, the subject of the congress will be “Occupational Health and Safety Practices in Health

Institutions During Disasters and Their Effects on Health Workers”

 The Congress will strive to create a platform where methods and innovations that ensure occupational health and safety in health institutions will be discussed. In the congress, the participants will discuss the basic concepts of disaster and occupational health and safety, and will have the chance to discourse about the earthquake hazard situation, disaster types, the stages of the disaster management system and the problems to be encountered in practice, occupational health and safety practices which we have not been very successful in, especially as seen in the natural disaster we experienced very recently, and the health and safety practices of this situation. The participants will have the opportunity to discuss the physical and psychosocial effects of this situation on healthcare workers and the lessons learned. In addition, they will have the opportunity to listen to conferences on the latest developments on the subject, and they will have the opportunity to increase their knowledge and experience in a wide range of ways, with posts shared by experts in the field, oral and poster presentations of you scientists on the subject, in the form of workshops.

During the congress, it will be discussed what should be done in disaster and emergency situations in order to ensure a safe working environment, all legal processes related to business life will be addressed, and the relationship of regulations with disasters and emergencies will be emphasized. In addition, the participants will discuss how to execute risk management and crisis management in disasters and emergencies and how to survive through the light of what we have learned in the last earthquake disaster, and they will have the opportunity to discuss with experts on what to do in disasters and emergencies that can be encountered in daily life.

As congress chairs, we are looking forward to meeting each of you and working with you throughout this congress with great enthusiasm and interest. We will be honored to see you among us.