Why labor safety compliance matters for Uzbek investors building in Türkiye
Uzbek investors and contractors entering Türkiye's construction sector, whether through joint ventures, direct project delivery, or supply agreements with Turkish general contractors, quickly encounter a regulatory layer that differs meaningfully from practices in Tashkent or Samarkand: occupational health and safety (OHS) law. Türkiye's Occupational Health and Safety Law No. 6331 sets obligations that apply to every construction site regardless of the nationality of the investor or the size of the project, and non-compliance carries financial, contractual, and reputational consequences that are easy to underestimate before ground is broken.
The regulatory framework
Law No. 6331 classifies construction among Türkiye's "very hazardous" work categories, which triggers stricter requirements than apply to most other sectors. Every site above a defined threshold must retain a certified OHS specialist and, on larger or more complex projects, a full-time workplace physician. Risk assessments are not a one-time documentation exercise: they must be updated as site conditions change, and inspectors from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security can request them without prior notice. For an Uzbek investor accustomed to a lighter-touch inspection regime, the frequency and seriousness of Turkish site inspections is often the first practical surprise.
Employer liability : Under Turkish law, the employer bears primary responsibility for site safety even where subcontractors are engaged. This matters directly for Uzbek firms structuring joint ventures with Turkish partners, since liability does not automatically transfer with subcontracted scope. Contracts should specify which party carries OHS responsibility for each work package, and that allocation should be reflected in actual site practice, not just paper.
Worker documentation and foreign labor
Projects that bring Uzbek skilled labor or supervisory staff to Türkiye must navigate both work permit requirements and site-level registration obligations. Every worker on a Turkish construction site needs to be formally registered with the Social Security Institution (SGK) before starting work, with safety training records kept on file. Foreign workers require valid work permits tied to the specific employer and project, and informal arrangements, common in some regional markets, are not tolerated by Turkish labor inspectors and can result in project stoppages, not just fines.
Insurance and financial exposure
Turkish law requires occupational accident insurance coverage, and beyond the statutory minimums, most institutional lenders and international project sponsors now expect contractor's all-risk (CAR) policies with OHS compliance riders. Investors should confirm early in the procurement process whether their Turkish contractor's insurance program actually matches project scale, since underinsured sites are a recurring source of dispute when accidents occur. Legal costs and business interruption following a serious site incident routinely exceed the cost of proper compliance by a wide margin, a calculation worth making before contracts are signed rather than after an inspection.
Practical due diligence steps
Before committing capital or signing a construction contract in Türkiye, Uzbek investors should verify that:
- The general contractor holds a current OHS management plan specific to the project, not a generic template. - A certified OHS specialist and, where required, workplace physician are named and contracted, not merely listed as available. - SGK registration procedures for both Turkish and foreign labor are built into the mobilization schedule. - Insurance coverage, including CAR and third-party liability, is confirmed in writing and matches project risk profile. - Subcontractor agreements clearly allocate OHS responsibility and include audit rights for the investor.
Working with local advisory support
Because OHS enforcement in Türkiye is administered through both national law and local labor directorate practice, on-the-ground verification tends to be more reliable than relying solely on contractor representations. Independent due diligence, ideally conducted before financial close, gives Uzbek investors a clearer picture of actual compliance posture rather than documentation prepared for the transaction. Given the financial and reputational stakes of a serious site incident, this is an area where the cost of verification is modest relative to the exposure it addresses.