OIC meeting begins in Ankara

OIC member states 2nd Occupational Safety and Health Network training meeting began in Ankara Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states Second Occupational Safety and Health Network (OSHNET) training meeting began in Turkish capital Ankara with attendance of delegations from 18 countries. Delegations of OIC member states are to review the progress of the actions and activities accomplished since the first meeting held in Ankara, on May 16-17, 2011 and discuss the modalities of closer collaboration during the second training meeting. "Turkey has conducted very significant changes and transformations in the last decade," told Ministry of Labor and Social Security Undersecretary Fatih Acar in the opening speech of the meeting. Acar underlined that the aim of the meeting was to have member states of the OIC meet in the common ground on the issues of occupational health and safety. "We are members of a religion which says 'whoever saves a life saves all humanity'. Collaborating for occupational accidents and diseases to prevent the deaths and human resource loss is a religious and an economic must," told Acar in his speech. Acar stressed that a concrete action plan should come out and said, "Let's not delay it any more and agree on a plan." "As much as in other sectors, Turkey has progressed very well in labor safety," told Khalifa Ismael, director general of Health Services from Brunei Ministry of Health. Ismael stated that Brunei had implemented its workplace health and safety pact in 2009 and said, "We would like to collaborate, study and exchange our experiences with Turkey in occupational health and safety by means of this meeting." OIC Member States 2nd OSHNET training meeting will end at 6th of March.