This paper examines the transformation of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) governance driven by digitalization, labor mobility, and the expansion of non-standard employment. It argues that OHS has evolved from a narrow regulatory function into a core pillar of sustainable development and public health resilience. While the European Union has embedded OHS as a fundamental social right, many developing economies remain trapped in a “cycle of neglect,” marked by weak regulatory capacity and high rates of workplace accidents. The study underscores the limitations of traditional commandand- control enforcement in fragmented labor markets shaped by platform work, subcontracting, and informal or bogus self-employment. These arrangements diffuse accountability and disproportionately expose vulnerable groups, particularly migrants and women, to occupational risks. The Pressures–Disorganization– Regulatory Failure (PDR) model is used to explain how such structural conditions contribute to adverse physical and mental health outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic is identified as a catalyst for closer integration between OHS and public health surveillance, especially in dense urban settings. In response, emerging paradigms such as OSH 5.0 promote a human-centered, digitally enabled governance approach aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and based on quadruple-helix collaboration among the state, industry, academia, and civil society. The paper concludes by proposing a strategic roadmap for Turkey, addressing the coexistence of advanced digital OHS systems and a large informal economy. Key recommendations include legal protections for migrant reporting, guidanceoriented inspections for SMEs, and the integration of health security indicators into Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans.
This paper examines the transformation of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) governance driven by digitalization, labor mobility, and the expansion of non-standard employment. It argues that OHS has evolved from a narrow regulatory function into a core pillar of sustainable development and public health resilience. While the European Union has embedded OHS as a fundamental social right, many developing economies remain trapped in a “cycle of neglect,” marked by weak regulatory capacity and high rates of workplace accidents. The study underscores the limitations of traditional commandand- control enforcement in fragmented labor markets shaped by platform work, subcontracting, and informal or bogus self-employment. These arrangements diffuse accountability and disproportionately expose vulnerable groups, particularly migrants and women, to occupational risks. The Pressures–Disorganization– Regulatory Failure (PDR) model is used to explain how such structural conditions contribute to adverse physical and mental health outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic is identified as a catalyst for closer integration between OHS and public health surveillance, especially in dense urban settings. In response, emerging paradigms such as OSH 5.0 promote a human-centered, digitally enabled governance approach aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and based on quadruple-helix collaboration among the state, industry, academia, and civil society. The paper concludes by proposing a strategic roadmap for Turkey, addressing the coexistence of advanced digital OHS systems and a large informal economy. Key recommendations include legal protections for migrant reporting, guidanceoriented inspections for SMEs, and the integration of health security indicators into Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans.
This paper examines the transformation of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) governance driven by digitalization, labor mobility, and the expansion of non-standard employment. It argues that OHS has evolved from a narrow regulatory function into a core pillar of sustainable development and public health resilience. While the European Union has embedded OHS as a fundamental social right, many developing economies remain trapped in a “cycle of neglect,” marked by weak regulatory capacity and high rates of workplace accidents. The study underscores the limitations of traditional commandand- control enforcement in fragmented labor markets shaped by platform work, subcontracting, and informal or bogus self-employment. These arrangements diffuse accountability and disproportionately expose vulnerable groups, particularly migrants and women, to occupational risks. The Pressures–Disorganization– Regulatory Failure (PDR) model is used to explain how such structural conditions contribute to adverse physical and mental health outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic is identified as a catalyst for closer integration between OHS and public health surveillance, especially in dense urban settings. In response, emerging paradigms such as OSH 5.0 promote a human-centered, digitally enabled governance approach aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and based on quadruple-helix collaboration among the state, industry, academia, and civil society. The paper concludes by proposing a strategic roadmap for Turkey, addressing the coexistence of advanced digital OHS systems and a large informal economy. Key recommendations include legal protections for migrant reporting, guidanceoriented inspections for SMEs, and the integration of health security indicators into Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans.
