The Importance and Effectiveness of Financial Support for Small Enterprises within the Framework of Law no.6331

Small and Medium Enterprises forms 99.77% of all enterprises in Turkey and 78% of the workers are employed in these workplaces. While Small and Medium Enterprises contributing to economic and social life in a positive way, they have problems especially about finacial situation, the technology used, the quality of labour and working conditions. One of the other problems related to these workplaces is occupational health and safety, 75% of the accidents at work occur in these workplaces according to the 2012 statistics. In addition to the structural problems in these workplaces, inadequacies of the occupational health and safety legislation are effective in the emergence of this situation. With the Occupational Health and Safety Law, all the workplaces were compelled to employ health and safety professionals. This situation brought financial burdens for especially small businesses. Law No. 6331, made a favorable regulation and contribution to small businesses for reducing the cost of employment of occupational health and safety professionals. However, it was observed that aforementioned financial support for small businesses was not beneficial since the coming into force of the Law. The main reasons of this situation are lack of knowledge of the parties’ involved, insufficient institutional infrastructure and also lack of support provided.