Introduction Republic of Turkey Social Security Institution (SSI) is the institution responsible for statistics of occupational diseases in Turkey by law. We aimed to evaluate proportion of pneumoconiosis in occupational diseases and occupational pulmonary diseases in annual statistics reports of SSI.

Methods Annual statistics reports published between 2006–2015 by SSI were evaluated. Diagnoses classified as pneumoconiosis in reports published before 2013 were coal worker’s pneumoconiosis, asbestos or other mineral fibre induced pneumoconiosis, talcosis, silicosis, aluminosis, boxide fibrosis, beriliosis, graphite fibrosis, siderosis, stannosis, and other unclassified pneumoconiosis. Diagnoses classified as pneumoconiosis in reports published starting from 2013 were silicosis and silicotuberculosis, asbestosis, silicatosis, siderosis, and pneumoconiosis induced by hard metal dusts, aluminium, and its compounds.

Result Total numbers of cases with occupational diseases varied between 351 and 1208 in annual reports of SSI. Most frequent occupational diseases were pneumoconiosis and diseases induced by lead and its dusts. When occupational diseases listed according to the frequency, rank of pneumoconiosis was 1 or 2 in all of the evaluated years. Total numbers of cases with pneumoconiosis varied between 68–1010. Percentage of pneumoconiosis in all cases with occupational diseases and in cases with occupational pulmonary diseases varied between 19.3%–83.6% and 80.2%–99.3% respectively.

Discussion Despite low total numbers of occupational diseases in the annual SSI statistics, pneumoconiosis constitutes the major proportion of occupational diseases in Turkey. This could be a result of directive about dust induced diseases which defines periodical health surveillance for workers with high-risk occupations. Proper application of initial assessment of fitness and health surveillance for workers with current or prior history of risk of pneumoconiosis may increase diagnoses.