Free occupational safety trainings from DOLE

HAPPY WEEKEND

Gina P. Dizon

BAGUIO CITY-   The occupational safety and health standards law or Republic Act 11058 requires “all safety and health personnel to undergo training on basic occupational safety and health for safety officers as prescribed by the Dept. of Labor and Employment.

DOLE Regional Director Exequiel  Ronie Guzman said training for Safety Officer 1 is provided at free cost by the DOLE.

“DOLE does not collect fees for an honorarium of a DOLE personnel who acts as the resource person during the training”, Guzman said. Expenses such as meals however shall be provided by the entity who calls for the conduct of the training.”  

RA 11058 provides that a safety officer is required who shall ensure the safety of a workplace  referring to “all establishments, projects, sites, including Philippine Economic Zone Authority establishments, and all other places where work is being undertaken in all branches of economic activity, except in the public sector”.

The law provides the mandatory workers’ OSH seminar may be conducted by the safety officer of the establishment or any certified OSH practitioner or consultant.

Occupational health and safety trainings for construction companies are provided by accredited private training organizations duly certified by the Occupational Health and Safety Committee, Guzman said.

Guzman said participants’ certificates are signed by him if the training is duly conducted and by an accredited

 training organization.  

Under the law, all workers shall undergo the mandatory eight hours safety and health orientation course as required by DOLE jointly participated by workers and employers under standardized training module.

The Labor Secretary is mandated to issue “the appropriate standards of occupational safety and health based on the number of employees, nature of operations, and the risk or hazard involved.”

Signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on August 17, RA 11058 mandates strict compliance of employers to workplace safety standards.

With labor as a primary social and economic force, safe and healthy workforce is an integral aspect of nation building, RA 11058 ensures a safe and healthful workplace for all working people, full protection against all hazards.

Provisions of the Labor Code of the Philippines, all laws, and internationally-recognized standards on OSH are being fully enforced and complied with to protect every worker against injury, sickness or death  and strict but dynamic, inclusive, and gender sensitive measures.

The law provides that every employer, contractor or subcontractor, if any, and any person who manages, controls, or supervises the work being undertaken shall furnish the workers a place of employment free from hazardous conditions that are causing or are likely to cause death, illness, or physical harm to the workers;  give complete job safety instructions to all the workers, especially to those entering the job for the first time, including those relating to familiarization with their work environment; inform the workers of the hazards associated with their work, health risks involved or to which they are exposed to, preventive measures to eliminate or minimize the risks, and steps to be taken in case of emergency.

RA 11058 provides that “willful failure or refusal or gross negligence of an employer, contractor or subcontractor, to comply with the required OSH standards or with a compliance order issued by the Secretary of Labor and Employment or by the Secretary’s authorized representative shall make such employer, contractor or subcontractor, liable for an administrative fine not exceeding P100,000.00 per day until the violation is corrected, counted from the date the employer or contractor is notified of the violation or the date the compliance order is duly served on the employer. The maximum amount shall be imposed with violations with a risk of death, serious injury or serious illness.”

Administrative penalty includes repeated obstruction, delay or refusal to provide DOLE access to the covered workplace, or refusal to allow access to relevant records and documents or obstruct the conduct of investigation of any fact necessary in determining compliance with OSH standards; misrepresentation in relation to adherence to OSH standards, knowing such statement, report or record submitted to DOLE to be false in any material aspect; or making retaliatory measures such as termination of employment, refusal to pay, reducing wages and benefits or in any manner discriminates against any worker who has given information relative to the inspection being conducted.

            Under RA 11058, the DOLE is mandated to institute a mechanism for coordination to all government agencies including local government units to regularly convene to monitor the effective implementation of RA 11058  as well as related programs and projects that are established to prevent and eliminate the incidence of injury, sickness or death in all workplaces.