“Safety Patrol begins today” – DOLE-OSHC
“We were given marching orders by Labor Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis Baldoz to commence the Safety Patrol operations once again, this time in Valenzuela today”, said Occupational Safety and Health (OSHC) Executive Director Ma. Teresita S. Cucueco, MD, CESO III.
Engineers from the OSHC – Alex Sacabon, Lawrence Blas, Christian Jaguit, Dennis Aquino and Raymark Fernando will join the Task Force Valenzuela along with representatives from the DOLE-NCR, Bureau of Working Conditions. Representatives from the Nagkaisa! Labor Coalition and NAPC-Formal Labor Sector will join as observes and they may raise questio0ns and issues during the conduct of the assessments.
Akin to the Safety Patrol which first operated in 2012, the Task Force Valenzuela will conduct unannounced inspections in the almost 1,700 establishments in Valenzuela City. The assessment will cover compliance with the requirements of building occupancy and business permiots, DOLE Department Order 18-A on subcontracting, and the Occupational Safety and Health Standards.
“We are advocating compliance to the core OSH standards such as the registration of establishments at the DOLE Regional Office (Rule 1020), employment of a sufficient number of trained safety officers (Rule 1030), establishment of a functioning safety and health committee (Rule 1040), proper reporting and record keeping of accidents and illnesses (Rule 1050), employment of occupational health personnel and provision of occupational health services (Rule 1060), and provision of sufficient and appropriate personal protective equipment (Rule 1080). We want companies to understand that compliance to the standards must be taken seriously,” added Cucueco.
The said provisions were also the ones found to be violated by most of the construction sites inspected by the Safety Patrol in 2012 wherein 112 construction projects were assesses in NCR, Region 3, Region IV-A, Region 7, and Region 11.
This time, the Task Force Valenzuela will be inspecting all establishments including those in the manufacturing, sales, and other industries. A terminal report of all the assessments in Valenzuela will be submitted by July 2015.
END/DJ Romero
Any question on this release? Please contact Ma. Teresita S. Cucueco, MD, CESO III, Executive director, Occupational Safety and Health Center, North Avenue corner Agham Road, Diliman, Quezon City with telephone numbers 929-6036 to 39 and e-mail address:oshc_dole@yahoo.com
