Basic Occupational

Safety and Health (BOSH)

Unit 5:
Responses to OSH Issues/Concerns

Adapted from:

Basic Occupational Safety and Health Training

Occupational Safety and Health Center
Department of Labor and Employment
Republic of the Philippines
 Unit 5 – Responses to OSH Issues / Concerns
Module 13: Safety and Health Inspection

After knowing all the hazards and possible negative consequences of these hazards,
you will now learn how to perform safety and health inspection and determine how to
eliminate the conditions that may cause harm to your workers and the workplace. As
we have often heard, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

Safety and health inspection is a potent tool in identifying workplace hazards even
before they cause accidents or illnesses. You are in the best position to use this tool.
The Inspection Cycle together with the Checklist represents a clear and structured
roadmap for you to follow and enrich your workplace improvement efforts.

This module aims to discuss the value and key elements of safety inspection as a
reliable approach to identifying and eliminating conditions that contribute to illness,
accident or environmental damage in the workplace.

Some OSH officers may ask: What is the difference between safety inspection and
safety audit? Safety audit is a comprehensive evaluation of the general working
conditions of the organization while safety inspection is the identification of hazards in
a certain area or equipment within the organization in order to improve its working
condition.

Objectives

Working on this module should help you to

• define safety inspection items and conditions
• determine areas needing safety inspection
• articulate the importance of inspection to the OSH programs as a whole
• identify personnel who are best capable to conduct safety inspection
• enumerate the roles of personnel in the conduct of safety inspection
• practice using relevant inspection tools

Views on safety and health inspection

Let us start with a quick assessment of your views on the subject matter by providing
your responses to the items in this activity. This activity is meant to have the same
frame of mind for you and your peers on the value of safety and health inspection as a
tool to effectively assess status of workplace OSH programs and prioritize corrective
or improvement actions.

The positive views that can be gathered in this exercise can help you appreciate
inspection better, giving you the confidence to use the tool as among your hazard
identification and corrective action determination instruments. The negative views

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will spell the pitfalls that safety inspectors need to avoid in the performance of their
functions.

What is safety and health inspection?

Safety inspection is a tool in the prevention

of accident to locate and report existing and
potential unsafe conditions that, if left
uncontrolled, have the capacity to cause
accident in the workplace. Safety and Health
Inspection is a central part of most safety,
health and environmental protection
programs and that it provides a reliable way
for identifying and eliminating conditions
that could contribute to accidents, illnesses
or environmental damages.

What are the requirements of Effective Safety and Health Inspection Programs?

• Sound knowledge of the facility

• Knowledge of relevant standards, regulations and codes
• Systematic inspection steps
• Method of reporting, evaluating and using the data

Sound knowledge of the facility

It is the familiarity with the facilities of the establishment is an effective tool in

determining what are the things to be inspected and how often these things be
inspected.

Knowledge of relevant standards, regulations and codes

The reference of all safety and health rules and regulations of the company should
always be the established local legislations and codes. These standard regulations will
be our guide in assessing whether our workplace is safe or not.

Systematic Inspection system

In occupational safety and health time is very important. An established inspection

system will facilitate inspection activities and will allow the designated safety
inspector to improve the workplace based on identified hazards as early as possible.

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Method of reporting, evaluating and using the data

Evaluation of effectiveness of the program is a must to determine whether a program

is a success or a failure. Inspection should be documented. Reports prepared and
submitted and other safety and health data are vital in evaluating the program.

An effective program begins with analysis, planning

and with consider the following:

 What is the purpose of inspection?

 Who will conduct the inspection
 How often must items be inspected?
 What aspects of each item need to be examined?
 What conditions need to be inspected?

What are the components of the Safety and Health Inspection Cycle?

Person-In-Charge

Improvement of Objectives of
Workplaces Inspection

Implementation of Duration, Timing of

Inspection Inspection

Inspection Criteria
Checklist

The primary purpose of inspection is to detect potential hazards so that these

can be corrected before an accident occurs. Inspection should be conducted in
an organization to locate and report existing and potential unsafe conditions or
activities. It is important that every potential hazard found in workplaces must
be corrected to ensure no one will be injured, no one will be exposed to any
diseases and workers’ working environment will not be contaminated by
hazardous chemicals emitted from the process.

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Who will conduct the safety and health inspection?

Safety Professionals

Clearly, the safety professionals (like the participants in this course) should
spearhead the inspection activity. During both individual and group
inspections, the professional can educate others in inspection techniques and
hazard identification by using on-the-spot examples and firsthand contact.

Company or Facility Management

Management demonstrates its commitment to maintain a safe working

environment. But the psychological effect of inspection by senior executives
goes beyond merely showing an interest in safety. When employees know
that the management is coming to inspect their area, conditions that seemed
“good enough” suddenly appear unsatisfactory and are quickly corrected.

First-line Supervisors or Foremen

Supervisors and foremen spend practically all their time in the shop or facility,
they are continually monitoring the workplace. At least once a day,
supervisors need to check their areas to see that:
• employees are complying with safety regulations,
• guards and warning signs are in place,
• tools and machinery are in a safe condition,
• aisles and passageways are clear and proper clearances maintained, and
• materials in process are properly stacked or stored

Employees

Employee participation in continuous inspection is one goal of an effective

hazard control program. Before beginning the workday, the employee should
inspect the workplace and any tools, equipment and machinery that will be
used. Any defects the employee is not authorized to correct should be
reported immediately to the supervisor.

Maintenance Personnel

Maintenance employees can be of great help in locating and correcting

hazards. As they work, they can conduct informal inspections and report
hazards to the supervisor, who in turn should encourage the mechanics to
offer suggestions.

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 Joint Safety and Health Committees

Joint safety and health committees conduct inspections as part of their

function. They give equal consideration to accident, fire, and health
exposures. By periodically visiting areas, members may notice changed
conditions more readily than someone who is there every day. Another
advantage provided by the committee is the members’ various backgrounds,
experience and knowledge are represented.

What are the qualifications of a good inspector?

 Knowledge of the organization’s accident

experience
 Familiarity with accident potentials and with the
standards that apply to his/her area
 Ability to make intelligent decisions for corrective
action
 Diplomacy in handling personnel and situations
 Knowledge of the organization’s operations – its
workflow, systems and products

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 Particular attention should be paid to the parts of an item most likely to
become a serious hazard to health and safety. These parts often develop
problems because of stress, wear, impact, vibration, heat, corrosion, chemical
reaction and misuse. Items such as safety devices, guards, controls, work or
wear point components, electrical and mechanical components and fire
hazards tend to become unsafe first. For particular machine, critical parts
would include the point of operation, moving parts and accessories.

What are planned and unplanned inspections?

Unplanned inspection or continuous, on-going

inspection – is conducted by employees,
supervisors, and maintenance personnel as
part of their job responsibilities

Planned inspection – a “real safety &

health inspection”. It is deliberate,
thorough, and systematic by design.

 Periodic Inspection

 Intermittent Inspection

 General Inspection

Periodic inspections – include those inspections at regular intervals. They can

target the entire facility, a specific area, a specific operation or a specific type
of equipment. Management can plan this inspection weekly, monthly, semi-
annually, annually or at other suitable intervals. Items such as safety guard
mountings, scaffolds, elevator wire ropes (cables), two-hand controls, fire
extinguishers and other items relied on for safety require frequent inspection.
The more serious the potential for injury or damage might be, the more often
the item should be inspected.

Intermittent inspections – are those made at irregular intervals. Sometimes

the need for an inspection is indicated by accident tabulations and analysis. If
a particular department or location shows an unusual number of accidents or if
certain types of injuries occur with greater frequency, the supervisor or
manager should call for an inspection. When construction or remodeling is
going on within or around a facility, an unscheduled inspection may be needed
to find and correct unsafe conditions before an accident occurs. The same is
true when a department installs new equipment, institutes new processes or
modifies old ones.
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 General inspection – is planned and covers places not inspected periodically.
This includes those areas no one ever visits and where people rarely get hurt,
such as parking lots, sidewalks, fencing and similar outlying regions. Many out-
of-the-way hazards are located overhead, where they are difficult to spot.
Overhead inspections frequently disclose the need for repairs to skylights,
windows, cranes, roofs and other installations affecting the safety of both the
employees and the physical facility. Overhead devices can require adjustment,
cleaning, oiling and repairing. They should look for loose tools, bolts, pipelines,
shafting and pieces of lumber, windows, electrical fixtures, and other objects
that can fall from building structures, cranes, roofs and similar overhead
locations.

What are the factors that determine the frequency of your inspection?

•What is the loss severity potential of the problem? The

more severe the loss potential, the more often the item
should be inspected.

•What is the potential for injury to employees? The greater

the probability for injury to employees, the more often the
item should be inspected.

•How quickly can the item or part become unsafe? It

depends on the nature of the part and the conditions to
which it is subjected.

•What is the history of failures? Maintenance and

production records, and accident investigation reports can
provide valuable information on this.

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What are your preparations in the conduct of inspection?

In preparing for inspection, some of the

general considerations are as follows:

 Must not interrupt normal operations

 Must consider a review of all accidents
 Must include a review of previous
inspection report
 Must show awareness of any potential
hazard
 Must check on wearing of Personal
Protective Equipment by inspection
personnel
 Must have a clearly formulated checklist

Before conducting an inspection, you or the inspector/ inspection team should

review all accidents that have occurred in the area. At this brief meeting, team
members should discuss where they are going and what they will be looking
for. During the inspection, before going into noisy areas, the team will need to
discuss what they wish to accomplish in order to avoid arm waving, shouting
and other unsatisfactory methods of communication.

What are the inspector’s tools?

As safety inspector, you should also be aware of any special hazards you may
encounter. For example, because welding crews and other maintenance crews
move from place to place, they may be encountered anywhere in the facility.
Inspectors should know what precautions are required where these crews are
working.

Inspection Tools

You should have the proper tools ready before the inspection to make the
process more efficient and to gather more precise data. Common tools
include:
• clipboards
• inspection forms
• pens/pencils
• lock-out/tag-out supplies
• measuring tape/ruler
• flashlight

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 Depending on the inspection area or type, the following equipment may also
be useful:
• cameras
• tape recorder
• electrical testing equipment
• sampling devices (air, noise, light, temperature)
• sample containers
• calipers, micrometers, feeler gauges
• special personal protective equipment
• stop watch

How do you implement and monitor corrective actions?

 Correct the cause whenever possible. If all the resources needed to

correct the cause are already available, improve the working condition.

 Immediately correct everything possible. All possible causes of accident

should be corrected at once to prevent their recurrence. This will
definitely be done if all measures are in place

 Report conditions beyond one’s authority and suggest solutions. Safety

is everybody’s job. Anyone should be involved in the prevention of
accident. If you identify hazards in your place of work, report them at
once to your supervisor. Give recommendation to correct the situation.

 Take intermediate action as needed. Time is an essence as far as safety

is concern. If unsafe condition was identified and corrective measure is at
hand, improve it at once.

Management must realize that employees are keenly interested in the

attention paid to correcting faulty conditions and hazardous procedures.
Recommendations approved and supported by management should become
part of the organization’s philosophy and program. At regular intervals,
supervisors should report progress in complying with the recommendations to
the safety department, the company safety and health committee, or the
person designated by management to receive such information. Inspectors
should periodically check to see what progress toward corrective actions is
being made. Unsafe conditions left uncorrected indicate a breakdown in
management communications and program application.

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 Sometimes management will have to decide among several courses of action.
Often these decisions will be based on cost effectiveness. For example, it may
be cost-effective as well as practical to substitute a less toxic material that
works as well to the highly toxic substance presently in use. On the other
hand, replacing a costly but hazardous machine may have to wait until funds
can be allocated. In this case, the immediate alternative taken or proposed
must be communicated to all persons involved.

Conclusion

Safety and health inspection is everybody’s responsibility for it is an effective tool in

identifying workplace hazard and help to sustain the program instituted by the safety
and health committee in a workplace. Continuous application of such tool will not
only eliminate accidents or illnesses, but will also encourage active participation of
worker to follow standard procedure as required by their job.

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 Unit 5 – Responses to OSH Issues / Concerns
Module 14: Accident Investigation

After the efforts on prevention, and should there be a chance that hazards lead to
accidents or injuries, a sound accident investigation needs to be conducted. This
module aims to introduce you to the basic principles of accident investigation as a tool
in preventing the recurrence of accidents, which is the number one objective of any
workplace accident investigation. As OSH officers, you must understand the basic
approaches in accident investigation.

Investigation of accidents is an important element of the safety and health program

that we should establish and implement. All aspects of our daily work operation
involve a degree of risk so that some events or actions may not be as safe as we want
it to be. These accidents are caused by many contributing factors which make them
complicated. Analysis of these accidents through a thorough accident investigation
will definitely identify causes and eventually lead to the prevention of its recurrence,
or future accidents.

As a matter of safety and health policy, all accidents must be reported and
investigated as soon as possible. Everyone in the workplace should be able to adhere
to this, in order to have concerted efforts in accident and injuries prevention. The
investigation is just the first step, follow-up on the implementation of
recommendations should be made. Accident investigation is one of the most
important responsibilities of the OSH officer. And remember, accident investigation is
really complete only when accidents are eliminated.

Objectives

Working on this module should help you to

• discuss the importance of accident investigation
• explain the basic procedure in the conduct of accident investigation
• enumerate the types of accidents to be reported
• document and make recommendations based on the investigation

Views on accident investigation

Let us start with a quick assessment of your views on the subject matter by providing
your responses to the items in this activity. This activity is meant to have the same
frame of mind for you and your peers on the value of accident investigation as a tool
to effectively prevent the recurrence of accidents in the workplace.

The positive views that can be gathered in this exercise can help you appreciate
accident investigation better, giving you the confidence to use the tool as among your
hazard identification and corrective action monitoring instruments.
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Activity 1

 Think about it:

 What types of accidents happen in your company (if you’re not yet employed,
think about your usual surroundings)?

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

 Do these accidents occur repeatedly?

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

 Are accidents reported? State reasons for action taken

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

 What actions did your company take in order to prevent the recurrence of
similar accidents in the future?

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

 Are accident investigations conducted in your company?

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

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An accident is an unplanned and unexpected occurrence that may result to injury or
death to a person and/or damage to properties. The causes of accidents could actually
be divided into two (2) categories: unsafe conditions and unsafe acts. Unsafe acts are
anything related to employee activities - horseplay, disregarding safety rules, failing to
wear PPE, lifting improperly, etc. Any cause of accidents related to the physical
environments is considered an unsafe condition. Examples are slippery floors caused
by leaking drum of oil, faulty electrical installation, unguarded moving parts of the
machine, poorly lighted working environment, etc.

Now let us try to understand the basic principle of accident prevention. Our basic
concern on occupational safety and health is on the safety of the worker against
accident and injury and health of a person against illnesses and diseases. In order for
workers to be safe, we have to prevent or minimize direct contact. On the other
hand, in order to be healthy in the workplace, we have to prevent or minimize their
exposure to environmental hazards.

What is accident investigation?

ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
• A methodological effort to collect and
interpret the facts of accident
• An inquiry as to how and why the accident
occurred in order to explore actions that
should be taken to prevent or minimize
recurrence of the accident

Earlier, it has been mentioned that a policy is needed in order that all incidents be
reported so the appropriate investigation can be performed. A thorough policy would
require reporting the following types of accidents;
• Fatal
• Injury
• Disease
• Dangerous occurrence
• Near-miss

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Fatal - The Occupational Safety and Health Standards being implemented by DOLE
require that accidents resulting in death should be reported to DOLE Regional Office
within twenty four (24) hours after occurrence using the fastest available means of
communication, and within forty eight (48) hours upon receipt of the initial report, be
investigated.

Injury - Any injury that causes minor or first-aid treatment to serious, to

permanently/totally incapacitate workers should be reported.

Disease - All work-related diseases/illnesses due to exposure to unsafe working

environment should also be reported.

Dangerous occurrences - Any dangerous occurrences which may or may not cause
serious bodily harm to workers, or seriously damage the premises of employment
should be investigated and reported by the employer to DOLE Regional Office. These
include fire, explosion of boiler and pressure vessels, collapse of equipment or
structures, etc.

Near miss - Near miss in an incident where no injury or property damage has occurred
but where a slight difference in position or timing could mean the occurrence of
damage or injury.

Why do you perform accident investigation?

PURPOSE OF ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

• To establish all facts

• To draw conclusion
• To make recommendations
• To prevent recurrence

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What are the basic steps in accident investigation?

Steps in accident investigation

Accident 1. Control the Scene

3. Analyze Data 2. Gather Information

4. Write
Report

Manage the accident scene

The first step in any accident investigation is for you to manage the accident
scene through the following;

• Treat the injured

• Control the remaining hazards
• Isolate the site to protect people
• Preserve the evidence

Treat the injured. Investigator should be very sure that steps have been taken
to ensure prompt and effective rescue of an injured. Planning should address
the provision for quick first-aid treatment for the victims.

Control the remaining hazards. Immediate or temporary actions should be

taken to control the risk of any further injury or damage. There should be an
established procedure for the stoppage of any additional work to prevent
possible occurrence of another or similar accident.

Isolate the site to protect people. In many cases, the accident scene is a
dangerous place. The accident may have damaged electrical equipment,
weakened structural supports or may have released radioactive or toxic
materials. Isolating or barricading the accident scene must be particularly
implemented to prevent the entry of workers.

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 Preserve the evidence. Immediate action should be made for the protection
of evidence. Physical evidences are so important for the success of every
accident investigation. Each investigation should be conducted as soon as
possible after the accident. A delay of only a few hours may permit these
important evidences to be destroyed or removed intentionally or
unintentionally. Preservation techniques include photographs, sketches,
maps, notes and witness statements. Depending upon the nature of the
accident, preservation of evidence may also require additional action to ensure
its security.

What or who are your sources of information?

Sources of Information

• time and location

• environment
• physical evidence
• witnesses
• existing records

Time and location. This is the time of the day and place where the accident
happened. More or less you can get an idea of possible causes of the incident if
you know whether it happened in the morning, afternoon or evening. Likewise,
you can also identify causes if you have the idea of where the accident
happened.

Environment. The evaluation of the environment will provide information

regarding the causes of accident. Identify the environmental factors that might
influence the accident such as weather conditions, illumination, temperature,
noise, ventilation, etc.

Physical Evidence. As the investigator, you should exercise extreme care in

handling, collecting, retrieving or otherwise identifying physical evidence.
Investigators not familiar with the fragility of these evidences might destroy it
during the investigation process. Examples of the physical evidence are
equipment, tools and materials involved in the accident.

Witnesses. A witness can be defined simply as any person who has information
relating to the accident. This includes anyone from those persons principally
involved in the accident to those who have seen or heard about the accident, or
observed the work environment at the time the accident occurred. A witness
may also be someone who has knowledge of the events occurring during any of
the three (3) stages of the accident namely the pre-contact, contact and post-
contact.

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 Existing Records. These could be employee, equipment, job or task, and
previous accident investigation records.

Employee record Information regarding the victim’s age and gender, the
department and occupation in which he or she worked, work status
(whether a full-time, part-time, or seasonal employee), experience (how
long has the victim been with the company, how long in current
occupation, how often had the employee repeated the activity engaged in
when the accident occurred), and employee’s training - should be
reflected in the employee’s record.

Equipment record. The characteristics of the equipment associated with

the accident include the type, brand, size, and any distinguishing features
of the equipment, its condition, and the specific hazardous parts that may
cause accident.

Job or task record. The characteristics of task being performed by the

employee include his or her general task, the tools or equipment/
machine he or she is using/ operating. The description should include the
posture or location of the employee in doing the task and whether the
employee is working alone or with others.

Record of previous accident investigation reports An accident

investigation report form is used to help investigators gather, at a
minimum, the basic information that should be recorded about each
accident. The minimum data recorded for every accident identifies the
who, what, when, where, why and how (5W + 1H) of the accident.

What is the method of interviewing of witnesses?

Since the value of a witness’ statements is highest when derived from

testimony gathered immediately after the accident occurs, it is essential that
interview of witnesses begins as soon as possible. Interviewing your witnesses
can be a difficult assignment if not properly handled. The individual being
interviewed after all may be fearful and reluctant to provide the interviewer
with accurate facts about the accident. A witness may not want to provide
information that might implicate friends, fellow workers, or the supervisors.
To obtain the necessary facts during an interview, the interviewer must first
eliminate or reduce an employee’s fear and anxiety by establishing good
rapport with the individual. It is important that the interview of a witness
occur in a comfortable area or atmosphere conducive to ensuring an accurate
account of accident. An interview at the accident scene has several
advantages and should be attempted. When selecting a suitable place to
conduct interviews, you must ensure that the location is non-threatening to
the witness. You must create a feeling of trust and establish open
communication before beginning the actual interview. Once good rapport has
been developed, the interviewer can follow this method:
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 THE INTERVIEW PROCESS
• Get written statement
• Reassure the witness
• Let the witness tell the story
• Begin with open-ended question
• Don’t ask leading question
• Summarize
• Ask for recommendation
• Close on a positive note

Analyze the accident

Finding the cause

In accident investigation, it is commonly understood that a combination

of factors or causes must usually come together under just the right
circumstances to bring about accident. Information on accident causes
have led management to conclude that accidents are caused, they
don’t just happen and causes can be determined and controlled.

The four (4) elements that interact together for successful business
operations are the following;
• People
• Equipment
• Materials
• Environment

However, when something unplanned or undesired occurs within any

of these elements, usually some adverse effects might happen.

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 WORKPLACE ELEMENTS

People

Environment Equipment

Materials

People. Obviously, the people of any successful organization are its

greatest resources. But unfortunately, statistics show that a high
percentage of accidents have been attributed to human element.
Influencing factors that can affect human behavior and performance
must be examined and evaluated for cause.

Equipment. Equipment includes the tools and machines employees

must work with in order to accomplish their assigned works. In more
recent years, the improper design of controls and displays on complex
power machines and equipment has been cited frequently as the
primary source or cause of accident. The improper use of hand tools,
calibrating instruments, gauges or even a ladder to accomplish a given
task can also adversely affect the outcome of the job, to the point of
accident. People can and often interact with equipment or vice versa
to have an accident.

Material. The materials people use, work with or make provide

another major source of accident causes. Materials can be sharp,
heavy, hot, cold, toxic or defective. In all cases, materials can be a
major source of energy contact that results in accident. Since people
must interface regularly with materials in order to perform their tasks,
an examination of the relationship between potential accident sources
becomes extremely important in the accident investigation process.
When one considers that people often use equipment to process
materials in daily operation, the complexity of accident source
relationship becomes even more evident.

Environment. Environment is the physical surrounding in which work

must be performed. This includes the buildings that house the people
and the air they breathe. It is also associated with lighting, noise level,
and atmospheric conditions (temperature, air quality, humidity, etc.).
The work environment represents the source of causes of an ever-
increasing number of diseases and health-related conditions.

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 These four elements of business operation (people, equipment,
material, and environment) either individually or in combination,
produce the source of causes that contribute to the accident.

In the investigation of every accident, management must ensure the

proper consideration of the potential for involvement of any or all of
these four elements of business operation.

What should an accident investigation report answer?

All information gathered during the course of the investigation should be

properly reported and formally recorded in an Accident Investigation Report.
Although there are no established industry-standard formats for recording the
accident investigation into a report form, there are several aspects of the
processes which are common to most reports. Each company will generally
develop its own format for the investigation report, one that is acceptable to
management. The report should answer the 5W and 1H in reporting of
accident.

5W &1H in the Reporting of Accidents

• Who was injured?

• What happened?
• Where did the accident occur?
• When did the accident occur?
• Why did the accident occur?
• How can similar accident be
prevented?

The Occupational Safety and Health Standard provides for an accident

investigation report using the prescribed form (DOLE/ BWC/ OHSD/ IP-6a)
which can be used by the companies on devising their company’s accident
investigation report from.

Recommending and monitoring corrective actions

After all probable causes of accident have been established, your next step is
to make recommendations and corrective actions for changes that will prevent
a similar accident in the future. There are several specific changes that you can
recommend that will involve any or a combination of the E’s of safety such as
the following:
• Engineering Control
• Education
• Enforcement

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 Engineering. Engineering changes will probably be needed to improve working
conditions. Perhaps the company will need to make some process changes in
the workplace to prevent another accident. Job tasks need to be altered to
eliminate a hazard. Sometimes there is a need for ergonomics adjustments,
such as redesigning a machine or raising worktable heights or there is a need
to install industrial ventilation system or improved maintenance system.

Education. After engineering control measures are put in place, training of all
the workers of the organization is needed. Basically, educating the employees
on how to work safety, reducing injuries and keeping worker’s compensation
down should be the company’s concern. It is a practical move for the company
to follow a plan on safety training.

Enforcement. After all control measures have been exhausted and in place
and trainings have been conducted to educate the employees, accidents might
still happen. Maybe, in this case, there is a need for a comprehensive
implementation of the enforcement program to make sure workers will follow
the basic rules and regulations on safety and health. The government takes
extra effort in the enforcement of OSH Standards by DOLE inspectors.
Enforcement of all safety and health rules and regulations must be given ample
attention to ensure the smooth implementation of all OSH programs.

Accident investigation without follow-up is meaningless. After you perform an

investigation and determine the causes of an accident, steps need to be taken
to help ensure that the same accident does not occur again. Some managers
fall short of this. They implement corrective actions, but they fail to make sure
that the corrective measures are working. It’s important to constantly monitor
the situation to make sure that whatever corrective action has been taken, it is
doing what it’s supposed to do. Remember: Only when accidents are
eliminated is an accident investigation really complete.

Conclusion

Accident investigation is really an important tool in the prevention of recurrence of

accidents. All accidents, whether it is a near miss or injury/ damage causing accident,
should be reported. To be effective, you should always be at the scene of the accident
as soon as possible and should follow the basic methods of accident investigation.
Given the proper training, you or any of your workers can conduct an accident
investigation.

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 Unit 5 – Responses to OSH Issues / Concerns
Module 15: Development of an OSH Program

Introduction:

After understanding the basic concepts and principles of safety and health in the
workplace, we will now proceed to the discussion on ensuring that OSH activities and
interventions are appropriate and are sustained by the company. Organizations that
are really concerned on OSH always plans and develop programs based on sound
written policies that reflect the organization’s vision, mission, goals and objectives.
Rule 1045 of the OSH Standards requires employers to develop and implement their
respective safety and health policy and programs. This module will help you to design
your own OSH programs specific to the unique conditions and situations of your
company.

I. OSH Policy

Before you can design your company’s safety and health program, foremost is the
necessity to ascertain your company’s S and H policy. What is your company’s
commitment on safety and health? Do you have the strong leadership and the
necessary mechanism to implement this?

Firstly, let us define what a policy is. The American Heritage Dictionary defines policy
as a plan or course of action, as of a government, political party, or business, intended
to influence and determine decisions, actions, and other matters. It is central in any
organization inasmuch as this gives the direction for which the company operates its
business. It embodies the company’s principles and guidelines in accomplishing its
goals and objectives.

Consequently, a safety and health policy is a document stating the top management’s
safety objectives, the level of safety that can be performed by the organization, and
the responsibility of the organization’s members for executing the policy and ensuring
safety. For example, if the company policy states that safety and health is primordial
in its operations, then this becomes the impetus for OSH programs and activities to be
implemented. The policy is the basis for planning and budgeting of OSH-related
activities of the company.

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 Characteristics of an OSH Policy

An OSH policy is characterized by the following:

1. Specific to the organization, concise, clearly written, dated, and signed.
2. Indicates management commitment, support and accountability.
3. Includes principle and objectives of protecting SH of all members of the
organization.
4. States compliance with OSHS and related laws.
5. States objectives to continually improve the OSH MS
6. Employees are aware of the Policy (communicated/posted)
7. Covers all workers and community

The OSH policy should be company-specific and should be formulated based on its
distinct nature. It should be clearly written so that all employees will understand its
tenets. The policy should state management’s resolve to promote safety and health in
the workplace. The date and the signature of the company president of chief
executive officer are equally important since this signifies accountability of said policy.
It should highlight the participation of both the employees and management so
everybody shall be solidarity responsible and accountable in its implementation.

Here is an example of an OSH Policy:

ABC Corporation ensures a safe and healthy workplace for employees conducive to
greater productivity.

The Corporation is committed to continually improve its occupational safety and

health management systems and comply with all relevant safety legislation and
requirements to prevent accidents resulting in personal injury and illnesses, damage to
equipment and materials, and operational interruption.

Concern for occupational safety and health is a shared responsibility between the
Corporation and its employees.

All managers, supervisors and employees are enjoined to ensure that safety programs
and practices are in place in their areas of responsibility.

October 8, 2011 Juan Dela Cruz

General Manager

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II. Safety and Health Program Defined

The approved OSH policy lays the foundation of all programs and activities that will be
conducted by the company.

A Safety and Health Program is a plan or outline of activities conducted to promote

safety and health consciousness among management and workers in order that
accidents and/or illnesses can be eliminated or minimized to the lowest reducible
level. It is a written document that spells out management’s commitment to protect
its workers by undertaking measures to control exposures to hazards in the
workplace.

A Safety and Health program contains an organized set of ideas, principles and
procedures designed to be followed to achieve safety and health excellence. It is a
detailed blueprint of standards and procedures reflecting workplace-specific accepted
industry practices which is supported by both the management and the workers.

It has been found out that effective management of worker safety and health
programs:

 Reduces the extent and severity of work related injuries and illnesses – the
safety and health programs that are in place and followed by all concerned
employees would include implementation of appropriate control measures to
reduce workplace accidents and illnesses. Hence, if these are operational the
cases of accidents and illnesses will be minimized.

 Improves employee morale and productivity – knowing that you are working in
a company that values your overall wellness gives you security and peace of
mind. This will result to greater productivity and efficiency among workers.

 Reduces workers’ compensation costs – if accidents and illnesses are

prevented then the costs for paying worker’s compensation will be reduced.

III. Safety and Health Program Criteria

In designing the company’s S and H program, the following criteria shall be

considered, namely:

1. Workplace specific – as mentioned earlier on, the design of the safety and
health should be responsive to the specific hazards and exposures brought
about by the work processes and conditions of the company. One company’s
OSH program will not be exactly the same with other companies.

2. Must have commitment from the employer and senior management -

management commitment is critical in the success of a program since they
reflect the company’s resolve to protect its worker and to ascertain that
programs are carried out with no exceptions.
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 3. Must have input from the workers – while management leadership in
implementing OSH programs is important, the concerns of the workers should
be considered in the development of OSH programs and policies since they are
the once directly involve and exposed to work hazards. They should be
consulted in the course of developing respective programs.

4. Must assign clear responsibilities and accountabilities – the OSH program

should spell out and clarify the specific responsibilities and accountabilities of
all those who have a stake in company’s OSH program to avoid confusion.
Senior management must be accountable in implementing the programs while
the supervisors and employees have the responsibility for carrying out specific
elements of the program.

5. Each of the program’s elements must be in writing – it is important that the

OSH programs should be clearly written so that it cannot be misinterpreted
and can be used as ready reference by everybody. If there is a written
document then it would be easy for the employees to evaluate its compliance
or suggest for some improvement.

6. Must address the safety and health of contractors- the OSH programs should
not be limited to workers directly employed by the company but should also
extend the same to its contractors and service providers. This will ensure that
everybody is following a common S and H standards.

7. Be available and effectively communicated – everyone should be made aware

of the company’s OSH programs and policy so they can abide on it. This can be
done through the use of safety bulletins and orientations.

8. Must have an evaluation mechanism – the OSH program and policy is dynamic,
hence, should be regularly monitored, reviewed and updated to make it
responsive to the current situations and conditions of the company as well as
applicable laws/orders of the DOLE and relevant agencies.

IV. Safety and Health Committee

In order to effectively implement the OSH programs, it is required that companies

should have their own Safety and Health Committee. This is provided for in Rule 1040
of the OSH Standards.

The Safety and Health Committee is the planning and policy making group of the
company in matters relating to safety and health. This is composed of employer and
employee representatives such as the following:

 CEO/Manager or his representative

 Workers’ Representatives (union members if organized)
 Company Physician, nurse or first-aider
 Safety Officer
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This is the minimum requirements on the composition of the S and H committee.
Depending on the actual needs, the company can increase its membership. The CEO
or his representative chairs the Committee. This is to show the company’s
commitment in implementing the programs and activities that will be identified. It
will give a strong signal that the company is sincere in its support. In cases where the
company is not unionized / organized, the workers’ representative shall be selected
from among the workers through a majority vote. If there is a Labor Management
Council (LMC), the worker representative sits in the committee.

The Safety Officer acts as the secretary and is the employer’s focal person in the
implementation of the safety and health programs. His specific duties are stipulated
in Rule 1047.

V. Functions of the Safety and Health Committee

Being the focal group on workplace safety and health, the functions of the committee
includes:

 Plans and develops accident prevention programs for the establishment

 Directs the accident prevention programs of the establishment
 Conducts safety and health meetings at least once a month
 Reviews report of inspection, accident investigations and implementation of
programs
 Initiates and supervises safety training
 Develops and maintains disaster contingency plans.

VI. Components of an OSH Policy

The OSH policy can now be translated into various program interventions. It should
cover a holistic approach and package of programs and activities. The OSHC adopts a
framework in defining the components of an OSH policy. The same framework is used
by the Center in selecting winners of its biennial Gawad Kaligtasan at Kalusugan (GKK)
awards.

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The OSH Policy Framework identifies the following components:

1. Safety Control and Emergency Preparedness. These include policies and

programs to mitigate exposures of workers to direct physical hazards in the
organization. Examples of these are programs relating to:
a) Housekeeping
b) Material handling and storage
c) Electrical safety
d) Machine guarding
e) Personal protective equipment
f) Fire safety orientations and exit drills
g) Maintenance of firefighting facilities
h) Incident/accident investigation analysis, recording and reporting
i) Safety inspections
j) Emergency preparedness plans and related training

The policy on Emergency Preparedness is very relevant in view of the situations

that can suddenly happen which can adversely affect the company and/or the
community in general. Therefore, a fast and efficient response to emergencies is
necessary.

Emergency preparedness encompasses all activities that are necessary to prepare

people and organizations to respond to emergencies and disasters which include
typhoons, floods, industrial fire, chemical leaks, earthquakes and oil spills, among
others.

The importance of an effective workplace safety and health program cannot be

overemphasized. There are many benefits from such a program including
increased productivity, improved employee morale, reduced absenteeism and
illness. However, incidents still may occur in spite of efforts to prevent them.
Therefore, proper planning for emergencies is necessary to minimize employee
injury and property damage. These include areas on:

 declaring an emergency
 evacuating workers
 obtaining internal emergency resources
 obtaining help from external resources
 initiating emergency rescues
 tending to casualties

There are elements of an Emergency Preparedness Program that should be

considered, namely:
a) Review the hazards – identify the hazards and risks that can happen in the
organization or community
b) Evaluate resources – assess the available resources you have including the
presence of trained manpower to respond to emergencies

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 c) Develop emergency plan and procedure- develop plans and procedures
that should be observed before, during and after the emergency
d) Conduct training – train the right people who will respond to emergencies
e) Conduct drills and exercises - simulation of possible emergency scenarios
through drills and exercise will prepare the employees in the event
disasters and calamities will happen.
f) Educate public – conduct awareness programs for the general public so
that they too will be prepared and will be a source of your support system
g) Integrate in community plan – it is important that the company keeps close
coordination with the locality/community in order to have a synchronized
response

2. Industrial Hygiene Program – this includes programs of the company that

covers

 Inventory of chemicals
 Emergency contingency plan
 Capability building program for chemical users
 Materials handling and storage procedures
 Abatement of physical hazards

The company has to define the guidelines on how it will conduct its industrial
hygiene program - who should be involved in terms of the IH activities, how these
will be done, and what and to whom are the capability building interventions that
will be conducted, etc.

3. Occupational Health Program - this include programs on

 Employment or hiring of medical staff

 Availability of clinical, dental and medical equipment
 Preparation and submission of Annual Medical Report
 Compilation of medical records of employees, including analysis of the data
 HMO or in-house health services or both
 Medical services and other programs implemented

4. Environmental Protection and Community Relations – aside from safety and

health, the company programs should also cover the following:
 Data on classification and volume of waste generated
 Pollution prevention facilities (e.g. wastewater treatment)
 Employment of a Pollution Control Officer (PCO)
 List of outreach programs and description

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 5. Social Accountability Programs – these programs take into account the
involvement of the company on issues such as
 Policy on gender
 Policy on Child Labor
 Policy on PWDs
 Other corporate social responsibility programs

6. Capability Building on OSH – this involves compliance by the company to

mandated/specialized OSH training courses and conduct of activities to
promote OSH. This includes
 List of required orientations/ trainings on OSH provided (BOSH, CST, Drugs,
HIV/AIDS, Gender/S&H, Anti-Sexual Harassment, Family Welfare, OSH-MS
and others)
 Training calendar of the company; other staff development activities
 Plans on communicating OSH
 Information program, materials and dissemination strategies
 Monitoring and evaluation

As mentioned earlier, it is important to communicate the OSH programs to all

the employees to generate their involvement. This could be done through:
a. Some Promotional Methods
 Safety Meetings – conducted regularly to remind workers on OSH
 Safety Contests – can include injury rate contest, non-injury rate
contest e.g., safety slogan, poster, housekeeping
 Use of posters, bulletin boards, displays to publicize safety
 Other activities like safety campaigns, safety courses and
demonstrations, public address systems, publications, suggestion
systems

VII. Monitoring

It is necessary for any organization to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of all its
safety and health policies and programs. In doing this the company will be able to:
 Improve the performance of the program.
 Know if changes or revisions/improvements are necessary.
 Check areas that have to be prioritized.
 Assess program effectiveness
o Number of accidents and injuries are trending downward
o Cost of accidents and injuries is trending downward
o Time lost due to work-related injuries or illnesses is reduced

Examples of indicators/areas to look at when monitoring the OSH program:

 100% compliance on helmet and safety shoes
 Presence of signages and directional signs
 Zero unprotected wall and floor openings

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Monitoring of compliance and effectiveness of the OSH programs can be done
through the conduct of safety inspections/assessments, conduct of Work Environment
Measurement and Annual Medical Check-up.

In closing, unless an organization has a written, well-defined, company- specific safety

plan in which everyone in the organization logically understands their roles and
responsibilities, all of the hard work, all of the expense, and all of the hopes for a
successful program will be useless.

The greatest responsibility a person can have during his lifetime is to be accountable
for another person’s safety and health and for the protection of the environment.

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 Unit 5 – Responses to OSH Issues / Concerns
Module 16: OSH Legislation

This module thus aims to familiarize you about the various government regulations
regarding OSH and other responses to existing and potential OSH hazards.

OSH legislation and enforcement are key components of the government program to
protect workers from work accidents and illnesses; and

Here’s something else: Legislation and enforcement are not the only approaches used
in improving OSH in the Philippines. We have developmental strategies like the Zero
Accident Program (ZAP), information drives and the like in order to put a positive note
in OSH administration. In cases of work disabilities, there is also the Employees
Compensation Program (ECP).

Objectives

Working on this module should help you to

• identify laws and policies which govern OSH administration in the Philippines;
• determine government agencies which administer such laws;
• explain the various strategies for OSH administration

OSH Administration Framework in the Philippines

Occupational Safety  Labor Employees’ Bureau of Working

and Health Center inspectors / Compensation Conditions –
 Training LLCOs thru 16 Commission develops,
 Technical ROs No. of staff - 82 prescribes OSH
assistance to  252 Inspectors standards
clients, ECC, BWC,
workers &
employers
 Clearing house of
information on
OSH
 Research
No. of staff - 100

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To know more about these agencies, you may follow the links provided below:

 Department of Labor & Employment (DOLE) – www.dole.gov.ph

 Occupational Safety & Health Center (OSHC) – www.oshc.dole.gov.ph
 Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) – www.ecc.gov.ph
 Bureau of Working Conditions (BWC) – www.bwc.dole.gov.ph

Policy Framework

The focus of our discussion will be on those laws which are specifically administered
by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) under the Labor Code of the
Philippines (LCP).

1. Labor Code of the Philippines

 Article 162 – Safety and health standards. The Secretary of Labor and
Employment shall, by appropriate orders, set and enforce mandatory
occupational safety and health standards to eliminate or reduce occupational
safety and health hazards in all workplaces and institute new, and update
existing, programs to ensure safe and healthful working conditions in all places
of employment.

 Article 164 – Training programs. The DOLE shall develop and implement
training programs to increase the number and competence of personnel in the
field of occupational safety and industrial health.

 Article 164 – Administration of safety and health laws.

a. The DOLE shall be solely responsible for the administration and
enforcement of occupational safety and health laws, regulations and
standards in all establishments and workplaces wherever they may be
located; however, chartered cities may be allowed to conduct industrial
safety inspections of establishments within their respective jurisdictions
where they have adequate facilities and competent personnel for the
purpose as determined by the DOLE and subject to national standards
established by the latter.

b. The Secretary of DOLE may, through appropriate regulations, collect

reasonable fees for the inspection of steam boilers, pressure vessels and
pipings and electrical installations, the test and approval for safe use of
materials, equipment and other safety devices and the approval of plans
for such materials, equipment and devices. The fee so collected shall be
deposited in the national treasury to the credit of the occupational safety
and health fund and shall be expended exclusively for the administration
and enforcement of safety and other labor laws administered by the DOLE.

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 Article 128 Visitorial and Enforcement Power.
a. The Secretary of Labor and Employment or his duly authorized
representatives, including labor regulation officers, shall have access to
employer’s records and premises at any time of the day or night whenever
work is being undertaken therein, and the right to copy there from, to
question any employee and investigate any fact, condition or matter which
may be necessary to determine violations or which may aid in the
enforcement of this Code and of any labor law, wage order or rules and
regulations issued pursuant thereto.

b. Notwithstanding the provisions of Articles 129 and 217 of this Code to the
contrary, and in cases where the relationship of employer-employee still
exists, the Secretary of DOLE or his duly authorized representatives shall
have the power to issue compliance orders to give effect to the labor
standards provisions of this Code and other labor legislation based on the
findings of labor employment and enforcement officers or industrial safety
engineers made in the course of inspection. The Secretary or his duly
authorized representatives shall issue writs of execution to the appropriate
authority for the enforcement of their orders, except in cases where the
employer contests the findings of the labor employment and enforcement
officer and raises issues supported by documentary proofs which were not
considered in the course of inspection. (As amended by Republic Act No.
7730, June 2, 1994).

An order issued by the duly authorized representative of the Secretary of

Labor and Employment under this Article may be appealed to the latter. In
case said order involves a monetary award, an appeal by the employer may
be perfected only upon the posting of a cash or surety bond issued by a
reputable bonding company duly accredited by the Secretary of Labor and
Employment in the amount equivalent to the monetary award in the order
appealed from. (As amended by Republic Act No. 7730, June 2, 1994).

c. The Secretary of Labor and Employment may likewise order stoppage of

work or suspension of operations of any unit or department of an
establishment when non-compliance with the law or implementing rules
and regulations poses grave and imminent danger to the health and safety
of workers in the workplace. Within twenty-four hours, a hearing shall be
conducted to determine whether an order for the stoppage of work or
suspension of operations shall be lifted or not. In case the violation is
attributable to the fault of the employer, he shall pay the employees
concerned their salaries or wages during the period of such stoppage of
work or suspension of operation.

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 d. It shall be unlawful for any person or entity to obstruct, impede, delay or
otherwise render ineffective the orders of the Secretary of DOLE or his duly
authorized representatives issued pursuant to the authority granted under
this Article, and no inferior court or entity shall issue temporary or
permanent injunction or restraining order or otherwise assume jurisdiction
over any case involving the enforcement orders issued in accordance with
this Article.

e. Any government employee found guilty of violation of, or abuse of

authority, under this Article shall, after appropriate administrative
investigation, be subject to summary dismissal from the service.

f. The Secretary of DOLE may, by appropriate regulations, require employers

to keep and maintain such employment records as may be necessary in aid
of his visitorial and enforcement powers under this Code.

2. Presidential Decree 626

You may click this link - http://www.ecc.gov.ph/pd626.htm

3. Presidential Decree 856 – Code on Sanitation

You may click this link -
http://www.chanrobles.com/presidentialdecreeno856.htm

4. Republic Act 8504 – An act promulgating policies and prescribing measures for the
prevention and control of HIV/AIDS in the Philippines, instituting a nationwide
HIV/AIDS information and educational program, establishing a comprehensive
HIV/AIDS monitoring system, strengthening the Philippine National Aids Council,
and for other purposes.

You may click this link -

http://www.chanrobles.com/presidentialdecreeno856.htm

5. Republic Act 9165 - An act instituting the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of
2002 repealing Republic Act No 6425, otherwise known as the Dangerous Drugs
Act of 1972, as amended, providing funds therefore, and for other purposes.

You may click this link -

http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2002/ra_9165_2002.html

6. Republic Act 6969 - An act to control toxic substances and hazardous and nuclear
wastes, providing penalties for violations thereof, and for other purposes.

You may click this link - http://www.pctc.gov.ph/initiatv/RepAct6969.htm

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7. Local Government Act - decentralizes some national government functions to
LGUs. Ex. Inspection of buildings, health care provisions, etc.

8. Executive Order 307 – An Executive Order issued during President Corazon C.

Aquino’s term, establishing the Occupational Safety and Health Center in the
Employees’ Compensation Commission” attached agency of the Department of
Labor and Employment as the national focal point on OSH trainings, researches,
information and technical services.

For further readings, you may click this link - http://www.oshc.dole.gov.ph/121/

The Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHS)

OSHS is actually a codification of all safety and health rules and regulations, including
safety orders then in existence at the time.

OSHS has many provisions. To some extent, many of its provisions have already been
discussed in the technical discussions that have been undertaken in the previous
modules.

Selected OSHS Provisions

What will be discussed instead are the significant and major provisions. These are
significant in the sense that these are the most often-asked questions and which
relates to items that will seriously affect the operations of the company. These are:

Rule 1001 - Purpose and Scope

1. The objective of this issuance is to protect every workingman

against the dangers of injury, sickness or death through safe and
healthful working conditions, thereby assuring the conservation of
valuable manpower resources and the prevention of loss or damage
to lives and properties, consistent with national development goals
and with the State’s commitment for the total development of
every worker as a complete human being.
2. This standards shall apply to all places of employment except as
otherwise provided in this Standards.

Rule 1005 - Duties of Employers, Workers and other Persons

1. Each employer covered by the provisions of this Standards shall:

a. Furnish his workers a place of employment free from hazardous
conditions that are causing or are likely to cause death, illness
or physical harm to his workers.

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 b. Give complete job safety instructions to all his workers,
especially to those entering the job for the first time, including
those relating to the familiarization with their work
environment, hazards to which the workers are exposed to and
steps taken in case of emergency;
c. Comply with the requirements of this Standards; and
d. Use only approved devices and equipment in his workplace.

2. Every worker shall cooperate with the employer in carrying out the
provisions of this Standards. He shall report to his supervisor any
work hazard that may be discovered in his workplace.

3. Every worker shall make proper use of all safeguards and safety
devices furnish in accordance with the provisions of this Standards
for his protection and that of others, and shall follow all instructions
given by the employer in compliance with the provision of this
Standards.

4. It shall be the duty of any person, including any builder or

contractor or enforcement agent, who visits, builds, renovates, or
installs devices, or conducts business in any establishment or
workplace, to comply with the provisions of this Standards and all
regulations of the employer issued thereunder as well as with other
subsequent issuances of the Secretary.

Rule 1012.02 – Abatement of Imminent Danger

1. An imminent danger is a condition or practice that could reasonably

be expected to cause death or serious physical harm before
abatement under the enforcement procedure can be accomplished.

2. When an enforcement officer finds that an imminent danger exists

in a workplace, he shall inform the affected employer and workers
of the danger and shall recommend to the Regional Director the
issuance of an Order for stoppage of operation or other appropriate
action for the abatement of the danger. Pending the issuance of the
Order the employer shall take appropriate measures to protect the
workers.

3. Upon receipt of such recommendation, the Regional Director shall

immediately determine whether the danger exists and is of such a
nature as to warrant the issuance of a Stoppage Order or other
appropriate action to minimize the danger.

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 4. The Order shall require specific measures that are necessary to
avoid, correct or remove such imminent danger and to prohibit the
presence of any worker in such location where such danger exists,
except those whose presence are necessary to avoid, correct or
remove such danger or to maintain a continuous process or
operation. Where stoppage of operation is ordered, the Order shall
allow such correction, removal or avoidance of danger only where
the same can be accomplished in a safe and orderly manner.

5. Immediately after the issuance of Stoppage Order, the Regional

Director shall furnish the Secretary, through the Director, within
forty-eight (48) hours a copy of the Order and all pertinent papers
relating thereto, together with a detailed description of the work
conditions sought to be corrected, the safety and health rule
violated by the employer and the corrective measures imposed. The
Secretary shall review the Order issued by the Regional Director and
within a period of not more than five (5) working days, issue a final
Order either lifting or sustaining the Order of the Regional Director.

6. The Order shall remain in effect until danger is removed or

corrected.

Rule 1013 - Hazardous Workplaces

For purposes of this Standards, the following are considered “hazardous

workplaces:”

a. Where the nature of work exposes the workers to dangerous

environmental elements, contaminants or work conditions
including ionizing radiation, chemicals, fire, flammable substances,
noxious components and the like;
b. Where the workers are engaged in construction work, logging, fire-
fighting, mining, quarrying, blasting, stevedoring, dock work, deep
sea fishing, and mechanized farming;
c. Where the workers are engaged in the manufacture or handling of
explosives and other pyrotechnic products;
d. Where the workers use or are exposed to power driven or explosive
powder actuated tools;
e. Where the workers are exposed to biologic agents like bacteria,
fungi, viruses, protozoas, nematodes, and other parasites.

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Rule 1043.01 - Health and Safety Committee

The Health and Safety Committee is the planning and policy making group in all
matters pertaining to safety and health. The principal duties of the Health and
Safety Committee are:
1. Plans and develops accident prevention programs for the
establishment.
2. Directs the accident prevention efforts of the establishment in
accordance with the safety programs, safety performance and
government regulations in order to prevent accidents from
occurring in the workplace.
3. Conducts safety meetings at least once a month.
4. Reviews reports of inspections, accident investigations, and
implementation of programs.
5. Submits reports to the manager on its meetings and activities.
6. Provides necessary assistance to government inspecting authorities
in the proper conduct of their activities such as the enforcement of
the provisions of this Standards.
7. Initiates and supervises safety training for employees.
8. Develops and maintains a disaster contingency plan and organizes
such emergency service units as may be necessary to handle
disaster situations pursuant to the emergency preparedness
manual for establishments of the Office of Civil Defense.

Rule 1050 – Notification and Keeping of Records of Accidents and/or

Occupational Illnesses

1053 Report Requirements

1053.01:
1. All work accidents or occupational illnesses in places of
employment, resulting in disabling condition or dangerous
occurrence as defined in 1053.02 shall be reported by the
employer to the Regional Labor Office or duly authorized
representative in duplicate and a copy furnished the employee of
his duly authorized representative using form DOLE/BWC/HSD-IP-6.
The formal report shall be submitted by the employer on or
before the 20th day of the month following the date of occurrence
of the accident or when the illness is established and an
investigation report in the prescribed form shall be submitted by
the Regional Office or duly authorized representative on or before
the 30th day of the same month. In case of temporary total disability
where the injured or ill employee has not reported back to duty on
the closing date of reporting, an estimate of the probable days of
disability shall be made and entered in the report and corrected
after the return of the injured, the corrected days of absence shall
be used.

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 2. Where the accident or illness results in death or permanent total
disability, the employer, in addition to the written report required
under sub-paragraph (1) above, shall initially notify the Regional
Labor Office or duly authorized representative within twenty four
(24) hours after occurrence using the fastest available means of
communication.

3. All deaths and permanent total disabilities shall be investigated by

the Regional Office or duly authorized representative within forty
eight (48) hours after receipt of the initial report of the employer,
prepared in duplicate using the prescribed form DOLE/BWC/OHSD-
IP-6a.

Reporting Forms
In summary, the following are the reporting requirements of the OSHS, which
you can download at this link:
http://www.bwc.dole.gov.ph/Downloads/ViewDetails.aspx?id=1

 registration of establishments-IP-3
 report of safety and health organization- IP-5
 employer’s work accident/illness report-IP-6
 annual work accident/illness exposure data report-IP-6B; and
 annual medical report form 47-A.

Rule 1070 – Occupational Health and Environmental Control

It is the basis for the conduct of work environment measurements (WEM) by

the OSHC. It provides for certain values on the permissible level exposures of
many contaminants and other physical hazards.

You may read the whole content of Rule 1070 at the Occupational Safety and
Health Standards.

For additional information, you can download DOLE Memorandum Circular #1,
series of 2000 entitled Implementing Guidelines for the Conduct of Workplace
Environment Assessment (WEA) in Hazardous Establishments and Work
Processes (see Appendix Number)

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Rule 1080 - Personal Protective Equipment

1081 – General Provision

1081.01: Every employer as defined in 1002:

5. Shall at his own expense furnish his workers with protective

equipment for the eyes, face, hands and feet, protective shields
and barriers whenever necessary by reason of the hazardous nature
of the process or environment, chemical or radiological or other
mechanical irritants or hazards capable of causing injury or
impairment in the function of any part of the body through
absorption, inhalation or physical contact.

6. Deduction for the loss or damage of personal protective equipment

shall be governed by Article 114, Book III, Labor Code of the
Philippines, and Section 14, Rule VIII, Book III, Omnibus Rules
Implementing the Labor Code.

1081.02: All personal protective equipment shall be of the approved

design and construction appropriate for the exposure and the work to
be performed.

1081.03: The employer shall be responsible for the adequacy and

proper maintenance of personal protective equipment used in his
workplace.

1081.04: No person shall be subjected or exposed to a hazardous

environmental condition without protection.

Rule 1980 - Authority of Local Government

1981.01: Types of Inspection:

For the purpose of this Standards, inspection activities shall be divided
into Technical Safety Inspection and General Safety Inspection.
1. Technical Safety Inspection – shall refer to inspection for the
purpose of safety determination of boilers, pressure vessels,
internal combustion engines, electrical installations, elevators,
hoisting equipment and other mechanical equipment.

2. General Safety Inspection – shall refer to inspection of the work

environment, including the location and operation of machinery
other than those covered by technical safety inspections, adequacy
of work space, ventilation, lighting, conditions of work
environment, handling, storage or work procedures, protection
facilities and other safety and health hazards in workplace.

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 Rule 1990 – Final Provisions

1995: Penal Provisions

All violations of the provisions of this Standards shall be subject to the
applicable penalties provided for in the Labor Code, PD 442 as
amended.

Please read the links on http://www.chanrobles.com/legal4labor4.htm

Government responses aside from enforcement

With regards to government legislation as a whole, instructor reminds participants

that enforcement is only one response but not the only response of the government.
Such approaches include:

• Zero Accident Program (ZAP)

• Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP)
• Work Improvement in Small Enterprises (WISE)
• Program on OSH in the Informal sector
• OSH in Schools
• Child Labor
• Quick Reaction Teams like Work ALERT, medical surveillance on SJS, and
many others.

For the DOLE as a whole, voluntary compliance is still the best, where organizations
implement OSH measures because they know that it will be to their great benefit. The
OSHC flagship program of ZAP is an example of such program which emphasizes the
spirit of voluntarism. Another key DOLE program is the Employees Compensation
Program (ECP), the preventive aspect of which is implemented by OSHC.

Most Commonly-Asked Questions

1. How can participants get a copy of the OSHS?

The BOSH training participants can get a copy free-of-charge from the
Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC). The standards can also be
downloaded at the OSHC website. External clients can also avail of the book
through OSHC with a fee of Php 100.00 / each.

2. What happens when a company is found to have an “imminent danger

situation”?

A Stoppage Order can be issued by the Secretary of the DOLE, through the
Regional Director concerned, in the work area where the imminent danger
situation is located. It can only be lifted after the company has corrected the
situation.

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3. Why should companies comply with the OSHS?

They should do so in order to prevent stoppage of company operations due to

imminent danger situations. It also makes good public relations for a company
to be known as taking care of its workers. But the most important reason for
all is profits- a safe, healthy and contented worker is also a productive worker.

4. How are OSH Standards, say, TLV limits set?

OSH Standards are set just like all government regulations- the office- in-
charge (the BWC in this case) of the concern drafts the proposal based on:
studies made; data/ feedbacks from inspection activities; or clamor from
interest groups. The proposal goes through a review and evaluation process.
These are then presented to the Secretary for approval and eventual
implementation.

5. How are OSHS updated to ensure adequacy of protection for workers?

Same procedure as mentioned above.

6. How do our standards compare with international standards?

Standards per country are set based on the internal needs of each country.
The Philippines compared to our Asian neighbors, has better-developed labor
laws including the OSHS. But the standards involving highly hazardous
materials leaves much to be desired – the basis for our TLVs is still the 1978
TLVs of the American Conference of government Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH).
These must be updated to make it at least at par with other countries.

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