Information Sheet 7.

1-1
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH STANDARDS (OHS)

Learning Objectives:
After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to:
1. Describe the concepts of Occupational Health Standards (OHS)

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is a cross-disciplinary

area concerned with protecting the safety, health and welfare of people
engaged in work or employment. Knowing OHS is essential to minimize
the hazards and risks not only to students, trainers and other people
within the training institution but others who will be affected.

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)

The goal of all occupational safety and health programs is to foster

a safe work environment. As a secondary effect, OHS may also protect co-
workers, family members, employers, customers, supplies, nearby
communities, and other members of the public who are impacted by
the workplace environment (DOLE Occupational Health and Safety
Standards (OHSSAD) Manual).

“Occupational health” as stated in Wikipedia, aims at:

1. The promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical,
mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations;
2. The prevention among workers of
departures from health caused by their working
conditions;
3. The protection of workers in their employment
from risks resulting from factors adverse to
health;
4. The placing and maintenance of the worker
in an occupational environment adapted to his
physiological and psychological capabilities; and
5. The adaptation of work to man and each man to his job.
Reasons for occupational safety and health standards are:
• Moral – An employee should not have to risk injury at work,
nor should others associated with the work environment.
 • Economic – Many governments realize that poor
occupational safety and health performance results in cost to state
(e.g. through social security payments to the incapacitated, cost
for medical treatment, and the loss of “employability” of
the worker).
Employing organizations also sustain costs in the event of an
incident at work (such as legal fees, fines, compensatory damages,
investigation times, lost production, lost goodwill from the
workforce, from customers and from the wider community).

• Legal – Occupational safety and health requirements

maybe reinforced in civil law and/or criminal law, it is
accepted that without the “encouragement” of potential regulatory
action or litigation, many organizations would not act upon
their implied moral obligations.

Objective of the OHS Standard

The objective of OHS standard is to protect working man 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.

GOOD OHS PRACTICE

Disaster Plan
There should be plan in place to deal with any emergency. The
nature of emergency can vary from fire and chemical spills, and all the
obvious hazards that these present, to power and water failures that
can lead to unsafe working conditions.

Training and Providing Relevant Information

Awareness of the problems and positive approach to prevention is
the key to good OH&S practice. Many accidents and injuries can be
avoided by providing staff with appropriate training. Up to date
information regarding safe work practices, equipment
safety and chemical information should be readily
available in the workplace. Much of this information is
 available as poster and charts. The benefits of this can
be seen in staff morale, productivity and the quality of
work. Other benefits can be seen in terms of reduced in
insurance premium, compensations and rehabilitation
claims.

Work and Storage areas

With the safety of material in mind, work and storage areas should be
designed, constructed, and equipped to ensure that there is minimum risk to
archive material or staff. Work and storage areas must be kept free of
food and drinks, harmful contaminants, pollutants or vermin and harmful
radiation.
Exits, passageway, stairs and equipment access
areas should be kept clear of obstruction; including
stored materials or materials and equipment in use.
Obstruction can be potential hazard.

Near Miss and Hazardous Incidents and Accident

Investigation
Near misses and hazardous incidents are those in which no one
gets hurt and where no material or equipment is damage, but have the
potential to cause damage or harm. Step should be taken to eliminate
causes as soon as possible, and while rectifying initial problem ensures
that is does not create a danger to anyone else. Regular safety
inspections of a workplace can help to ensure that wherever possible
accidents are prevented from occurring. It is very useful to develop a
safety checklist that is appropriate to the workplace.
Supervisors should be trained to understand and recognize
the occupational health and safety risk and needs in the area they
are responsible for. This will enable them to fulfill their duty in
regard to accidents are work related accidents which results in serious
injury.
Report of Notifiable Accidents, Incidents and Dangerous Occurrences
Records of reports and witness statements of notifiable accidents,
incidents and dangerous occurrences will need to be preserved in the
event of future claims or litigation. There are also valuable in identifying
hazard and improvements that may still be needed to prevent further
accidents.

First Aid
 First Aid Officers are responsible for taking positive action to prevent
further injury to staff, to render first aid treatment in accordance with
their approved training, and to keep record of treatment provided.
First Aid Officers are also responsible for ensuring
that the first aid box or kit in their workplace is kept
fully stock and accessible, and for ensuring that the
rest room or first aid room is kept in good condition.
OHS Legislations and Policies
The acts listed below have introduced significant changes to the health
and safety and social welfare benefits of all workers. Thus relevant
provisions of these laws are included under BOOK 4 of the Labor Code.
• Republic Act No.8282 or the “Social Security System Act of 1997”
• Republic Act No.8291 “Government Service
Insurance System (GSIS) Act of 1997”
• Republic Act No.7875 (National Health Insurance
Act 1995)

There are a number of policies regarding the

occupational health and safety of people in the
workplace.
The policies are promulgated by Occupational Health and Safety
Center
(OHSC) under the office of the Department of Labor and
Employment. Among these policies are the:
• National Workplace Policy on STD/HIV/AIDS
• Implementing Rules and Regulations on STD/HIV/AIDS
• Safety in the Construction Industry
• Substance/Drug Abuse
• Policy for Tuberculosis Control in the Philippines
• Department Order 47-03: Guidelines on SARS Prevention and
Control in the Workplace
 Another law relative to health and safety in the workplace is
Republic Act No. 8749. It aims to achieve and maintain healthy air
for Filipinos.

Source: TESDA, TMCI CBLM for Maintain Training Facilities

 Information Sheet 7.2-1

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH STANDARDS (OHS) MATERIALS, TOOLS AND

EQUIPMENT)

Learning Objective:
After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to:
1. To identify Occupational Health Standards (OHS) Materials, Tools and
Equipment)

Why is PPE important?

Making the workplace safe includes providing instructions, procedures,
training and supervision to encourage people to work safely and responsibly.

Even where engineering controls and safe systems of work have been applied,
some hazards might remain. These include injuries to:

 the lungs, e.g. from breathing in contaminated air;

 the head and feet, e.g. from falling materials;
 the eyes, e.g. from flying particles or splashes of corrosive liquids;
 the skin, e.g. from contact with corrosive materials;
 the body, e.g. from extremes of heat or cold.
PPE is needed in these cases to reduce the risk.

What should employers do?

 Only use PPE as a last resort.

 If PPE is still needed after implementing other controls (and there will be
circumstances when it is, e.g. head protection on most construction
sites), they must provide this for their workers free of charge.
 They must choose the equipment carefully (see selection details below)
and ensure workers are trained to use it properly, and know how to
detect and report any faults.
Selection and use
Employers should ask themselves the following questions:

 Who is exposed and to what?

 How long are they exposed for?
 How much are they exposed to?

When selecting and using PPE

 Choose products which are suitable to the residual risk and are the
required standard, suppliers can advise you.
 Choose equipment that suits the user – consider the size, fit and weight
of the PPE. If the users help choose it, they will be more likely to use it.
 If more than one item of PPE is worn at the same time, make sure they
can be used together, e.g. wearing safety glasses may disturb the seal of
a respirator, causing air leaks.
 Instruct and train people how to use it, e.g. train people to remove gloves
without contaminating their skin. Tell them why it is needed, when to
use it and what its limitations are.

Other advice on PPE

 Employers should never allow exemptions from wearing PPE for those
jobs that ‘only take a few minutes’.
 Employers should check with the supplier on what PPE is appropriate –
explain the job to them.
 Employers, if in doubt, should seek further advice from a specialist
adviser.

Maintenance
PPE must be properly looked after and stored when not in use, e.g. in a dry,
clean cupboard. If it is reusable it must be cleaned and kept in good condition.

Employers and workers should think about

 using the right replacement parts which match the original, e.g.
respirator filters;
 keeping replacement PPE available;

 who is responsible for maintenance and how it is to be done;

  having a supply of appropriate disposable suits which are useful for dirty
jobs where laundry costs are high, e.g. for visitors who need protective
clothing.

Workers must make proper use of PPE and report its loss or destruction or any
fault in it.

Employers should monitor and review

 Checking regularly that PPE is used. If it isn’t, find out why not.
 Safety signs can be a useful reminder that PPE should be worn.
 Make note of any changes in equipment, materials and methods – they
may need to update what they provide.

Types of PPE that can be used

Eyes
Hazards
Chemical or metal splash, dust, projectiles, gas and vapour, radiation

Options
Safety spectacles, goggles, face screens, faceshields, and visors

Note
Make sure the eye protection chosen has the right combination of
impact/dust/ splash/molten metal eye protection for the task and fits the user
properly.
Head and neck

Hazards
Impact from falling or flying objects, risk of head bumping, hair getting tangled
in machinery, chemical drips or splash, climate or temperature

Options
Industrial safety helmets, bump caps, hairnets and firefighters’ helmets

Note

 Some safety helmets incorporate or can be fitted with specially-designed

eye or hearing protection.
 Don’t forget neck protection, e.g. scarves for use during welding.
 Replace head protection if it is damaged.
Ears

Hazards
Noise – a combination of sound level and duration of exposure, very high-level
sounds are a hazard even with short duration

Options
Earplugs, earmuffs, semi-insert/canal caps

Note

 Provide the right hearing protectors for the type of work, and make sure
workers know how to fit them.
 Choose protectors that reduce noise to an acceptable level, while allowing
for safety and communication.

Hands and arms

Hazards
Abrasion, temperature extremes, cuts and punctures, impact, chemicals,
electric shock, radiation, biological agents and prolonged immersion in water

Options
Gloves, gloves with a cuff, gauntlets and sleeving that covers part or all of the
arm

Note

 Avoid gloves when operating machines such as bench drills where the
gloves might get caught.
 Some materials are quickly penetrated by chemicals – take care in
selection,
 Barrier creams are unreliable and are no substitute for proper PPE
 Wearing gloves for long periods can make the skin hot and sweaty,
leading to skin problems. Using separate cotton inner gloves can help
prevent this

Feet and legs

Hazards
Wet, hot and cold conditions, electrostatic build-up, slipping, cuts and
punctures, falling objects, heavy loads, metal and chemical splash, vehicles
Options
Safety boots and shoes with protective toecaps and penetration-resistant, mid-
sole wellington boots and specific footwear, e.g. foundry boots and chainsaw
boots

Note

 Footwear can have a variety of sole patterns and materials to help

prevent slips in different conditions, including oil- or chemical-resistant
soles. It can also be anti-static, electrically conductive or thermally
insulating.
 Appropriate footwear should be selected for the risks identified.

Lungs
Hazards
Oxygen-deficient atmospheres, dusts, gases and vapours

Options– respiratory protective equipment (RPE)

 Some respirators rely on filtering contaminants from workplace air.

These include simple filtering facepieces and respirators and power-
assisted respirators.
 Wearers must ensure the RPE fits properly, e.g. for tight-fitting
respirators (filtering facepieces, half and full masks).
 There are also types of breathing apparatus which give an independent
supply of breathable air, e.g. fresh-air hose, compressed airline and self-
contained breathing apparatus.

Note

 The right type of respirator filter must be used as each is effective for
only a limited range of substances
 Filters have only a limited life. Where there is a shortage of oxygen or any
danger of losing consciousness due to exposure to high levels of harmful
fumes, only use breathing apparatus – never use a filtering cartridge.
 Breathing apparatus will need to be used in a confined space or if there
is a chance of an oxygen deficiency in the work area.

Whole body
Hazards
Heat, chemical or metal splash, spray from pressure leaks or spray guns,
contaminated dust, impact or penetration, excessive wear or entanglement of
own clothing
Options
Conventional or disposable overalls, boiler suits, aprons, chemical suits

Note

 The choice of materials includes flame-retardant, anti-static, chain mail,

chemically impermeable, and high-visibility.
 Don’t forget other protection, like safety harnesses or life jackets.

Emergency equipment

Careful selection, maintenance and regular and realistic operator training is

needed for equipment for use in emergencies, like compressed-air escape
breathing apparatus, respirators and safety ropes or harnesses.

Source: https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/labour-administration-inspection/resources-
library/publications/guide-for-labour-inspectors/personal-protective-equipment/lang--en/
index.htm
 Information Sheet 7.3-1
OSH WORK PROCEDURES

Learning Objective:
After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to:
1. Explain OSH Work Procedures

Electrical and Fire Safety Code

Disasters can occur anywhere, and they often occur when we least expect
them. NFPA codes and standards are there to provide us with ways to prevent
their occurrence, manage their impact, and protect us. NFPA develops,
publishes, and disseminates more than 300 consensus codes and standards
intended to minimize the possibility and effects of fire and other risks. Virtually
every building, process, service, design, and installation in society today is
affected by NFPA documents. Our codes and standards, administered by more
than 250 Technical Committees comprising approximately 8,000 volunteers,
are adopted and used throughout the world.

Waste Management
RA 9003 describes solid waste management as a discipline associated with the
control of generation, storage, collection, transfer and transport, processing,
and disposal of solid wastes. The manner by which these activities are
conducted shall be in accord with the best principles of public health,
economics, engineering, conservation, aesthetics, other environmental
considerations, and public attitudes. The Act provides for a comprehensive
ecological solid waste management program by creating the necessary
institutional mechanisms and incentives, appropriating funds, declaring
certain acts prohibited, and providing penalties.

Disaster Preparedness and Management

Disaster management is the “actions taken by an organization in response to
unexpected events that are adversely affecting people or resources and
threatening the continued operation of the organization”.
Disaster management “includes the development of disaster recovery plans, for
minimizing the risk of disasters and for handling them when they do occur,
and the implementation of such plans. Disaster management usually refers to
the management of natural catastrophes such as fire, flooding, or
earthquakes”.
Contingency Measures and Procedures
A contingency plan is a course of action designed to help an organization
respond effectively to a significant future event or situation that may or may
not happen.
A contingency plan is sometimes referred to as “Plan B,” because it can be also
used as an alternative for action if expected results fail to materialize.
Contingency planning is a component of business continuity, disaster recovery
and risk management.