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APRIL 2023 REVIEW PROGRAM

CIVIL ENGINEERING LICENSURE EXAM

APPLIED MATH, SURVEYING, TRANSPORTATION & HIGHWAY ENG’G, CONST. MGT.

Thursday, December 15, 2022 Module 14

CONSTRUCTION OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 11058

REPUBLIC ACT No. 11058 – An Act Strengthening Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Standards and Providing Penalties for Violations Thereof

Definition of Terms:

(a) Certified first-aider refers to any person trained and duly certified to administer first aid by the Philippine Red Cross or any organization authorized by the
Secretary of Labor and Employment;

(b) Competency standards refers to industry-determined specification of proficiency required for effective work performance. These are expressed as
outcomes with focus on workplace activity rather than training or personal attributes, and the ability to apply new skills in new situations or changing work
organization;

(c) Covered workplaces refer to establishments, projects, sites and all other places where work is being undertaken wherein the number of employee, nature of
operations, and risk or hazard involved in the business, as determined by the Secretary of Labor and Employment, require compliance with the provisions of
this Act;

(d) Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) – Accredited Training Organizations refer to those which have been granted accreditation by DOLE
pursuant to Department Order No. 16, Series of 2001 and its subsequent regulations

(e) Employer refers to any person, natural or juridical, including the principal employer, contractor or subcontractor, if any, who directly or indirectly benefits
from the services of the employee;

(f) Equipment refers to any machine with engine or electric motor as prime mover;

(g) General safety and health inspection refers to an examination of the work environment including the location and operation of machinery other than those
covered by technical safety audits, adequacy of work space, ventilation, lighting, conditions of work environment, handling, storage of work procedures,
protection facilities and other possible sources of safety and health hazards in the workplace;

(h) High risk establishment refers to a workplace wherein the presence of hazard or potential hazard within the company may affect the safety and/or health of
workers not only within but also persons outside the premises of the workplace. There is high level of exposure to safety and health hazards, and
probability of a major accident resulting to disability or death or major illness is likely to occur if no preventive or control measures are in place. The
following are workplaces commonly associated with potentially high-risk activities:

1. Chemical works and chemical production plants;

2. Construction;
3. Deep sea fishing;
4. Explosives and pyrotechnics factories;
5. Firefighting;
6. Healthcare facilities;
7. Installation of communication accessories, towers and cables;
8. LPG filling, refilling, storage and distribution;
9. Mining;
10. Petrochemical and biofuel works and refineries;
11. Power generation, transmission and distribution in the energy sector;
12. Storage, handling, and distribution center for toxic or hazardous chemicals;
13. Storage and handling of fertilizers in high volume;
14. Transportation;
15. Water supply, sewerage, waste management, remediation activities;
16. Works in which chlorine is used in bulk; and
17. Activities closely similar to those enumerated above and other activities as determined by DOLE in accordance with existing issuances on the
classification of establishments.

(i) Imminent danger refers to a situation caused by a condition or practice in any place of employment that could reasonably be expected to lead to death or
serious physical harm;

(j) Low risk establishment refers to a workplace where there is low level of danger or exposure to safety and health hazards and not likely or with low
probability to result in accident, harm or injury, or illness.

(k) Medium risk establishment refers to a workplace where there is moderate exposure to safety and health hazards and with probability of an accident, injury
or illness, if no preventive or control measures are in place.

(l) Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) refer to establishments employing less than ten (10) employees, and establishments employing less than one hundred
(100) employees, respectively.

(m) Occupational health (OH) personnel refers to a qualified first aider, nurse, dentist or physician engaged by the employer to provide occupational health
services in the establishment, project, site or workplace;

(n) Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) consultant refers to a qualified Safety Officer 4 or its equivalent, duly certified by DOLE to perform and/or render
consultative services on occupational safety and health in least two (2) fields of specialization as determined by DOLE.

(o) Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) practitioner refers to a qualified Safety Officer 3 or its equivalent, duly certified by DOLE to render occupational
safety and health services in a defined and specific scope or core competency.

(p) Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards refers to a set of rules issued by DOLE which mandates the adoption and use of appropriate practices,
means, methods, operations or processes, and working conditions reasonably necessary to ensure safe and healthful employment.

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(q) Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to a specialized clothing or equipment designed to protect workers against safety and health hazards that may
cause serious workplace injuries and illness.

(r) Safety and health audit refers to a regular and critical examination of project sites, safety programs, records, and management performance on programs,
records, and management performance on program standards on safety and health;

(s) Safety and health committee refers to a body created within the workplace tasked with the authority to monitor, inspect and investigate all aspects of the
work pertaining to the safety and health of workers.

(t) Safety and health program refers to a set of detailed rules to govern the process and practices in all economic activities to conform with OSH standards,
including the personnel responsible, and penalties for any violation thereof;

(u) Safety officer refers to any employee or officer of the company trained by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and tasked by the employer to
implement an occupational safety and health program, and ensure that it is in accordance with the provisions of OSH standards;

(v) Safety Officer 1 (SO1) refers to an employee who has completed the mandatory eight (8)-hour OSH orientation course as prescribed in the OSH standards
and two (2)-hour trainer’s training.

(w) Safety Officer 2 (SO2) Refers to an employee who has completed the mandatory forty (40)-hour OSH training course applicable to the industry as
prescribed in the OSH standards.

(x) Safety Officer 3 (SO3) Refers to an employee who has completed the mandatory forty (40)-hour OSH training course applicable to the industry, additional
forty-eight (48) hours of advanced/specialized occupational safety training course relevant to the industry, relevant experience in OSH for at least two (2)
years, and other requirements as prescribed in the OSH standards.

(y) Safety Officer 4 (SO4) Refers to an employee who has completed the mandatory forty (40)-hour OSH training course applicable to the industry, additional
eighty (80) hours of advanced/specialized occupational safety training course relevant to the industry, an aggregate of three hundred twenty (320) hours of
OSH related training or experience, an actual experience as SO3 for at least four (4) years, and other requirements as prescribed by the OSH standards.

(z) Safety signage refers to any emergency, warning or danger signpost or any safety instruction using the standards colors and sizes, including the standards
symbols for safety instructions and warnings in the workplace, prescribed by the DOLE; and

(aa) Workplace refers to any site or location where workers need to be or to go to by reason of their work, and which are under the direct or indirect control of
the employer.

(bb) Worker refers to any member of the labor force, regardless of employment status.

(cc) Workers' OSH Seminar refers to the mandatory eight (8)-hour module conducted by the safety officer of the workplace as prescribed by the OSH
standards.

Standard Colors of Signs for Safety Instructions and Warnings in Building Premises

1. Red - Fire Protection. To call attention to fire protection equipment apparatus and facilities;

2. Green - Safety. Designating “safety”

3. White - Traffic. White, black, or a combination of these are the basic colors for the designation of traffic and housekeeping marking.
Solid white, solid black, single color stripping or alternate stripes of black and white.

4. Yellow - Caution. To designate caution and for marking physical hazards, such as striking against, stumbling, falling, tripping, and “caught in
between”. Solid yellow, yellow and black stripes, yellow and black checkers or yellow with suitable contrasting background shall be
used in interchangeably, using the combination which will attract the most attention in the particular environment.

5. Orange - Alert. To designate dangerous parts of machines or energized equipment which may cut, crush, shock or otherwise injure, and to
emphasize such hazards when enclosure doors are open or when gear, belt or other guards around moving equipment are open or
removed, exposing unguarded hazards.

6. Blue - Precaution. To designate caution, limited to warning against starting, use of, or the movement of equipment which is under repair or
being worked upon.

7. Purple - Radiation. To designate hazards. Yellow is used in combination with purple for markers, such as tags, labels, signs and floor markers.

Construction Safety and Health and Equipment Maintenance

There are at least two other major reasons for construction management to be seriously concerned about safety. These reasons are humanitarian and financial.

Everyone is understandably distressed when a fellow employee is killed or disabled, so the humanitarian basis for safety is apparent. However, many managers do not
fully appreciate the financial consequences of accidents. Worker’s compensation insurance premiums, for example, are based on a firm’s accident rate. Public liability,
property damage, and equipment insurance rates are also affected by accident rates. It has been shown that a construction firm can lose its competitive bidding position
simply because of the effect of high insurance premiums resulting from a poor safety record. In addition to the visible cost of accidents represented by insurance and
worker’s compensation payments, there are other costs, which are difficult to estimate. Such costs associated with an accident include the monetary value of lost project
time while the accident is investigated and damages are repaired, the time required to replace critical materials and equipment and to train replacement workers, as well
as the effect on those portions of the project not directly involved in the accident.

Requirements for equipment safety include rollover protection (ROPS), seat belts, backup alarms, improved brake systems, and guards for moving parts. Maximum
noise levels are also set for equipment operators and other workers.

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Safety Programs

Although there are many ingredients in a comprehensive safety program, some of the major elements are listed below:
1. A formal safety training program for all new employees.
2. Periodic refresher training for each worker.
3. A formal supervisory safety training program for all supervisors.
4. A program of regular site visits by safety personnel to review and control job hazards.
5. Provision of adequate personal protective equipment, first-aid equipment, and trained emergency personnel.
6. An established procedure for the emergency evacuation of injured workers.
7. Provisions for maintaining safety records and reporting accidents.

Minimizing Insurance Cost

As noted earlier, a construction contractor’s cost of insurance is largely determined by the construction company’s accident experience. Some of the
factors considered by an insurer in evaluating the risk involved in providing insurance coverage for a construction company include the following:
 The company’s record of accidents and safety violations.
 Adequacy of the company’s safety program including testing of employees for skill qualification as well as for drug and alcohol use,
training of workers, existence of a company safety plan and evidence of its enforcement, the system for accident reporting, and adequacy of
the workers’ personal protective equipment.
 Job-site appearance and evidence of proper equipment maintenance.

Some indicators of unsafe and risky construction operations include the following:
 Failure to follow required safety procedures
 Poor housekeeping at the construction site.
 Failure to use necessary personal protective equipment.
 Evidence of inadequate worker training, particularly on hazardous operations.
 High rate of employee turnover.

Safety Procedures

It has been found that most serious construction accidents involve construction equipment operations, trench and embankment failure, falls from elevated positions,
collapse of temporary structures and formwork, or the failure of structures under construction.

General
Good housekeeping on a project site is both a safety measure and an indicator of good project supervision. Lumber, used formwork, and other material lying
around a work area increase the likelihood of falls and puncture wounds.

Equipment Operations
 Require operators and mechanics to use steps and handholds when mounting equipment.
 Utilize guides or signalpersons when the operator’s visibility is limited or when there is danger to nearby workers. Backup alarms or guides must be used
when equipment operates in reverse.
 Exercise extreme caution and comply with safety regulations when operating near high-voltage lines. In case of accidental contact with a high-voltage line,
the operator should attempt to move the equipment enough to break contact. If unsuccessful, the operator should remain on the equipment until the line can
be deenergized.
 Make sure that machines are equipped with required safety features and that operators use seat belts when provided.
 Use care when operating equipment on side slopes to prevent overturning.
 When operating cranes, be extremely careful not to exceed safe load limits for the operating radius and boom position. Electronic load indicators are
available.
 Do not allow workers to ride on equipment unless proper seating is provided.
 Haul roads must be properly maintained. Items to check include condition of the road surface (holes, slippery surface, excess dust), visibility (curves,
obstacles, intersections, and dust), and adequate width for vehicles to pass (unless one-way).
 Park equipment with the brake set, blade or bowl grounded, and ignition key removed at the end of work.
 Equipment used for land clearing must be equipped with overhead and rear canopy protection. Workers engaged in clearing must be protected from the
hazards of irritant and toxic plants and instructed in the first aid treatment for such hazards.
 When hauling heavy or oversized loads on highways, make sure that loads are properly secured and covered if necessary. Slow-moving and oversized
vehicles must use required markings and signals to warn other traffic.
 Take positive action to ensure that equipment under repair cannot be accidentally operated.
 Utilize blocking, cribbing, or other positive support when employees must work under heavy loads supported by cables, jacks, or hydraulic systems.
 Ensure that any guards or safety devices removed during equipment repair are promptly replaced.
 Shut down engines and do not allow smoking during refueling.

Construction Plant
 Set equipment containing hot or flammable fluids on firm foundations to prevent overturning. Clearly mark high-temperature lines and containers to prevent
burns. Be especially careful of live steam. Provide fire extinguishers and other required safety equipment.
 Aggregate bins and batching plants should be emptied before performing major repairs.
 When electrical equipment is being repaired, shut off and tag electrical circuits.
 Ensure that wire rope and cable are of the proper size and strength, well maintained, and inspected at least weekly.

Excavations
 The location of underground utilities and other hazards must be determined before starting an excavation.
 The sides of excavations must be properly shored or sloped to the angle of repose to prevent cave-ins.
 When workers are required to enter a trench excavation 4 ft (1.2192 m) or more in depth, a stairway, ladder, ramp, or other safe means of egress must be
located in such a manner as to require no more than 25 ft (7.62 m) of lateral travel by any worker in the trench.
 Avoid the operation of equipment near the top edge of an excavation because this increases the chance of slope failure. The storage of materials near the top
edge of an excavation, vibration, and the presence of water also increase the chance of slope failure. When these conditions cannot be avoided, additional
measures must be taken to increase slope stability. If workers are required to enter the excavation, no spoil or other material may be stored within 2 ft (0.6 m)
of the edge of the excavation.

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 Ensure that workers are not allowed under loads being handled by excavators or hoists.
 Watch out for buried lines and containers when excavating. Possible hazards include toxic and flammable gases, electricity, and collapse of side slopes
caused by sudden release of liquids. If a gas line is ruptured and catches fire, get personnel and flammable material away from the fire and have the gas
turned off as quickly as possible. Do not attempt to extinguish the fire because an accumulation of unburned gas poses a greater threat than does a fire.

Construction of Structures
 Properly guard all openings above ground level.
 Provide guard rails, safety lines, safety belts, and/or safety nets for workers on scaffolds or steelwork.
 Ensure that temporary structures are properly designed, constructed, and braced.
 Special caution should be exercised in high-rise concrete construction. Forms must be of adequate strength and properly braced. The rate of pour must be
maintained at or below design limits. Shoring and reshoring must be adequately braced and not removed until the concrete has developed the required
strength.

Marine or Over-Water Construction

Marine or over-water construction operations present all of the usual construction hazards plus additional hazards posed by the marine environment. These
additional hazards include drowning, slippery surfaces, increased tripping and height hazards, as well as weather and wave action.

Some of the major safety precautions that should be taken are listed below:
 Unless workers can safely step onto vessels, a ramp or safe walkway must be provided. Access ways must be adequately illuminated, free of
obstructions, and located clear of suspended loads.
 Working areas should have nonslip surfaces, be maintained clear of obstructions, and be equipped with adequate handrails.
 Workers on unguarded decks or surfaces over water must wear approved life jackets or buoyant vests. Life rings and a rescue boat must also be
available. Workers more than 25 ft (7.6 m) above a water surface must be protected by safety belts, safety nets, or similar protective equipment.

Environmental Health in Construction

The major environmental health problems encountered in construction consist of noise, dust, radiation (ionizing and nonionizing), toxic materials, heat, and cold.

Noise
Permissible noise levels are a function of length of exposure and range from 90 dBA (decibels measured on the A-scale of a standard sound
meter) for an 8-h exposure to 140 dBA for impulse or impact noise. When a satisfactory noise level cannot be attained by engineering controls,
personal ear protection must be provided.

Dust
In addition to creating a safety hazard due to loss of visibility, dust may be responsible for a number of lung diseases. Silica dust and asbestos
dust are particularly dangerous and produce specific lung diseases (asbestosis and silicosis). Asbestos dust has also been found to be a cancer-
producing agent.

Radiation
Ionizing radiation is produced by X-ray equipment and by radioactive material. Such radiation may be present on the construction site when X-
raying welds, measuring soil density, or performing nondestructive materials testing.

Nonionizing radiation is produced by laser equipment and electronic microwave equipment. Laser equipment is coming into widespread use for
surveying and for alignment of pipelines, tunnels, and structural members. Workers must be provided antilaser eye protection when working in
areas having a potential exposure to laser light output greater than 5 mW.

Toxic Materials
Construction workers may accidentally encounter toxic materials at any time, particularly on reconstruction projects. However, the most frequent
hazards consist of buried utility lines and underground gases. Every effort must be made to locate and properly protect utility lines during
excavation operations. The air in a work area should be tested whenever an oxygen deficiency or toxic gas is likely to be encountered. Emergency
rescue equipment such as breathing equipment and lifelines should be provided whenever adverse atmospheric (breathing) conditions may be
encountered. Specific safety procedures and protective equipment should be provided if hazardous liquids or solids are likely to be encountered.

Heat
Construction workers are often required to work under high-temperature conditions. Fortunately, the human body will acclimate itself to high-
temperature conditions within a period of 7–10 days. However, serious heat illness may result when workers are not properly acclimated and
protected. Medical effects range from fatal heat stroke to minor heat fatigue. It is particularly important to health that the body’s water and salt
levels be maintained. Heat cramps result when the body’s salt level drops too low. Factors that have been found to increase the heat strain
experienced by workers include drug consumption, fever from an infection, exposure to low-frequency noise, and exposure to environmental
gases such as carbon monoxide.

Methods for reducing heat effect on workers include use of mechanical equipment to reduce physical labor requirements, scheduling hot work for
the cooler part of the day, use of sun shields, providing cool rest areas [optimum temperatures about 77°F (25°C)], providing a water and salt
supply easily accessible to workers, and the use of proper hot-weather clothing.

Cold
Extreme cold-weather conditions, although not encountered as often as heat conditions, pose essentially opposite problems to those of hot-
weather operations. The human body will acclimate itself to cold as it will to heat, but the acclimation period for cold is much longer. Medical
effects of cold include frostbite, trenchfoot, and general hypothermia (reduction of the core body temperature). General hypothermia is usually
fatal when the body core temperature drops below 65°F (18°C).

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Equipment Maintenance

Equipment maintenance is the servicing, adjusting, and repairing of equipment.

Proper preventive maintenance procedures and an efficient repair system will minimize equipment failures and their consequences. Maintenance can be divided into
several levels or categories. The categories that will be used here are preventive maintenance, minor repair, and major repair.

Preventive Maintenance
Preventive maintenance (sometimes referred to as PM) is routine periodic maintenance and adjustment designed to keep equipment in the best possible
operating condition. It consists of a number of elements that may be compared to links in a chain. The primary links in the PM chain are the skill of the
operator, the manner in which the equipment is used, proper fuel handling, proper equipment lubrication, and correct periodic adjustment. If any of the links
of this chain fails, the result will be premature equipment breakdown.

Preventive maintenance indicators (PM indicators) are conditions which may be readily observed by an equipment manager and provide a guide to the
maintenance condition of the equipment. Although a number of these indicators have been developed for specific equipment, the following are of general
application:
 After the equipment has been standing idle for several hours, check on the ground for grease, oil, or water spots that will indicate leaks.
 Make a visual inspection of the equipment for loose bolts, leaking hoses or seals, and any unusual wear.
 Check blades for holes or dents. Check cutting edges and end bits for excessive wear and loose bolts.
 On crawler-type equipment check the track for correct tension and loose shoe bolts. Loose track bolts are indicated if there is a shiny surface
around the bolt head and if dirt is knocked off loose bolt heads by vibration. Modern equipment often uses hydraulic track adjusters which are
tensioned with a grease gun. Track adjustments must be made on the job since certain soils tend to tighten the track during operation. The
undercarriage should be kept as free as possible of mud and debris to prevent loss of power and unnecessary track wear.
 Make sure that the radiator is free of debris and that the radiator core openings are clean. Fan belts and other drive belts should be in good
condition and properly tensioned. Using a belt tension gauge for checking belt tension is strongly recommended.
 Be sure that fuel, oil, hydraulic fluid, and water are in their proper levels. Gauges should be checked for condition and proper operation.
 Ensure that the air cleaner and precleaner are serviced as required.
 Check that cables and sheaves are clean and properly lubricated and that cables are free of kinks and broken strands.
 Be sure that the operator’s floor is clear of hazards and loose objects and is free of grease and oil.
 Check that the battery is clean and undamaged. Battery cables should not be frayed and connections should be tight.
 Adjust brakes and clutches properly.
 Check tires for proper inflation and check the condition of treads and sidewalls. Improper inflation is the major maintenance and safety problem
for tires.
 Watch for dark smoke coming from the exhaust after the engine has warmed up. Smokey exhaust usually indicates a clogged air intake or fuel
problem (damaged fuel injector or wrong fuel).

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