Basic Occupational Health and Safety

Module 1: Introduction
This is a very short module which aims to prepare you for the technical discussions
that will follow in the next modules. This will also explain how the discussions will flow and
give you basic directions on where we are going.

Objectives:
Working on this module should help you to:
 have an overview of the BOSH Course and the importance of safety and health
 define OSH and its three major fields – Occupational Safety, Occupational Health
and Industrial Hygiene
 identify work hazards and risks and recommend control measures to reduce or
eliminate work-related accidents and illness
 acquire basic knowledge & skills on OSH, such as safe work practices, that will
enable you to plan/develop your company’s Safety and Health program.

Overview of the BOSH Course

By the end of this course, you should be able to:
 Understand the National Laws and Regulations on OSH
 Be aware of the Philippine Statistics on accidents/injuries and illnesses and the
reporting requirements of the Department of Labor and Employment
 Understand the causes of accidents, identify existing/potential safety and health
hazards and risks at work, and the mechanisms to prevent these hazards and risks
 Describe the effects of OSH hazards on the worker
 Enumerate the effects of occupational illnesses/accidents to the workers,
workplace, community, and society
 Determine the appropriate control measures to prevent hazards and risks
 Conduct a simulated safety and health audit through a site/plant visit
 Describe the roles/functions of the supervisor in promoting an OSH-friendly
environment in his/her organization
 Describe the components of a health and safety program
 List and describe the benefits of an OSH-friendly environment, the different
government organizations and non-governmental organizations, private and
academic institutions that promote, regulate OSH and how they can network with
partners

These objectives can be attained by understanding OSH, why we need to learn key
concepts in prevention and how we can respond to existing and potential hazards that
affect the human body, personal lives, families and communities.

What is Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)?

Occupational safety and health is a discipline with a broad scope involving three major
fields – Occupational Safety, Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene.
 Occupational safety deals with understanding the causes of accidents at work and
ways to prevent unsafe act and unsafe conditions in any workplace. Safety at work
discusses concepts on good housekeeping, proper materials handling and
storage, machine safety, electrical safety, fire prevention and control, safety
inspection, and accident investigation.
 Occupational health is a broad concept which explains how the different hazards
and risks at work may cause an illness and emphasizes that health programs are
essential in controlling work-related and/or occupational diseases.
 Industrial hygiene discusses the identification, evaluation, and control of physical,
chemical, biological and ergonomic hazards.

“In its broadest sense, OSH aims at:

 the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and
social well-being of workers in all occupations;
 the prevention of adverse health effects of the working conditions

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 the placing and maintenance of workers in an occupational environment adapted

to physical and mental needs;
 the adaptation of work to humans (and NOT the other way around).

In other words, occupational health and safety encompasses the social, mental and
physical well-being of workers, that is, the “whole person”.

Successful occupational health and safety practice requires the collaboration and
participation of both employers and workers in health and safety programs, and involves
the consideration of issues relating to occupational medicine, industrial hygiene,
toxicology, education, engineering safety, ergonomics, psychology, etc.

Occupational health issues are often given less attention than occupational safety
issues because the former are generally more difficult to confront. However, when health
is addressed, so is safety - a healthy workplace is by definition also a safe workplace. The
reverse, though, may not be true - a so-called safe workplace is not necessarily also a
healthy workplace. The important point is that both health and safety issues must be
addressed in every workplace.” (Your health and safety at work: INTRODUCTION TO
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY, International Labour Organization, accessed
25 April 2005 http://www.itcilo.it/actrav/actrav-english/telearn/osh/intro/introduc.htm).

The terms hazard and risk are often interchanged. Because you will be
encountering these throughout the course it is a must that you understand the difference
between them.

Hazard – a source or situation with a potential to cause harm in terms of injury, ill health,
damage to property, damage to the environment or a combination of these.

Risk – a combination of the likelihood of an occurrence of a hazardous event with specified

period or in specified circumstances and the severity of injury or damage to the health of
people, property, environment or any combination of these caused by the event.

The hazards affecting the workplace under each major area should be detected,
identified, controlled and, at best, prevented from occurring by the safety and health officer
of the company. Occupational safety and health should be integrated in every step of the
work process, starting from storage and use of raw materials, the manufacture of products,
release of by-products, use of various equipment and ensuring a non-hazardous or risk-
free work environment.

Our discussions will therefore flow from the three major areas of OSH and then on
to the part where you will prepare a re-entry plan to apply what you have learned in your
specific workplace. If you are not working yet, we can simulate a company, a household
or a community that will benefit from your re-entry plan.

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)

DEPARTMENT ORDER NO. 198 Series of 2018

“IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS OF REPUBLIC

ACT NO. 11058 ENTITLED “AN ACT STRENGTHENING
COMPLIANCE WITH OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
STANDARDS AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR
VIOLATIONS THEREOF”

DECLARATION OF POLICY
 The State affirms labor as a primary social and economic force, and that a safe
and healthy
 workforce is an integral aspect of nation building.
 The State shall ensure a safe and healthful workplace for all working people by
affording them full protection against all hazards in their work environment.

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 It shall ensure that the provisions of the Labor Code of the Philippines, all domestic
laws, and internationally recognized standards on OSH are being fully enforced
and complied with by the employers, and it shall provide penalties for any violations
thereof.
 The State shall protect every worker against injury, sickness or death through safe
and healthful working conditions.
 It shall promote strict but dynamic, inclusive, and gender sensitive measures in the
formulation and implementation of policies and programs related to OSH.

COVERAGE
It shall apply to all establishments, projects and sites and all other places where
work is being undertaken in all branches of economic activity, including:
 Establishments located inside special economic zones and other investment
promotion agencies (e.g., Philippine Economic Zone Authority [PEZA], Clark
Development Corporation [CDC]);
 Utilities engaged in air, sea, and land transportation;
 Industries such as mining, fishing, construction, agriculture, and maritime
 Contractors and subcontractors including those engaged in the projects of the
public sector.

NOTE: The Rules does not apply to the public sector such as national government
agencies; government-owned and controlled corporations with original charters,
government financial institutions, state universities and colleges and local government
units

DEFINITION OF TERMS
Certified first-aider – any person trained and duly certified to administer first aid by the
Philippine Red Cross (PRC) or any organization authorized by the DOLE Secretary
Competency Standards – industry-determined specifications of proficiency required for
effective work performance.
Covered Workplaces – establishments, projects, sites and all other places were
work is being undertaken wherein the number of employees, 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 DO 198-18.
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, s. 2001.
Equipment – any machine with engine or electric motor as prime mover.
Employer – any person, natural or juridical, including the contractor, subcontractor, and
principal employer who directly or indirectly benefit from the services of the employee.
General safety and health inspection – an examination of the work environment,
including the location and operation of machinery other than those covered by technical
safety audits, ventilation, and other possible sources of safety and health hazards.
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 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 works and refineries;
11. Power generation, transmission and distribution in the energy sector;
12. Storage and distribution center for toxic or hazardous chemicals;
13. Storage of fertilizers in high volume;

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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.

Imminent danger – 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.
Low risk establishment – 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 illness.
Medium risk establishment – a workplace where there is moderate exposure to safety
and health hazards and with probability of an accident, injury or illness.
Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) – establishments employing less than 10
employees and the establishments employing less than 100 employees, respectively,
regardless of capitalization.
Occupational Health Personnel – a qualified first-aider, nurse, dentist or physician
engaged by the employer to provide occupational health services in the establishment,
project, site or workplace.
Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Consultant – a qualified Safety Officer 4 or its
equivalent, duly certified by DOLE to perform and/or render consultative services on OSH
in at least 2 fields of specialization as determined by DOLE.
Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Practitioner – 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.
Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards – a set of rules issued by DOLE
which mandates the adoption and use of appropriate practices, means, methods,
operations or processes, and working conditions to ensure safe and healthful employment.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – a specialized clothing or equipment designed
to protect workers against safety and health hazards that may cause serious workplace
injuries and illnesses.
Safety and Health Audit – a regular and critical examination of project sites, safety
programs, records, and management performance on program standards on safety and
health conducted by the safety officer.
Safety and Health Committee – a body created within the workplace tasked with the
authority to plan, develop and implement OSH policies and programs, monitor and
evaluate the OSH program, and inspect and investigate all aspects of the work pertaining
to safety and health of workers.
Safety and Health program – a set of detailed rules to govern company policies,
processes and practices in all economic activities to conform with OSH standards.
Safety Officer – any employee or officer of the company trained by DOLE or DOLE
Accredited Training Organization and tasked by the employer to implement an OSH
program
Safety Officer 1 (SO1) – an employee who has completed the mandatory 8-hour
OSH orientation course as prescribed in the OSH standards and 2-hour trainer’s trainings
Safety Officer 2 (SO2) – an employee who has completed the mandatory forty 40- hour
OSH training course applicable to the industry as prescribed in the OSH standards.
Safety Officer 3 (SO3) - 40-hour OSH training course applicable to the industry
- additional 48 hours of advanced/ specialized OSH training course
- at least 2 years’ experience in OSH
Safety Officer 4 (SO4) - 4o-hour OSH training course
- 80 hours of advanced/ specialized Occupational Safety training course
- aggregate of 320 hours of OSH related training or Experience
Safety Signage – any emergency, warning or danger signpost using the standard colors
and sizes, including the standard symbols for safety instructions and warnings in the
workplace
Workplace – any site or location where workers need to be present or to go to by reason
of their work, and which are under the direct or indirect control of the employer
Worker – any member of the labor force, regardless of employment status

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Workers’ OSH Seminar – the mandatory 8-hour module conducted by the safety officer
of the workplace as prescribed by the OSH standards

DUTIES OF EMPLOYERS
 Equip a place of employment for workers free from hazardous conditions that are
causing or are likely to cause death, illness, or physical harm
 Provide complete job safety instructions to all the workers, including, but not limited
to, those relating to familiarization with their work environment
 Ensure that the chemical, physical and biological substances and agents, and
ergonomic and psychosocial stresses under control are without risk to health
 Use only approved specific industry set of standards of devices and equipment for
the workplace
 Comply with OSHS including training, medical examination, and where necessary,
provisions on protective and safety devices such as PPE and machine guards
 Make arrangement for workers and their representatives to have the time and
resource to participate in the processes of organizing, planning and
implementation, monitoring, evaluation and action for improvement of the OSH
management system
 Provide, where necessary, for measures identifying trainings and drills, evacuation
plans, etc. to deal with emergencies, fires and accidents including first-aid
arrangements
 Comply with all reportorial requirements of the OSH standards
 Register establishment to DOLE as provided under the OSH standards

DUTIES OF WORKERS
 Participate in capacity building activities on safety and health and other OSH
related topics and programs;
 Proper use of all safeguards and safety devices furnished for workers’ protection
and that of others
 Comply with instructions to prevent accidents or imminent danger situations in the
workplace
 Observe prescribed steps to be taken in cases of emergency
 Report to their immediate supervisor any work hazard that may be discovered in
the workplace.

DUTIES OF OTHER PERSONS

 Any other person, including the builder or contactor who visits, builds, renovates
or installs devices or conducts business in any establishments or workplace, shall
comply with the provisions of this Rules and all other regulations issued by the
Secretary of Labor and Employment.
 Whenever 2 or more undertakings are engaged in activities simultaneously in one
1 workplace, it shall be the duty of all concerned to collaborate and cooperate to
ensure compliance with OSH standards and regulations.

WORKERS’ RIGHT TO KNOW

 The right to safety and health at work shall be guaranteed.
 All workers shall be appropriately informed by the employer about all types of
hazards in the workplace, and provided access to training and education on
chemical safety and to orientation on data sheet of chemical safety, electrical
safety, mechanical safety, ergonomics, and other hazards and risks.
 All workers, including new hires, shall be provided training and information for all
types of hazards in the workplace in a language and dialect that workers can
understand.
 A re-orientation on safety and health for workers in high-risk establishments must
be conducted regularly, not less than once a quarter, and to be conducted
immediately following any changes in the operations and production process.

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WORKERS’ RIGHT TO REFUSE UNSAFE WORK

 The worker has the right of refusal to work without threat or reprisal from the
employer if, as determined by DOLE, an imminent danger situation exists.
 As a preventive measure, the safety officer may, following his/her own
determination and without fear of reprisal, implement a work stoppage or suspend
operations in cases of imminent danger.
 The employer or safety officer cannot require the workers to return to work where
there is a continuing imminent danger.
 A worker may also refuse to work until the lifting of the Work Stoppage Order
(WSO) after implementing the appropriate corrective measures
 Workers affected by the existence of an imminent danger situation may be
temporarily assigned to other areas within the workplace provided there is no
impending issue with safety and health.
 Section 24 of this Rules shall apply during the period of such WSO or suspension
of operations due to an imminent danger situation.

WORKERS’ RIGHT TO REPORT ACCIDENTS

 Workers and their representatives shall have the right to report accidents,
dangerous occurrences, and hazards to the employer, to DOLE and to other
concerned competent government agencies.
 Reporting of accidents to DOLE may be made through any means of
communication, including the DOLE hotline, whichever is most convenient to the
worker. The same may be reported to the nearest DOLE Regional, Field, Provincial
or Satellite Office having jurisdiction over the place of the incident.

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