DOLE issues work stoppage order vs Valenzuela tire plant

The Department of Labor and Employment on Monday issued a work stoppage order on a rubber tire plant in Valenzuela City where a worker was killed in an accident last January. DOLE Metro Manila director Alan Macaraya said his office's findings showed that the Pilipinas KAI Rubber Corp. had violated occupational safety standards. A mechanic of the company, Bongbong Danding, was killed while two of his co-workers were injured in the Jan. 22 incident, when the door of one of the autoclaves burst open. According to investigators Inspector Bienvenido Reyta and Renato Cruz, the accident stemmed from the failure of an interlock, a mechanical safety device that disables the door opening mechanism while vessel pressure exceeds a conservative value. "The ring that holds in place the door had been broken, causing the door of the autoclave to burst open. The door and the broken ring were taken by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) for examination to determine the cause of failure of the interlocking device," said Reyta in his report. But he added "no conclusive findings could be ascertained at this point until the results of the test on the said materials are known." Macaraya said that since the company still has two remaining autoclaves, the DOLE's labor inspectors recommended the issuance of the stoppage of work order until management has shown proof that it has undertaken measures to ensure the safety of the curing chambers. He also noted that during the inspection, management failed to present to the labor inspectors company records such as payrolls, time records, medical reports, safety committee organization, First Aider Certificate, Safety Officers Certificate, Boiler & Pressure Vessel Permit to Operate, Electrical and Mechanical Permit. Also, he said that on Jan. 25, management submitted proof of payment of P171,500.00 as financial assistance to the family of the deceased worker, but it was after the work stoppage order or suspension of operation was already issued. — DVM, GMA News