DOLE: Most violations against Occupational Safety Law involve lack of safety officers

Most violations against the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Law were companies without safety officers and committees, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Wednesday.

Based on inspections conducted by the DOLE’s Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Center, most violations against the law found that a number of workplaces lacked the necessary officers.

“Karamihan po sa mga nakita po natin na violation is ‘yung wala po silang mga safety officers at wala po silang mga safety and health committees,” OSH Center Executive Diretor Noel Binag said during the Laging Handa briefing.

[Most of the violations we observed are that there were no safety officers and no safety and health committees.]

Under Republic Act 11058, workplaces are required to have an OSH Committee, which will ensure the safety and health program are observed and enforced.

The committee should be composed of an employer or representative as the chairperson, a safety officer of the company or project as the secretary, a safety officer representing the contractor or subcontractor as members, physicians as members, and representatives of unions if applicable.

The safety officer is then mandated to oversee the overall management of the safety and health program, monitor and inspect health or safety, assist government inspectors, and issue work stoppage orders when necessary.

“Kailangan po tulong tulong ‘yan. Ito po ay joint effort among mga employers, among safety officers, at lalong lalo na po ‘yung participation ng ating mga manggagawa. Malaki po ang kanilang role,” Binag said.

[This needs to be collaborative. This is a joint effort among employers, among safety officers, and especially the participation of workers. They have a major role.] — RSJ, GMA News