DOLE stops construction of Cebu hospital, supermarket over safety issues

The Department of Labor and Employment over the weekend halted the construction of a hospital and a supermarket for non-compliance with labor standards and safety rules.

 

Ordered halted was construction on Chong Hua hospital, and SM Hypermarket at Fuente Osmena; and SM Hypermarket at the Mactan Economic Zone 2 in Basak, Lapu-Lapu City.

 

DOLE also ordered a halt to the construction of FLB Corporate Centre at the Cebu Business Park but said it has since lifted that order.

 

"The joint assessment conducted by the DOLE Regional Office No. 7 of these construction projects showed the contractors and sub-contractors have a laundry list of general labor standards and OSH rules and regulations they need to comply with first before resuming construction activities. There is imminent danger to the lives of the workers if these compliances are not met," DOLE Central Visayas regional director Exequiel Sarcauga said (http://www.dole.gov.ph/ro_polo_updates/view/966).

 

Safety issues

 

At the SM Hypermarket construction project, the DOLE found contractor Momentum Construction and Development Corp. had no approved structural analysis and design of a "monkey ladder" used as scaffolding for elevated exterior works.

 

Also, workers lacked appropriate personal protective equipment and certificate of training of scaffolders.

 

There was also no Construction Safety and Health Program, no safety officer, no first-aider officer, and no submission of administrative reports.

 

For Chung Hua Hospital, DOLE regional office investigators found similar non-compliances by Alfonso Luzoriaga Jr., owner of contractor Paintworks.

 

DOLE also found the contractor has no registration certificate, no contract with the principal showing the cost of implementing the CSHP as a separate item in the contract, and no policy on a drug-free workplace, HIV/AIDS prevention and control, Hepatitis B, Tuberculosis, and Anti-Sexual Harassment.

 

Painter fell to his death

 

In the FLB Corporate Centre Project, Sarcauga issued the stoppage order to Wilson Yu of Sonyu Paint Specialist, ASEC Construction and Development Corp., and AS Enriquez Engineering Consultancy.

 

It said a painter fell 40 meters to his death and another was severely injured when the welded connection of the monkey ladder they were using gave way and disconnected.

 

“There was no safety officer in the site when the fatal accident happened,” Sarcauga said.

 

DOLE accident investigators said the contractor had no approved structural analysis of the monkey ladder used as scaffolding, no safety committee or safety officers, no registration; no contract with the principal showing the cost of implementing the CSHP as a separate item in the contract; and no administrative reports submitted.

 

It also had no drug-free workplace policy or those on HIV/AIDS prevention and control, Hepatitis B, Tuberculosis, and Anti-Sexual Harassment.

 

“Because of our findings, the contractors and sub-contractors of the FLB Corporate Centre Project committed to comply with all the requirements, and did so on 9 January, so we have lifted the order,” the DOLE said.  — Joel Locsin/ELR, GMA News