Philippines Occupational Safety and Health Standards

Foreword

• The Occupational Safety and Health Standards was formulated in 1978 to safeguard workers' social and economic well-being, physical safety, and health.
• The standards were revised in 1989 to address the increasing number and types of occupational hazards due to industrialization and technological innovations.

Rules and Regulations

• Rule 1000: General Provisions
  • Purpose: to establish occupational safety and health standards
  • Definitions of key terms
  • Administration and enforcement of the rules
  • Special inspection, investigation, and review
  • Duties of employers, workers, and other persons
  • Confidentiality of trade secrets
• Rule 1010: Other Safety Rules
  • Promulgation of rules
  • Special rules
  • Hazardous workplaces
• Rule 1020: Registration
  • General provision
  • Registrable unit
  • Period of registration
  • Registration
• Rule 1030: Training of Personnel in Occupational Safety and Health
  • Training programs
  • Accreditation
  • Training and personnel complement
  • Qualifications of a safety consultant
  • Prohibition in the practice of occupational safety and health
• Rule 1040: Health and Safety Committee
  • General requirements
  • Types and composition of health and safety committee
  • Duties of the health and safety committee
  • Term of office of members
  • Duties of employers, workers, and the safety man
• Rule 1050: Notification and Keeping of Records of Accidents and/or Occupational Illnesses
  • Definitions
  • Special provision
  • Report requirements
  • Keeping of records
  • Evaluation of disability
  • Measurement of performance
• Rule 1060: Premises of Establishments
  • General provisions
  • Construction and maintenance
  • Space requirement
  • Walkway surface
  • Floor and wall opening
  • Stairs
  • Window openings
  • Fixed ladders
  • Overhead walks, runways, and platforms
  • Yards
• Rule 1070: Occupational Health and Environmental Control
  • General provisions
  • Threshold limit values for airborne contaminants
  • Physical agents
  • Illumination
  • General ventilation
  • Working environment measurement
• Rule 1080: Personal Protective Equipment and Devices
  • General provision
  • Eye and face protection
  • Respiratory protection
  • Head protection
  • Hand and arm protection
  • Safety belts### General Provisions
• The Occupational Safety and Health Standards (Standards) aim to protect workers from injuries, sickness, or death by ensuring safe and healthy working conditions.
• The Standards apply to all workplaces, except as otherwise provided, and cover industrial, agricultural, and dry dock enterprises.

Definitions

• Employer: includes any person acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an employer, including government-owned or controlled corporations, and non-profit private institutions.
• Employee: means any person hired, permitted, or suffered to work by an employer.
• Industrial Enterprise: includes any workplace, permanent or temporary, where one or more persons are employed in manufacturing, processing, or related activities.
• Agricultural Enterprise: includes forestry, logging, farming, and related activities, but excludes manufacturing or processing of certain products.
• Dry Dock: includes premises where work is performed on shore or on board ships, including construction, repair, refit, finishing, or breaking up of ships.
• Health: refers to a sound state of body and mind that enables a worker to perform their job normally.
• Safe or Safety: refers to physical or environmental conditions of work that comply with the Standards.
• Work Accident: means an unplanned or unexpected occurrence that may result in personal injury, property damage, work stoppage, or interference.
• Work Injury: means any injury or occupational illness suffered by a person that arises out of or in the course of employment.
• Occupational Illness: means any illness caused by environmental factors specific to a particular process, trade, or occupation.
• Recognized Hazards: are those that do not require technical or testing devices to detect.
• Workplace: means the office, premises, or work site where workers are habitually employed.
• Approved: means acceptable to the Secretary of Labor and Employment in writing after proper examination.
• Code: refers to the Labor Code P.D. 442 as amended.
• Department: refers to the Department of Labor and Employment.
• Secretary: refers to the Secretary of Labor and Employment.
• Bureau: refers to the Bureau of Working Conditions.
• Director: refers to the Director of the Bureau of Working Conditions.
• Standards: refers to the Occupational Safety and Health Standards.
• Enforcement Officer: refers to the industrial safety engineer, labor regulation officer, or any duly authorized representatives of the Secretary.
• Authorized Representative: includes chartered cities, municipalities, employees, or officials of other government agencies empowered by the Secretary to enforce the Standards.### Administration and Enforcement
• The Department of Labor and Employment administers and enforces the provisions of this Standards.
• Employers must give access to their premises and records to the Secretary or authorized representatives to determine compliance.
• Establishments or workplaces must be inspected at least once a year to determine compliance.
• Special inspection visits may be authorized to investigate accidents, occupational illnesses, or dangerous occurrences.

Application of Standards

• The provisions of this Standards apply to all workplaces except those engaged in land, sea, and air transportation (except their garages, dry docks, port hangars, maintenance and repair shops).
• The provisions do not apply to mining installations, surface or underground, within the mining claim or lease.
• The Department of Labor and Employment is responsible for administration and enforcement of this Standards in all places of employment, except as provided in Rule 1980.

Special Inspection, Investigation, and Review

• Any worker or representative of workers who believes a violation of this Standards threatens physical harm or imminent danger to life may request an inspection.
• The Regional Labor Office or authorized representative shall conduct a special inspection or investigation upon receiving a complaint.

Duties of Employers, Workers, and Other Persons

• Employers must furnish a place of employment free from hazardous conditions, provide job safety instructions, comply with this Standards, and use approved devices and equipment.
• Workers must cooperate with employers in carrying out provisions of this Standards, report work hazards to supervisors, and use safeguards and safety devices furnished by employers.
• Other persons, including builders, contractors, or enforcement agents, must comply with provisions of this Standards and regulations issued by employers.

Confidentiality of Trade Secrets

• Information reported to or obtained by enforcement officers in connection with inspections or proceedings under this Standards, containing or revealing trade secrets, shall be considered confidential.

Other Safety Rules

• Safety and health rules may be promulgated, amended, modified, or revoked by the Bureau.
• The Bureau may ask for advice and assistance from individuals and organizations, especially recognized workers' and employers' organizations.
• The Secretary may issue a Stoppage Order to prohibit the presence of workers in a workplace where an imminent danger exists.

Abatement of Imminent Danger

• An imminent danger is a condition or practice that could reasonably be expected to cause death or serious physical harm before abatement.
• The enforcement officer shall inform the employer and workers of the danger and recommend issuance of an Order for stoppage of operation or other appropriate action.
• The Regional Director shall issue an Order requiring specific measures to avoid, correct, or remove the imminent danger.