Dole: Lack of first aid staff top labor offense
The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) said on Monday that the most common labor violation among companies in the country was the lack of first aid personnel, as some businesses consider the safety measure an additional, unnecessary expense.
“Mostly, these are seen in micro-establishments,” Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said during the 19th National Occupational Safety and Health (NOSH) Congress.
He noted that other common violations included the “nonprovision of safety officers or safety training, nonformulation of company occupational safety and health program, nonregistration of establishment, and noncompliance with fire safety inspection by the Bureau of Fire Protection.”
Based on Department of Health records, over 27,600 occupational injuries were recorded nationwide in 2021, of which nearly 40 percent were open wounds, while some were superficial injuries and sprains.
“While most of the noncompliances and violations being discovered and corrected are administrative in nature, the department is nevertheless mindful of the incidence of serious injuries and fatal accidents in identified high-risk areas,” Laguesma said.
Work stopped
“Work stoppage orders have been enforced while the root cause of the problem is being addressed, with erring employers required to pay their employees during the time they are unable to work,” he added.
In an ambush interview, Laguesma explained that most business owners do not want to spend money on workplace safety measures because they view it as an added cost that is separate from operational expenses.
“The usual issue is they see it as an additional cost … that’s why we always say [that] the provision of personal protective devices or equipment … should not be seen as part of their expenses …, it is part of their operations,” he said.
“Secondly, there should also be discipline … You provide the equipment but they do not use it or wear it,” he noted. “Hopefully, there would not be an accident or calamity, because the company will be the one at a disadvantage.”
Earlier, a network of business process outsourcing (BPO) employees filed a formal complaint against 30 call center firms based in Cebu for violating labor and occupational safety laws during the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the province on Sept. 30.
Cease and desist order
BPO Industry Employees Network-Cebu lodged the complaint with the Dole-Region 7 on Oct. 2, with the group saying it received more than a hundred reports about agents being forced to report to work despite their pleas to focus on their safety and their families following the strong quake.
On Sunday, the Dole reported that its Region 7 office had issued a cease and desist order to a BPO company in Cebu that was “found to have no emergency and disaster preparedness and response plan during natural calamities, such as earthquakes,” in its occupational safety and health (OSH) program.
According to the Dole, the BPO was “encouraged to utilize flexible working arrangements” for the duration of the work stoppage.
Another BPO company was found to have OSH deficiencies, the Dole said, adding that it issued a notice of conference so that the firm may submit proof of corrections made subsequently.
Laguesma, in his speech during the forum, said that punishing companies should be a “last resort,” stressing the importance of conducting a “social dialogue” between employers and employees first.
“We should not have a sweeping generalization that everyone is at fault, because this will have an impact on our goal of attracting investments to create more jobs,” he stressed.
