DOLE orders work stoppage vs bldg project after accident

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-7 has issued a work stoppage order against the project manager and owner of a 4-story commercial building project on A.S. Fortuna Street corner Gov. M. Cuenco Avenue, Banilad, Cebu City after one of its construction workers fell from the fourth floor and died.

DOLE-7 OIC-Regional Director Cyril L. Ticao said all operations and activities within the project site of Primeview Resources Inc. were suspended until all noted deficiencies under the Occupational Safety and Health Standards are corrected.

The victim, Joseph Luna, 24 years old, native of Planta Poblacion, Toledo City was said to be among a group of workers removing the plywood formworks when the incident happened last March 19. Luna fell from the fourth flooor.

Ticao, in a statement, said that based on the investigation conducted by their labor inspector, they found out that the plywood formworks that the victim attempted to remove were suddenly detached from the wall causing him to lose his balance and fell on the ground floor head on.

Ticao said that Luna, at the time of the incident, did not have any full body harness and personal protective equipment that could have saved his life.

The investigation also showed that the building had no catch net, debris catcher and independent lifeline.

"This is another unfortunate occurrence in the construction industry. We want to make it clear, though, to all safety officers and safety practitioners in every construction site that it is their duty to make sure that all unsafe conditions in the area are eliminated,” Ticao said.

He said that with the latest incident, it would appear that DOLE, together with its social partners, still has a lot to work on insofar as religiously observing safety and health standards in the workplace is concerned.

He added that during the investigation, management failed to present its DOLE approved Construction Safety and Health Program (CSHP) prompting Ticao to comment on its laxity and negligence in implementing safety and health rules within the worksite exposing all workers to imminent danger.

The CSHP, he clarified, is a set of detailed rules to cover the processes and practices that shall be utilized in a specific construction project site in conformity with the OSHS.

He added CSHP must be at the worksite at all times and should be in accordance with safety and health rules, and other orders and pronouncements issued by the DOLE.

Other violations noted under the OSHS were the following: no construction safety-trained safety officers present during the incident and investigation; no Philippine Red Cross-trained first aider; no hard barricade installed on all edges including the staircases; no personal protective equipment such as hard hats, safety shoes, uniform, among others; no incident report using the DOLE prescribed form; no Philippine Construction Accreditation Board (PCAB) license; no TESDA NC II for skilled workers; and no safety orientation for all workers especially those working at heights.

Other violations were also noted including non-coverage and remittance of SSS, Philhealth, and PAG-IBIG; underpayment of wages; non-payment of overtime premium pay, regular holiday pay, special holiday pay, and thirteenth month pay; and non-presentation of employment records such as pays lips or payroll.

"We would be furnishing the office of the building official or OBO-Cebu City copy of the work stoppage order. And as agreed in our previous meeting, the building permits of construction projects within Cebu City issued with a WSO by the DOLE would also be cancelled by the OBO,” Ticao further said. —MBG (FREEMAN)