Establishments compliant to health standards to get 'safety seal'

CEBU, Philippines — Establishments found compliant with the government’s minimum public health standards will receive a safety seal certificate from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Central Visayas.

DOLE-7 will start issuing certificates next week.

Nineteen establishments, mostly in metro Cebu, were inspected to check their adherence to the protocols, such as the wearing of face shields and face masks, having good ventilation, implementing disinfection, and using of the StaySafe.ph contact tracing system.

These establishments were subjected to validation and re-validation of compliance, specifically under the joint DOLE - Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Interim Guidelines on Workplace Prevention and Control of COVID-19.

DOLE is in charge of inspecting and issuing the safety seal to companies in manufacturing, construction sites, utilities, information and communication companies, and warehouses.

The department also encourages establishments falling under those categories to apply for the certain certificate.

“It will tell the people, the workers, and the clients that it is safe for them to go out, visit and work in these companies because the same have already been issued with a Safety Seal Certificate,” DOLE-7 Director Salome Siaton said in the statement.

The Safety Seal bears the text “We follow safety & health protocols against COVID-19”.

Application may be done online through the DOLE Establishment Report System (ERS) or physically at the regional office.

Other issuing authorities of the Safety Seal are the Department of Trade and Industries (DTI), Department of Tourism (DOT), Local Government Units (LGU), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Each agency has establishments under their own jurisdiction.

The issuance is free and the certificate is renewable every six months. Failing to comply with the minimum public health standards may revoke the certification.

The seal shall indicate the issuing authority, date of issuance, Safety Seal Number, and a QR code placed on the seal to avoid forgery.

A public information drive will be held on Tuesday, June 22, by the DTI-7, DOLE, DILG and DOT and the ceremonial awarding of certificates to the compliant establishments will be on Wednesday, June 23. — Loreine Kyra Lebumfacil, CNU Comm Intern, KQD (FREEMAN)