DOLE engineers to monitor construction sites in WV

DEPARTMENT of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 6 Director Cyril L. Ticaoto will dispatch starting today, July 15, 2019, a team of DOLE inspectors to various construction sites in Western Visayas to look into the constructors’ compliance on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Law.

Ticao created a task force to intensify the monitoring of OSH compliance of all on-going construction projects in the Region, especially those in major cities.

The recent string of work-related accidents in the region, specifically those that happened in construction sites, prompted the DOLE director to create a task force composed of DOLE engineers to monitor OSH Standards compliance.

Ticao said that every time he passes by any on-going construction project in Iloilo City, he observed that construction workers do not wear personal protective equipment (PPE).

He thus reminded the constructors to provide their workers with and require them to wear the PPE and to post safety signage and devices so as to protect their workers from accident.

DOLE Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III signed on December 6, 2018 Department Order No. 198-18 or the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 11058 or “An Act Strengthening Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Standards and Providing Penalties for Violations thereof.”

The said Law provides monetary penalties to companies which failed or refused to comply with OSH standards or comply with the compliance orderissued by the Regional Director.

“I would like to remind the constructors to comply with the OSH standards to avoid penalty should they found violating the provisions of Republic Act No. 11058,” Ticao said.

Region 6 has so far issued Work Stoppage Order with corresponding penalties to four companies – three in Iloilo and one in Negros Occidental.