REACTION / THESIS The issue said to the article Ten workers die in construction accident in the Philippines, is about

the construction worker s of a luxurious condominium construction owned by the Eton Property Group or called the Eton Residences died after riding an electric gondola that fell 21 stories and landed on metal rods. It is stated in the article that the said electric gondola is used to have a carrying capacity of five to six people only but the workers who are in the gondola are in a total of eleven people. The refore, theyve reached and exceeded in the limit of the said gondola. The tragic happening of the construction workers can be avoidable if there were safety precautions discussed to them and also if the safety equipment or apparatuses used to protect the workers were given. As the investigation of the accident goes, theyve discovered that there were no safety harnesses or lifelines provided for the workers. According to the Rule 1080 of Occupational Safety and Health Standards, which is the Personal Protective Equipment and Devices, Every employer shall at his own expense furnish his workers with protective equipment for the eyes, face, hands and feet, protective shields and barriers whenever necessary by reason of the hazardous nature of the process or environment, chemical or radiological or other mechanical irritants or hazards capable of causing injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation or physical contact. It is also indicated in the article that the job site had no permit of operating a gondola. Well in fact, the gondola should also be operated by a certain person whos knowledgeable with regards to the gondola. Only one of the eleven workers who were in the gondola survived but is in the hospital injured and has a lot of fractures. As the investigation continues, they also found out that the workers are only wearing cheap slippers and not work boots. It is again a violation of the Rule 1087 which states that the workers shall be provided with approved safety shoes and leg protection whenever necessary as determined by the nature of work. The incident is not new in the concept of employment in the Philippines. Most of the laborers were contractual therefore, they have no employment records and their payments were lesser than the minimum wage of the country. They dont receive benefits from the contractors. The accident was blamed by the Eton Property Group to its subcontractors which are the CE Construction, Arlo Glass and Aluminum and EM Pion. With these accusations, no one accepted the responsibility for the death of the ten workers. The death of the ten workers should have been avoided if they were given the proper instructions by the responsible and educated people. The investigation of this accident is only one of the many ways where justice is given to them. The responsible persons for the ten workers death should face the consequences as they are the ones who are responsible for these.

ANTI-THESIS The accountability of the death of the workers is not with the responsibility of the Eton Property Group or its subcontractors. It is stated in the article that the response of the CEO of the Arlo Glass which is one of the Eton Property Groups subcontract ors is that they didnt hire the workers but they came to them. Its true that the most of the workers nowadays are the ones who were com ing to constructions for vacancies to provide their own needs because the situation here in the Philippines goes that way. According to a research, most of the workers who are employed in the construction industry are contractual workers. Therefore, they dont re ceive benefits from the contractors and they are not given the chance to form a union which is definitely needed by the laborers to have their own rights and benefits with regards to their work. The ten workers of the accident are only contractual and as contractual workers, they are the ones who were responsible for their own selves. They shouldve asked for safety harnesses and asked for more safety precautions to the people who are in charge of safety. They also should have the necessary information with regards to the operation of the electric gondola and its capabilities and limitations. They needed the job so they come to the contractors therefore, in accordance with the acceptance of the job; they are the ones responsible for their life and accepted the nature of their work.

CONCLUSION The rules of the construction safety in the Philippines which are found in the Occupational Safety and Health Standards were good enough if they were properly implemented and applied. But the situation here in the Philippines, these rules are inconsiderable and most of them are unrecognized. Most of the laborers especially those who are contractual workers are unaware of the said rules of the OSHS. They dont have the knowledge with regards to the proper safety precautions of the construction industry. As for th e companies and contractors, they shouldve provided their workers with safety gears and information to avoid accidents that will just cause them indirect costs. Providing the needs of the workers are also a good thing for them because, it lessens the possibility of hazardous incidents that may cause them in a big trouble or more expenses. The government of the Philippines should have taken this in consideration because many Filipino workers are in the construction industries but in the sense of reality, they didnt. T hese rules are made to be considered and not to be taken for granted because abiding these rules may trigger grave consequences and may even result to death.

REFERENCES
[1]

The Philippines, Occupational Safety and Health Standards RULE 1080 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND

DEVICES (1081.01)
[2]

The Philippines, Occupational Safety and Health Standards RULE 1080 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND

DEVICES (1087: Use of Safely Shoes)