Republic of the Philippines

BOHOL ISLAND STATE UNIVERSITY

Main Campus
Vision: A premier S&T university for the formation of world class and virtuous human resource for sustainable development in Bohol and the Country.
Mission: BISU is committed to provide quality higher education in the arts and sciences, as well as in the professional and technological fields; undertake
research and development and extension services for the sustainable development of Bohol and the country.

INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

Hand-out No. 1
Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is the
promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of
physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all
occupations; it calls for the prevention of any impairment
in the health and well-being of workers caused by their
working conditions or work environment. OSH stands for
the protection of workers from risks and hazards that could
adversely affect their health and well-being and for their
placement in an occupational environment adapted to
his/her physiological ability.
Under the Philippine Constitution of 1987, OSH is
a constitutional objective described as just and humane
terms and conditions of work. Accordingly the Philippine
Labor Code devotes an entire book to prevention,
enforcement of OSH standards and compensation of workrelated injuries and illnesses. Under the leadership of the
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) a body of
OSH Standards has been developed including policies,
hazard-specific laws and programs together with provisions
on their enforcement, monitoring and evaluation.
Mechanisms are in place to ensure cooperation between
stakeholders in the private and public sectors.
OSH FROM AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
International Labor Organization (ILO) is the
global lead agency on OSH through standard setting,
research, exchange of information and the provision of
technical advisory services. A recent highlight in
international OSH policy formulation is the adoption at the
OSH scenario
Assuming total employment of 32.4 million
workers in 2006, only some 2.2 million workers in medium
and large enterprises enjoy effective OSH protection and
services. This is less than 10% of total employment. The
workers in medium and large establishments are in fact the
beneficiaries of much progress in recent years of OSH
services. Good OSH makes good business. Improved OSH
services account for much of the efficiency and
productivity gains in medium and large corporations such
as partners and beneficiaries of the Zero Accident Program
(ZAP), and the awardees of the Gawad Kaligtasan
Kalusugan (GKK).
Engr. Jessa Eraldin Exaure - Origines

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International Labor Conference (ILC) in 2006 of a

Convention and Recommendation on the promotional
framework for OSH. These new international instruments
call for the formulation of national OSH policies and
related programs, to be formulated and implemented
through concerted effort of the tripartite social partners.
FACTS AND FIGURES ON OSH IN THE
PHILIPPINES
Employment Scenario:
Broadly speaking, Filipino workers are in their
majority young males working in smaller workplaces in
agriculture or in the services sector. In 2006, total
employment of 33.0 million workers was distributed
between agriculture, fisheries and forestry (11.8 million),
industry (4.9 million) and services (15.7 million); while
agriculture and services recorded an increase of 4.2% and
2.4% respectively compared with 2005, employment in
industry recorded a decrease during the same period.
Of a total of 800,000 establishments, about 3000
firms employ more than 200 workers, while some 70,000
medium and small establishments employ between 10 and
199 workers. Some 750,000 firms employ less than 10
workers but account for the bulk of own-account workers
as well as employees and family members with low skills
working under precarious employment conditions. While
some of these micro-enterprises fulfill the criteria of the
formal sector, most of them would qualify as livelihood
activities of the informal sector.
About 90% of the Philippine workforce does not
enjoy such favorable working conditions. Several studies
by OSHC confirm that OSH conditions in micro- firms and
the informal sector in metal and woodworking, garment
and footwear, and small-scale mining continue to be
saddled with a host of risks and hazards. These range from
exposure to chemicals and substandard equipment and
tools to unhygienic working environment.
The main focus in occupational health is on three
different objectives: (i) the maintenance and promotion of
workers health and working capacity; (ii) the improvement
of working environment and work to become conducive to
safety and health and (iii) development of work
organizations and working cultures in a direction which

supports health and safety at work and in doing so also

promotes a positive social climate and smooth operation
and may enhance productivity of the undertakings.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Accidents These are undesired circumstances which give
rise to ill-health or injury, damage to property, plant,
products or the environment; production losses or
increased liabilities.
Incidents These are undesired circumstances and near
misses which could cause accidents.
Ill health Acute and chronic ill health caused by
physical, chemical or biological agents as well as adverse
effects on mental health.
Hazard The potential to cause harm. Harm includes ill
health and injury.
Risk It is the likelihood that a specified undesired event
will occur due to the realisation of a hazard by, or during
work activities or by the products and services created by
work activities.

OHL (3%)
Contact with Overhead
Electricity Lines

Maintenance (5%)
While maintaining plant
or equipment

Other (11%)
Other accidents
involving machinery,
asphyxiation, burns or
explosions

Crusher Blockages
(4%)
While clearing crusher or
feeder blockages

Vehicles (41%)
Runover by a vehicle,
vehicles running over
open edge of quarry
face, bench or ramp,
trapped under vehicle
body, vehicle overturned
on quarry floor or road
and vehicles colliding
with plants or other
vehicles

SFS (13%)
Stumbling, Falling or
Slipping
Falling (8%)
Struck by falling objects
or ground

Engulfed (4%)
Buried in material

Conveyors (11%)
Trapped between belt
and head/tail drum rollers

Safety It is the control of accidental loss.

REASONS FOR PREVENTING ACCIDENTS

There are three main reasons for preventing accidents and
ill-health.
1. Moral / Humane
No-one comes to work to be injured or killed
2. Cost
Accidents cost organisations money.
3. Legislation
Organisations have a legal obligation.
(Occupational Safety & Health Standards of
the Philippines, Fire Code of the Philippines)

IMPORTANCE OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH TO

EMPLOYERS

TYPES OF FATAL ACCIDENTS

Engr. Jessa Eraldin Exaure - Origines

IMPORTANCE OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH TO

WORKERS
Work-related accidents or diseases are very costly
and can have many serious direct and indirect effects on
the lives of workers and their families. For workers some
of the direct costs of an injury or illness are:
the pain and suffering of the injury or illness;
the loss of income;
the possible loss of a job; leading to increased
stress and anxiety.
health-care costs.
An occupational illness or accident can have so
many indirect costs to workers that it is often difficult to
measure them. Estimates indicate that the indirect costs of
an accident or illness can be 4 to 10 times greater than
direct costs. Human suffering cannot be compensated with
money

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Employers may experience the following direct

and indirect effects on their business as a result of
occupational injury or illness.
Direct costs include:
payment for work not performed;
medical and compensation payments;
repair or replacement of damaged
machinery and equipment;
reduction or a temporary halt in
production;
increased training expenses and
administration costs;
possible reduction in the quality of work;
negative effect on morale in other workers.
Indirect Costs Include:
the injured/ill worker has to be replaced;

Engr. Jessa Eraldin Exaure - Origines

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a new worker has to be trained and given

time to adjust;
it takes time before the new worker is
producing at the rate of the original
worker;
time must be devoted to obligatory
investigations, to the writing of reports and
filling out of forms;
accidents often arouse the concern of
fellow workers and influence labor
relations in a negative way;
poor health and safety conditions in the
workplace can also result in poor public
relations.