The pandemic only compounded the already dismal status of occupational health and safety in the country. Workers are either thrusted into work-from-home setups, forced to risk exposure to Covid-19 in their traditional workplaces, or retrenched altogether.
“Workers’ groups and advocates have not been remiss in making concrete and constructive proposals to the government, but it has been deaf and blind to such proposals.”
While the Duterte administration has implemented a two-week stricter lockdown, other legitimate demands raised by medical experts have been largely ignored. It must be pointed out that many of the recommendations have been articulated by several health NGOs since day 1 but, unfortunately, these have fallen on deaf ears.
“The government placed workers lives in the hands of private employers who prioritize profit over workers’ health and safety. It has placed workers’ lives in the hands of small employers who do not have the necessary resources.”
“It is unfortunate that another accident involving a faulty scaffolding happened only three months after the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) published Department Order No. 128-13 amending the rule on scaffolding in the 1989 Occupational Safety and Health Standards.”
By RONALYN V. OLEA Bulatlat.com MANILA – At first glance, the proposed four-day work week for workers in public and private sectors may seem beneficial but a closer look proves otherwise. According to the Institute for Occupational Health and Safety Development www.IOHSAD.org, implementing a four-day work week with a minimum of ten hours per day…
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
For the year 2009 – 2010, the Institute for Occupational Health and Safety Development (IOHSAD) recorded at least 511 deaths and 791 injured in work-related incidents in the Philippines. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), a worker dies every 15 seconds because of work-related injuries and accidents.
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
“You cannot put a price tag on lives. What the families want is justice for their relatives and guarantees that what happened in the Eton construction site would not happen again. We cannot just let Eton Properties and its contractors and subcontractors escape blame and accountability as families continue to mourn. ” – Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research (EILER)
By MAUREEN A. HERMITANIO
The 10 who fell to their death at Lucio Tan’s construction site were contractual workers. Subcontracting and labor-only contracting are a common practice in the construction industry, where workers are thoroughly exploited.
Related Story: Work Safety Group Urges Probe of Lucio Tan Firm for Death of 10 Workers
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
The Occupational Health and Safety Development demands a thorough investigation of the death of the 11 workers. “Authorities should investigate the contractor and the owners of Eton for their individual responsibilities or the remiss thereof of providing safety for their workforce, ” the group said.