Monday, January 28, 2008 Most firms lack safety committees
THE major problem in most companies in the country today is the lack of occupational safety and health (OSH) committee that will ensure a hazard-free environment for employees.
An OSH committee is the “heart” of the company when it comes to complying with government and company safety standards and training workers with safety procedures and requirements, an OSH executive said.
Most companies think setting up an OSH committee or complying with government requirement for a safe work environment is expensive.
“It’s not (expensive). Try accidents and work-related illnesses-they are expensive and will affect the productivity of the company,” said OSH center executive director Dr. Estrella Dulce Gust in last week’s Kapihan sa PIA.
Companies can request training from Dole OSH center worth P3,500 per person for one week.
Gust said most small companies with less than nine employees don’t have OSH committees or don’t have the standard safety features like fire extinguishers, proper ventilation, and first aid materials.
Dole Assistant Regional Director Exequiel Sarcauga blamed this on the owners focusing more on the supply-and-demand side of the business.
“Even large companies look okay but you’ll be surprised that accidents even happen there,” Gust said.
Mass media
Without OSH committees, the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) will have to directly communicate with owners and workers or through the mass media.
But Sarcauga said they don’t even have enough manpower to do regular inspections of companies in Central Visayas.
So far, with seven inspectors from the regional office and augmented with staff from Dumaguete City, Oriental Negros and Siquijor Province, Dole checked the OSH status of over 1,000 companies in Cebu City last year.
This is only the “surface” of over 49,000 companies in Central Visayas.
Dole 7 will inspect OSH standards in businesses in the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu this year.
Sarcauga reported there were only four incidents that took place in big companies last year, compared to 2004 when there was one work-related accident each month.
Importance
He attributed this to the increasing awareness of the importance of OSH.
Relying on advocacy, training, technical service, networking and linkages, the OSH center leads the zero accident program of Dole.
The program promotes work safety and health though activities such as Gawad Kaligtasan at Kalusugan awards and the National Occupational Safety and Health Congress. (NRC)
