BACOLOD City Councilor Sonya Verdeflor urged the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) to conduct fire drill in business processing outsourcing-information technology companies in the city.

Verdeflor said the employees working in night shifts in the BPO-IT sector should be given proper orientation on occupational safety standards to prepare them in times of danger such as fire and earthquake.

She added that the enjoyment of these standards at the high level is a basic human right that should be accessible to every worker.

“Regardless of the nature of their work, workers should be able to carry out their responsibilities in a safe and secure working environment, free from hazards," Verdeflor added.

She pointed out that these rights are set in labor standards to ensure that employers are clear about their duties and obligations and consequences in case of hazards in the workplace.

Verdeflor said employers that administer call centers in BPO-IT sector should understand the guided principle “safety first before profit.”

She said that as an effective measure in preventing hazards in the workplace, the BFP and CDRRMO need to conduct fire and earthquake drills to orient call center agents working on night shift.