IN AN effort to strengthen grassroots-level workplace safety, the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (DOLE 7) launched its Barangay Occupational Safety and Health (Bosh) Patrol on Monday, July 1.
DOLE 7 Director Roy Lloren Buenafe led the initiative as a response to the growing number of workplace accidents in the region, particularly in the construction and manufacturing sectors.
At least 10 barangays in Cebu City have sent tanods and representatives to be trained as local safety officers under the supervision of the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) Central Visayas.
Barangay tanods, councilors, and health workers, especially those from areas with recurring workplace accidents, were prioritized for the training.
The participating barangays include Talamban, Apas, Lahug, Kamputhaw, Capitol Site, Mambaling, Guadalupe, Mabolo, Inayawan, and Banilad.
According to DOLE 7 data, it has so far recorded 42 workplace incidents this year.
Buenafe said majority of these incidents occur in informal or poorly monitored job sites.
“Our goal is to ensure that workers remain safe and healthy in their respective workplaces across Metro Cebu and the rest of Central Visayas,” Buenafe said in a statement.
The trained personnel, now dubbed Bosh Patrollers, are expected to help monitor and improve workplace conditions within their communities, and serve as the frontline enforcers of labor and safety standards in their respective barangays.
The Bosh Patrol program is part of DOLE’s broader campaign to prevent occupational hazards through proactive engagement at the community level. (EHP)