“You don’t need to know the whole alphabet of Safety. The A, B, C of it will save you if you follow it: Always Be Careful.”
– Colorado School of Mines Magazine
As defined, accidents are an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury. While safety, is the physical or environmental conditions of work or employment, which substantially comply with the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHC, 2017)
As a natural response, employers are encouraged to enroll their safety officers to the Basic Occupational Safety and Health (BOSH) Training of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). This is to make sure that the workplace complies with the minimum requirements as prescribed by the said department. As to workers in the field of construction, a separate training named as Construction Safety and Health (COSH) Training is provided.
BOSH and COSH are the mandatory 40-hour training courses required for safety officers working in the common and construction industries respectively under Rule 1030 of the Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHS) and the DOLE Department Order No. 30 (for construction)
We have summarized the content of the OSHS handbook.
Occupational Safety and Health Standards Handbook
| No | Rule No | Title |
| 1 | 1000 | General Provision |
| 2 | 1010 | Other Safety Rules |
| 3 | 1020 | Registration |
| 4 | 1030 | Training of Personnel in Occupational Safety and Health |
| 5 | 1040 | Health and Safety Committee |
| 6 | 1050 | Notification and Keeping of Records of Accidents and/or Occupational Illnesses |
| 7 | 1060 | Premises of Establishments |
| 8 | 1070 | Occupational Health and Environmental Control |
| 9 | 1080 | Personal Protective Equipment and Devices |
| 10 | 1090 | Hazardous Materials |
| 11 | 1100 | Gas and Electric Welding and Cutting Operations |
| 12 | 1120 | Hazardous Work Processes |
| 13 | 1140 | Explosives |
| 14 | 1150 | Materials Handling and Storage |
| 15 | 1160 | Boiler |
| 16 | 1170 | Unfired Pressure Vessels |
| 17 | 1180 | Internal Combustion Engine |
| 18 | 1200 | Machine Guarding |
| 19 | 1210 | Electrical Safety |
| 20 | 1220 | Elevators and Related Equipment |
| 21 | 1230 | Identification of Piping System |
| 22 | 1240 | Power Piping Lines |
| 23 | 1410 | Construction Safety |
| 24 | 1420 | Logging |
| 25 | 1940 | Fire Protection and Control |
| 26 | 1950 | Pesticides and Fertilizers |
| 27 | 1960 | Occupational Health Services |
| 28 | 1970 | Fees |
| 29 | 1980 | Authority of Local Government |
| 30 | 1990 | Final Provision |
We believe that more than just a requirement from the government, safety should be a priority and a concern of all. The manner of being careful always gives rise to a better quality of life as it prevents unwanted treatment and corresponding costs.
In our experience at the site, we have trained our engineers to be aware of safety standards by enrolling them to the COSH program. We begin our work with a toolbox meeting, enumerating the work to be done and the hazards that come along with it. We also perform basic exercises to prepare our men for the work ahead. As a result of this practice, we have not encountered any serious and life-threatening issues pertaining to safety. Small injuries and mishaps were also avoided due to awareness of our management and our people.
Normative References:
- Occupational Safety and Health Standards – https://www.dole.gov.ph/php_assets/uploads/2019/04/OSH-Standards-2017-2.pdf
- DOLE Training Programs – http://www.oshc.dole.gov.ph/images/Files/OSHCTrainingPrograms.pdf