Task Force Safety Patrol

Report on DO 13 Compliance

Engr. Concepcion T. Sto Tomas Safety Control Division

Background
DOLE Administrative Order 174-12 was issued on April 26, 2012 Creating Task Force Safety Patrol Task: Conduct of safety audit of on-going construction projects in NCR, Region III, Region IV-A, Region VII and Region XI.

Objectives
Evaluate compliance of construction companies to DO 13 and provide guidance towards compliance; Recommend measures to improve safety condition and prevent accidents in construction sites.

Methodology
1. Five patrol teams were organized (NCR, Region III, Region IVA, Region VII and Region XI)
Team Members: OSHC, BWC, ECC, OSHNet, Consultant/Practitioner, Workers Representative

2. Simultaneous audit of 5 regions May 2 to June 28, 2012 3. Evaluation of DO 13 documentary requirements (CSHP, S&H PRACTIONERS, TESTING OF EQUIPT.,
SKILLS TRAINING, ETC)

Methodology
4. Evaluation of actual site safety condition - Excavation, Electrical Safety, Temporary Structures, Heavy Equipment 5. Discussion with the project manager, safety officers, health personnel and other concerned staff.

Number of Projects Audited

Total:

112 on-going projects audited

Construction Safety and Health Program

With Construction Safety and Health Program (CSHP) submitted/approved by DOLE

Yes
35 28 31% 25%

No
77 52 69% 46%

With specific budget on CSHP

Safety Personnel
With full-time/part-time safety officer Employ Safety personnel accredited by the DOLE Safety Personnel with Construction Safety Training

YES

NO

FEW

51 5 28

46%

61 76 67

64%

4%

68%

4 1

4% 1%

25%

60%

Health Personnel and Clinic

With emergency health personnel as per DO 13 requirement Health personnel with BOSH (OHNAP/PCOM) 19 With clinic and with access to nearby hospital 59

YES

NO

FEW

40

36% 17% 53%

66 98 43

59% 52% 38%

Heavy Equipment
Heavy equipment operators are TESDA certified Heavy equipment are tested and certified by DOLE accredited testing organization Heavy equipment are regularly inspected and maintained in good condition 25 23 19

YES

NO

FEW

22% 21% 17%

44 37 24

39% 33% 21%

2 3 4

2% 3% 4%

Construction Safety and Health Committee

Construction Safety and Health Committee exist and functional There is regular meeting by the Construction Safety and Health Committee Minutes of CSHC meetings filed and available 18

YES

NO

FEW

30 29

27%

78 5 49

70%

26%

47%

16%

44%

Safety and Health Information

Workers deployed in the construction site have undergone the one-day safety and health awareness seminar/orientation Orientation (1-4 hr orientation) Toolbox meetings conducted daily 24

YES

NO

FEW

6 48

5% 43% 21%

97 56 74

87% 50% 66%

4 3 4

4% 3% 4%

Construction Workers Skills Certificate

Workers involved in critical task have undergone skills testing and certification from TESDA 13

YES

NO

FEW

12%

80

71%

13

12%

Personal Protective Equipment

Employer provide his workers the necessary PPE at his own expense PPE furnished to workers/ staff/guests in the construction site are of the approved type 29 13

YES

NO

FEW

26% 12%

52 69

46% 52%

28

25%

Signages
Construction safety signages are provided to warn the workers/public of hazards in the site

YES

NO

FEW

31

28%

64

57%

14

13%

Workers' Welfare Facilities

adequate supply of safe drinking water adequate accommodation for taking meals and shelter 52 41

YES

NO

FEW

46% 37%

37 43

33% 38%

Other Relevant Findings

Not all LGUs strictly implement DPWH Memo on requiring CSHP prior to issuance of building permit; Copies of the approved CSHPs are not available on-site and some of the assigned safety personnel are not aware of the content of the CSHP. Most of the Construction Safety and Health Committees do not perform its functions as stated in DO 13. Frequency of meetings, conduct of hazard assessment and reporting to DOLE are not consistently complied with. Workers operating heavy equipment are not TESDA certified, thus, proper maintenance of equipment and safety procedures are lacking in equipment operations. Lack of OSH training of workers, foremen and even supervisors contribute to generally unrecognized hazardous conditions in construction sites. Construction activities proceed even in the absence of project engineers/ supervisors specially in smaller projects (warehouses) and without all the safety requirements even the simple helmets and safety shoes. General practices in the use of scaffoldings, excavation and temporary electrical system do not conform with the standard safety requirements in majority of the projects. Welfare facilities such as safe drinking water and proper accommodation to take meals and rest during break time are generally not available in majority of the projects.

Recommendations
Clearly, there is a need to have the commitment of the project owners, contractors, sub-contractors and workers on safety and health in construction projects. Upstream and at the level of costing of any construction project, there would be a need to consider the safety and health parameters based on the requirements of DO 13 and determine the cost of providing safety and health. Section 17 of the DO 13 requires that the cost of the construction safety and health program is a separate pay item. In the present scheme of things, the requirement for the program is at the level of the bidders/ winning bidders. The same should be elevated at the level of project owners, project management and developers. The Department of Public Works and Highways issued the National Building Code Memorandum Circular No. 2, series of 2011 requiring a DOLE-approved Construction Safety and Health Program before issuance of building permits. This and other commitments in the Joint Administrative Order Memorandum of Agreement of the DOLE, DPWH, DTI, DILG and PRC should be implemented.

Recommendations
On the execution of safety and health in the project, the general contractor should be able to exercise strict monitoring on the implementation of the safety and health of their sub-contractors. This is the value of the safety and health program which should be the basis for monitoring the projects. The program for the entire project should be cascaded to the various sub-contractors. The checklist developed and used by the safety patrols can be used by the projects in monitoring their safety and health. Advocacy and training on safety and health and the requirements of DO 13 should be continuing. The OSHC, Bureau of Working Conditions, Employees Compensation Commission, DOLE Regional Offices, Regional OSHNets, safety training organizations, safety practitioners and consultants, and other partners should be able to increase significantly the base of those who have been trained/ oriented on safety and health. Lastly, the efforts on prevention on the part of the projects and, enforcement and exacting compliance on the part of the government should be both improved.

Thank You!