DOLE awards ‘Models of OSH compliance’

QUEZON CITY, 7 NOV. (PIA)–The Department of Labor & Employment (DOLE) awards workplaces who exemplified the new breed of establishments that are always mindful of the health and safety of their workers.

Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz has recently commended the winners of the DOLE’s 9th Gawad Kaligtasan at Kalusugan (GKK), saying that they have made a huge investment in the welfare and protection of Filipino workers, and have set themselves as examples of excellence in Occupational Safety and Health.

“The DOLE celebrates the advances in OSH that it achieves every time the GKK is held,” she said, noting this was the first time that GKK nominees were required to submit their Certificates of Compliance with general labor standards and occupational safety and health as part of the requirement for nominees to the Awards.

The GKK is one of the five seals of good housekeeping under the DOLE Incentivizing Compliance Program which aims to encourage companies to voluntarily comply with general labor laws and occupational safety and health standards.

It is a biennial award given by the DOLE through the OSHC to companies and individuals with outstanding occupational safety and health practices, programs, innovations, and contributions.

“This year’s winners are really the best of the best. They have raised the bar higher for OSH programs and practices and have gone from compliance to innovation. I believe this will encourage others to follow-suit. I hope you will be able to share your best practices to other establishments,” said Baldoz.

The labor and employment chief noted that most of the winners of the 2014 GKK are from highly hazardous industries such as the energy and manufacturing sectors.

“We are giving much attention and priority to highly hazardous jobs, such as those in the maritime, construction, and mining because we believe that no life is worth risking in any industry and in any workplace,” she said.

She further explained that the DOLE puts much premium on prevention programs, such as OSH education, information dissemination, and service delivery, especially for vulnerable workers.

Baldoz emphasized the need to prioritize highly hazardous jobs, such as those in the maritime, construction, and mining industries, in the DOLE’s occupational safety and health prevention programs to ensure that all workers are provided with the optimum safeguards to ensure their safety, health, and welfare.

“The increase in the number of awardees in the highly hazardous industries is an undeniable proof that these industries continue to be vigilant in ensuring that their workplaces and workers are safe and healthy,” she said.

Divided into three categories, this year’s GKK winners are as follows:

GKK Champions: Institutional Category–Team Sual Corporation and Sunpower Philippines Module Manufacturing; and Individual Category– Engr. Joey Ortega.

GKK Finalists Silver Award: Institutional Category–Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation -Tabangao Refinery; Toshiba Information Equipment (Philippines), Inc.; SN Aboitiz Power-Magat Inc.; CP Kelcio Philippines Inc.; SN Aboitiz Power-Ambuklao Hydroelectric Power Plant; and Petron Corporation-Legazpi Depot; and Individual Category–Engr. Elizabeth Beronio.

GKK Finalists Bronze Award: Institutional Category– Shell Philippines Exploration B.V.-Malampaya Onshore Gas Plant; Western Mindanao Power Corporation; Unilever Philippines, Inc. (Manila Site); Petron Rosario Terminal; SN Aboitiz Power Benguet, Inc.-Binga Hydroelectric Power Plant, and Rohm Electronics Philippines, Inc.; and Individual Category–Engr. Emmanuel Maniquis, Jr.; Engr. Eusebio Timario, Jr.; and Engr. Teodoro Cahoy.

Early this year, the OSHC required all nominees from all regions to submit documents, including the DOLE-issued Certificate of Compliance, for a chance to join the GKK. After the initial screening, a shortlist of 60 companies and 25 individuals were subjected to on-site validation.

A team of experts from the OSHC, corresponding DOLE Regional Offices, Bureau of Working Conditions, and employers’ and workers’ groups visited company premises to confirm if the safety and health programs and contributions mentioned in submitted documents were indeed in place. The team further narrowed the number of entries who proceeded to the last phase, the final judging and deliberation.

Board of Judges composed representatives from the Alliance of Filipino Workers, Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines, Social Security System, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth), Safety Organization of the Philippines, Inc., Philippine College of Occupational Medicine, Occupational Health Nurses Association of the Philippines, Employees Compensation Commission, National Wages and Productivity Commission, and Bureau of Working Conditions, conducted the final judging and deliberation. (DOLE/RJB/SDL/PIA-NCR)

– See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/231415264978/dole-awards-models-of-osh-compliance-#sthash.YlJzmDEH.dpuf