Standard safety programs can help prevent accidents – DOLE

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental, Aug. 26 (PIA) -– Industries have to put in place standard safety programs to help prevent or eliminate accidents from happening.

This was the message of Asst. Regional Director Sisinio B. Cano of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-10) to the private occupational safety groups during the opening of the Regional Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Summit held at the Pearlmont Inn, this city, Aug. 25-26.

“We will continuously work and support our partner safety organizations, so that, together we may be able to inculcate to workers, as well, as to the management side, that safety is non-negotiable,” Cano said.

Anchored on the theme: “Sustaining and strengthening safety, health, and environment in the workplace,” the summit aims to enhance compliance to occupational safety and health (OSH) standards, as well as, promote greater stakeholder participation in the OSH advocacy.

Together with DOLE and the Occupational Safety and Health Center, region 10 (OSHC- 10), the activity was initiated by the three (3) established safety organizations in the region:

Occupational Safety and Health Network, region 10 (OSHNet-10), Safety Organization of the Philippines-Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro City and Bukidnon, Inc. (SOPI-MOCdeOBuk) and the Association of Safety Practitioner of the Philippines, Inc., region 10 (ASPPI-10).

Engr. Teodoro V. Cahoy, president of OSHNet-10 Inc said that this is the only gathering where all safety organizations in a region have worked together in bid to increase public awareness especially among small medium enterprises (SMEs).

“The good turnout in attendance shows that most industries in the region are (OSH) conscious,” he said.

Among the participants of the summit were, medical professionals and safety practitioners from the different industries in the region who will be sharing their best safety practices and studies on addressing regional concerns and issues such as OSH challenges in agri-business, hospitals, and emergency preparedness in the Information and Technology (IT) sector.

The summit opened with the unveiling of booths and exhibits, followed by plenary sessions and will close with presentations on resolutions related to OSH the signing of the pledge of commitment.

Meanwhile, OSHC Executive Director, Ma. Terista Cucueco commended its partners for realizing the big gathering, citing it, as an initial step to best expand the networking between the government and non-government organization (GO/NGO).

“Through this co-partnership we will find ways to multiply all our efforts and this summit that we are having now, is the fruit of our partnership,” she noted.

Likewise, Dr. Gilbert B. Gille, President of the Philippine College of Occupational Medicine, Inc. invited interested companies to join any of the three safety organizations in the region, assuring help and necessary assistance.

“We give free lectures or seminars to the corresponding companies as part of our advocacy awareness and with that we also recommend to them, to apply for accreditation to the government sector like DOLE,” Gille said.

“We are not sleeping on our obligations as safety and health practitioners in the private sector and we are moving together aggressively with the government sector that’s why we are here,” he added. (PIA 10)