DOLE-7 orders work stoppage at Lapu-Lapu City construction site

DOLE-7 Director Salome Siaton /CDND File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines–The Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas issued a work stoppage order (WSO) at a construction site in Lapu-Lapu City after two workers were electrocuted Friday last week.

DOLE-7 Regional Director Salome Siaton issued the WSO Saturday against the management of Tayemco Building located on Patalingjug Street, Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City as well as against its service provider JRDM Builders, according to a DOLE-7 press release.

“We got an unverified information last Friday evening regarding a worker who got electrocuted, ” Siaton said. “But we could not instantly send a labor inspector to the area since we did not have the details of what happened especially the name of the establishment involved and its exact location.”

After receiving information on the location of of the construction site concerned, Siaton said, a labor inspector went to the site to conduct an Occupational Safety and Health Investigation (OSHI).

“The WSO ordered management of Tayemco Building and JRDM Builders to cease and desist from all its scaffold erection and painting works within the project site until such time that violations noted under the Occupational Safety and Health Standards have been rectified,” the regional director said.

The OSHI showed that there were two painters who were electrocuted while doing paintworks at the Tayemco Building, which happened to be very near the high tension wire of the Mactan Electric Company (MECO).

The victims were identified as Jessie Onong, 32, married and Jerwin Lupar, 30, single, who both hailed from Davao City.

“We learned that the victims were brought to the Mactan Doctors Hospital but unfortunately one of them, Jerwin Lupar, died after sustaining electrical injury at high voltage,” Siaton said.

The DOLE-7 investigation found that the project site did not have any safety officer on duty during the incident.

There was no wire insulator installed on the overhead power line especially the one nearest the MECO power lines.

Also, there was no Hazard Identification Risk Assessment and Control for paintworks.

“Our labor inspector also noted that the management failed to present a DOLE approved Construction Safety and Health Program or CSHP. There was even no certified scaffold erector with an NC II issued by TESDA,” Siaton explained.

The inspection also found other OSHS violations. These include the failure of management and its service provider to provide and present a First Aider; Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) used by the workers; and the DOLE-prescribed incident report.

The labor inspector also noted violations under the General Labor Standards since the workers were not covered with SSS, Philhealth and Pag-ibig.

In addition, there was no proof shown by management of having given financial assistance to the affected workers.

“We urge all establishments to exercise extra caution and to be guided by the Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.A. 11058, otherwise known as An Act Strengthening Compliance on Occupational Safety and Health and Providing Penalties Thereof,” said Director Siaton.

She also reminded all companies that violations exposing the workers to death, serious injuries or serious illness would be meted out with an imposable penalty of P100,000.00 and penalties could be computed on a per day basis until full compliance to standards had been demonstrated by concerned establishments./dcb