Construction sites top work accident cases in CV, DOLE-7 reports

Agency to intensify workplace safety drive ahead of World Day for Safety and Health at Work

Despite the danger, rescue workers continue to search for more victims trapped underneath the debris of a bunkhouse in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City that collapsed on March 6, 2018. The operation of the company that owns the bunkhouse, J.E. Abraham C. Lee Construction and Development Inc. (ACLI), is now being scrutinized by the Cebu City government. | CDN File photo / LITO TECSON

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Nearly half of the over 100 workplace accidents that were reported in Central Visayas last year came from the construction industry.

Lawyer Roy Buenafe, regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (DOLE-7), said 46 percent of 106 work-related accidents recorded in 2024 occurred in construction sites across the region.

“Ang datos nga atong nakuha sa pagkakaron is regionwide tinuod na nga 46 percent of the hundred-plus accidents reported to our office kay gyud sa construction industry… Sa akong tan-aw naa gyud ni sa tulo ka syudad kay naa man gud dinhi ang bulk sa atong construction projects sa Cebu City, Mandaue City, and Lapu-Lapu City,” Buena told reporters in an interview.

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(Based on regionwide data, it is true that 46 percent of the hundred-plus incidents reported to our office came from hte construction industry… Based on my observation, this happened in the tri-cities because these is where the bulk of the construction projects are – in Cebu City, Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City.)

The growing number of incidents has triggered concern from DOLE-7, which will now bolster its workplace safety programs and promote awareness among workers and employers.

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Occupational safety

Buenafe emphasized that occupational safety and health must be treated as a shared priority in every worksite, especially in high-risk industries such as construction.

“Ang idea man gud ana is that kung kitang trabahante himsog ta, nisulod sa kompanya ug sa trabaho ang atong pangandoy nga himsog ta nga muoli sad sa atong pamilya,” he said.

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(The idea is that if the workers are healthy when they enter the company to work, their dream is to remain healthy when they go home to their families.)

The labor agency has launched a series of preventive measures, including toolbox meetings, safety clinics, and orientation sessions, to help workers identify and avoid job-related hazards.

As part of the observance of World Day for Safety and Health at Work on April 28, DOLE-7 will hold a bloodletting activity at Robinsons Galleria Cebu, both to commemorate the event and to promote the importance of health in the workplace.

“Kanang bahin mao na ang tutukan sa DOLE nga dapat zero accident gyud atong makaabot sa trabahoan nato kay dili na nato mabalik, ug unsa man gani mahitabo sa atong panglawas lisod na kaayo,” Buenafe said.

(DOLE will be focusing on the need to ensure zero accident in workplaces because we will no longer be able to restore whatever will happen to our bodies.)

Mental health

He added that workplace safety must also consider mental health, not just physical well-being.

“It’s no longer just about physical illnesses. Mental health is also part of our safety focus this year,” he said.

The construction sector has long been flagged as one of the most dangerous industries to work in due to the presence of multiple hazards, from falling debris and heavy machinery to unsafe scaffolding and exposure to toxic substances.

According to a 2021 labor survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), construction workers suffered from a range of injuries, including cuts, fractures, burns, crush injuries, and in some cases, traumatic amputations.

Of the 2,309 total injuries recorded nationwide that year, 810 resulted in workdays lost, 27 were fatal, and over 750 led to either permanent or temporary incapacity.

Buenafe further said that while employers are required to comply with safety standards, the department will continue to conduct monitoring and extend technical assistance to ensure compliance.