Module 1: Introduction to Occupational Safety And

Health

This module aims to prepare you for the technical

discussions that will follow in the next modules. Two
units will be covered.
Unit 1 provides a background on both the local and
international OSH situation. We hope that by being
aware and focusing on the magnitude of work
related accidents, injuries and illness, you will
understand the prevalent conditions that exist which
contribute to the accidents and illness at work.

Unit 2 discusses the different unsafe and unhealthy

acts and conditions in workplace.
Book IV – Chapter II (Occupational Health and Safety)

Art. 162. Safety and health standards. The Secretary of

Labor and Employment shall, by appropriate orders, set
and enforce mandatory occupational safety and
health standards to eliminate or reduce occupational
safety and health hazards in all workplaces and institute
new, and update existing, programs to ensure safe and
healthful working conditions in all places of
employment
Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards refers
to a set of rules issued by DOLE which mandates the
adoption and use of appropriate practices, means,
methods, operations or processes, and working
conditions reasonably necessary to ensure safe and
healthful employment.

OSH Legislations
Book IV, Title I – Safety
Medical, Dental Occupational
and Safety and Health
Occupational Standards,
(OSHS)1978

OSH Principles

1005: Duties of the Employers, Workers, and

Persons

1. Each employer covered by provisions

 a) furnish his workers a place of employment
free from hazardous conditions that are
causing or are likely to cause death, illness,
or physical harm to his workers;

b) give complete job safety instructions to all

his workers, especially to those entering the
job for the first time, including those
relating to the familiarization with their work
environment, hazards to which the workers
are exposed to and steps taken in case of
emergency;
c.) Comply with the requirements of these
Standards.

d.) Use only approved devices and equipment

in his workplace.

OSH Principles

2. Each worker shall cooperate with the

employer in carrying out the provisions of
the Standards.
3. Every worker shall make proper use of all
safeguards and safety devices furnished in
accordance with the provisions of this
Standards for his protection and that of
others, and shall follow all instructions given
by the employer in compliance with the
provisions of this Standards.

(4) It shall be the duty of any person,

including any builder or contractor or
enforcement agent, who visits, builds,
renovates, or installs devices, or conducts
business in any establishment or workplace,
to comply with the provisions of this
Standards and all regulations of the
employer issued thereunder as well as with
other subsequent issuances of
the Secretary

Safety and Health at work in the

Philippines

According to International Labor Organization,

 “Occupational accidents and diseases cause human
suffering and loss. Their economic cost is high, with some 2
million workers dying each year from work-related accidents
and diseases, and the figure is on the increase in spite of
efforts to make inroads.”

“The Philippine Government estimates that 2.2 million Filipino

workers in medium and large enterprises enjoy effective
occupational safety and health (OSH) protection and
services. In other words, 17 of 18 persons in the nation’s
workforce of 38.8 million do not benefit from acceptable
working conditions. Studies substantiate that OSH conditions
in micro-firms and the informal sector pose risks and
hazards.”

Thus, “a national occupational safety and health culture is

one in which the right to a safe and healthy working
environment is respected at all levels, where governments,
employers and workers actively participate in securing a
safe and healthy working environment through a system of
defined rights, responsibilities and duties, and where the
highest priority is accorded to the principle of prevention.”

Source: Safety and Health at Work, International Labour Organization,

accessed February 1, 2021
https://www.ilo.org/manila/areasofwork/safety-and-health-at-work/
lang-- en/index.htm

Occupational
safety and health is a discipline with a broad scope involving three major fields –
Occupational Safety, Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene.
• the promotion and maintenance of the highest
degree of physical, mental and social well-being of
workers in all occupations;
• the prevention of adverse health effects of the
working conditions
• the placing and maintenance of workers in an
occupational environment adapted to physical and
mental needs;
• the adaptation of work to humans (and NOT the
other way around)
 • In other words, occupational health and safety
encompasses the social, mental and physical well
being of workers, that is, the “whole person”.

Physical

Occupational Safety
and Health

Social Menta l
The terms hazard and risk are often interchanged. Because
you will be encountering these throughout the course it is a
must that you understand the difference between them.
 .

. A shark in the sea is

hazard.
 Swimming with a shark is a
risk.

Risk = Hazard + Exposure

The hazards affecting the workplace under each major

area should be detected, identified, controlled and, at
best, prevented from occurring by the safety and health
officer of the company.
Occupational safety and health should be integrated in
every step of the work process, starting from storage and
use of raw materials, the manufacture of products,
release of by-products, use of various equipment and
ensuring a non-hazardous or risk-free work environment.
Let’s try: (Activity 1: Hazards
and Risk)
Identify five hazards found in your home,
workplace, or in your neighborhood. How
could you or someone minimize the risk
from each of the hazards?
Global OSH Data:
International Labour
Organization Report
The enormous burden of poor working
conditions

The ILO estimates that some 2.3 million women and

men around the world succumb to work-related accidents or
 diseases every year; this corresponds to over 6000 deaths
every single day.

Worldwide, there are around 340 million

occupational accidents and 160 million victims of
work-related illnesses annually.
Major finding in ILO’s latest statistical data on
occupational accident and diseases and work-
related deaths on world-wide level:

• Diseases related to work cause the most deaths

among workers. Hazardous substances alone are
estimated to cause 651,279 deaths a year.

• The construction industry has a

disproportionately high rate of
recorded accidents.

• Younger and older workers are particularly

vulnerable. The ageing population in developed
countries means that an increasing number of
 older persons are working and need special
consideration.

What is Accident?

An accident is an unexpected, unforeseen, unplanned and

unwanted occurrence or event that causes damage or loss of
materials or properties, injury or death.

Common types of accidents:

fall from height and fall from the same level (slips and
trips) struck against rigid structure, sharp or rough objects
struck by falling objects
caught in, on or in between objects
electrocution
fire

What are the Causes of

 Accidents?

Common

Reasons for Accidents: Lay-mans Version

“Malas niya
“Oras na niya..” lang..”

“Tanga kasi!” “Kasama sa trabaho!”

Not real
causes.. just
excuses!
What are the Causes of
 Accidents?

Primary Causes for Accidents

1. Unsafe/unhealthy Act
- “any human action that violates a commonly
accepted safe work procedure or standard
operating procedure.”
- These often happen when a worker has improper
attitudes, physical limitations or lacks knowledge or
skills.
- Examples:
1. horse playing
2. smoking in non-smoking areas
3. using substandard/defective tools
4. non - wearing of goggles/gloves
5. reporting to work under the influence of liquor
or drugs
 What are the Causes of
Accidents?

Primary Causes for Accidents

2. Unsafe/unhealthy Condition
- “physical or chemical property of a material,
machine or the environment which could possibly
cause injury to people, damage to property, disrupt
operations in a plant or office or other forms of
losses.” - Examples:
1. slippery and wet floors
2. dusty work area
3. congested plant lay-out
4. octopus wiring
5. scattered objects on the floor/work area
6. poor storage system
7. protruding nails and sharp objects
 8. unguarded rotating machines/equipment, etc.
Unsafe Act vs. Unsafe Condition

Suggestions

In identifying unsafe/unhealthy acts and conditions, you should be as

 specific as possible.

✓ Use specific terms when citing for unsafe/unhealthy acts and

conditions.

General Term:
• “poor housekeeping”
Specific Term:
• “dusty workplace”
• “improper storage of paints”

General Term:
• “Non-wearing of Personal Protective
Equipment
Specific Term:
• “not wearing gloves and mask while mixing
chemicals”
• “not wearing goggles while welding”
• “not wearing safety shoes while walking on
slippery surface”

REMEMBER: A general statement of the problem will only

mean a general recommendation or solution, not an
accurate one. If you state that the problem is “poor
housekeeping”, logically your recommended solution would
be “good housekeeping”. Although this is very basic, being
definite and specific in identifying unsafe/unhealthy acts and
conditions is critical in convincing the management that
safety and health issues in the workplace are worth their
attention and commitment.

Let’s Apply: (Activity 2: Unsafe Act

and Unsafe Conditions)
Spot at least five unsafe acts and five unsafe
conditions in this photo. Use specific terms
or phrases..

Source: https://www.upehs.com/spot-the-hazard-interactive-quiz-4/

Module 1: Summary
• Occupational safety and health is a discipline with a broad scope involving
three major fields – Occupational Safety, Occupational Health and
 Industrial Hygiene.
• Occupational safety deals with understanding the causes of accidents at
work and ways to prevent unsafe act and unsafe conditions in any
workplace.
• Occupational health is a broad concept which explains how the
different hazards and risks at work may cause an illness
• Industrial hygiene discusses the identification, evaluation, and control
of physical, chemical, biological and ergonomic hazards. • Occupational
health is a broad concept which explains how the different hazards and risks
at work may cause an illness
• OSH aims to promote and maintain the whole well-being of a workers. •
Hazard is any a source or situation with a potential to cause harm • Risk is a
combination of the likelihood of an occurrence of a hazardous
event with specified period or in specified circumstances and the severity
of injury
• Accident is an unexpected, unforeseen, unplanned and unwanted occurrence
or event that causes damage or loss of materials or properties, injury or
death.
• Primary causes of accidents are Unsafe/unhealthy Act and
Unsafe/unhealthy Conditions.
• Unsafe/unhealthy Act refers “any human action that violates a
commonly accepted safe work procedure or standard operating
procedure
• Unsafe/unhealthy Condition refers to the physical or chemical
property of a material, machine or the environment which could
possibly cause injury to people, damage to property, disrupt
operations in a plant or office or other forms of losses.
• In identifying unsafe/unhealthy acts and conditions, you should be as specific
as possible such “dusty workplace and improper storage of paints” instead
of poor housekeeping.

Prepared by:
Lady Kim G. Aludo
Subject Instructor