Bosh Training Manual

1 BOSH 2020_REV.
2/1/6/2020
BASIC OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (BOSH)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION: BOSH FRAMEWORK 5
MODULE 1 - WHY THE NEED FOR OSH? 9
OSH SITUATIONER 10
ROLE OF SAFETY OFFICERS 18
INTRODUCTION TO HAZARD IDENTIFICATION RISK ASSESSMENT AND CONTROL

(HIRAC) 21
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAFETY AND HEALTH HAZARDS? 26
UNSAFE ACT AND UNSAFE CONDITION 28
MODULE 2 - WORKPLACE RISK ASSESSMENT 32

MODULE 2.1.A - WORKPLACE SAFETY HAZARDS 33
HOUSEKEEPING 34
FIRE SAFETY HAZARDS 39
ELECTRICAL HAZARDS 44
MACHINE HAZARDS 49
IMPROPER HANDLING OF MATERIAL 51

MODULE 2.1.B - WORKPLACE HEALTH HAZARDS 61
INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE 61
CLASSIFICATION OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH HAZARDS 63
HEALTH HAZARD IDENTIFICATION 83
GLOBALLY HARMONIZED SYSTEM OF CLASSIFICATION AND LABELLING OF

CHEMICALS 91
LABELS AND SAFETY DATA SHEET 95
MODULE 2.2.A - WORKPLACE ENVIROMENT MEASUREMENT 98

DEFINITION OF WORK ENVIROMENT MEASUREMENT 98
RULE 1070 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND ENVIROMENTAL CONTROL 99
PURPOSE OF WORK ENVIROMENT MEASUREMENT (WEM) 102

TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING 103
EVALUATION OF HEALTH HAZARDS 103

MODULE 2.2.B - MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE 107
MEDICAL SCREENING AND MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE 107
PURPOSE OF MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE 109
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STEPS IN DEVELOPING A MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE PLAN 111

BIOLOGIC MONITORING 113
MODULE 2.2.C- WORKPLACE RISK ASSESSMENT 117

RISK ASSESSMENT PROCESS 118
RISK MATRIX 120
WORKPLACE CLASSIFICATION BASED ON RISK 124

MODULE 2.3.A – CONTROL MEASURES OF HEALTH HAZARDS 127
PRINCIPLES OF HAZARD CONTROL 127
CONTROL OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES 139

RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT 141
NOISE REDUCTION RATING FOR HEARING PROTECTION 145
MODULE 2.3.B – CONTROL MEASURES OF SAFETY HAZARDS 147
MODULE 3: ACCIDENT CAUSATION: RISKY WORKPLACE AND RISKY WORKERS –

ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION 187
STEPS IN CONDUCTING ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION 190
WHAT TYPE OF ACCIDENT TO BE REPORTED 193
DOCUMENTATION AND RECORD KEEPING 194

MEASURES INJURY/ILLNESSES EXPERIENCE 195
MODULE 4: INTEGRATING ACTIVITY – SAFETY INSPECTION 199

MODULE 5 – COMMUNICATING OSH 201
TRAINING OF TRAINERS 203
TOOLBOX MEETING 211
OSH COMMITTEE MEETING 213
MODULE 6 – RESPONSES TO OSH ISSUES AND CONCERN 216

MODULE 6.1 - WORKPLACE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS 217
DIFFERENT TYPE OF EMERGENCIES 217
ELEMENTS OF AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN 218

BASIC PREPARATION FOR COMMON EMERGENCIES 221
FIRE CODE REQUIREMENT FOR A FIRE BRIGADE ORGANIZATION/ DISASTER RISK

MANAGEMENT TEAM 233
MODULE 6.2 - EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION PROGRAM 235
COMPENSABLE DISEASES 235
COMPENSABILITY OF INJURIES 236

ECP BENEFITS 236
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REQUIREMENTS IN AVAILING ECP BENEFITS 237
MODULE 6.3 - OSH LEGISLATION 238

COMPONENT OF AN OSH ADMINISTRATION FRAMEWORK IN THE PHILIPPINES 239
KEY PROVISIONS OF THE OSH STANDARDS AND OTHER DOLE ISSUANCES 241
OSH REPORTORIAL REQUIREMENTS 242

COMPLIANCE TO OSH STANDARD 243
RA 11058, DO-198, OTHER ISSUANCES 245

MODULE 6.4 - OHS PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT 252
SPECIAL MODULE: COVID-19 and the Workplace 280
APPENDICES: 292
REFERENCES: 292
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INTRODUCTION: BOSH
FRAMEWORK
This training manual aims to provide you technical information that will help
you to better your understanding of the different processes, rules, and
regulations in respect to Occupational Safety and Health (OSH). This will also
prepare you to engage on technical discussions that will follow on the next
modules. We will explain to you how you will engage in the discussions by
providing you directions on where we will be heading.
BOSH BACKGROUND:
This forty (40)-hour Basic Occupational Safety and Health Training for Safety
Officers is a MANDATORY TRAINING COURSE in pursuance with Republic Act
No. 11058 and DOLE Department Order 198 s. 2018.
TNT designed this Training Module to impart knowledge and skills on basic
concepts and principles of occupational safety and health. This will enable
safety officers to gain directions on how they will implement their respective
company’s safety and health program.
Trainers in T-Shirts (TNT), along with its other internationally-accredited

certification through organizations such as the National Examination Board in
Occupational Safety Health (NEBOSH), the Institution of Occupational Safety
and Health (IOSH) and British Safety Council (BSC) is also an accredited DOLE
Safety Training Organization (STO) in the Philippines.
GENERAL COURSE OBJECTIVES:
This Module will help participants to:
• Create an understanding of the BOSH Course and the importance of safety

and health in your day to day life.
• Define OSH and its three major fields – Occupational Safety, Occupational
Health, and Industrial Hygiene.
• Recognized work hazards assessed the risks and recommend control

measures to reduce or eliminate work-related accidents and illnesses.
• Develop basic knowledge & skills on OSH, such as safe work practices, that
will enable them to plan/develop their own company’s Safety and Health
program.
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OUTLINE OF BOSH COURSE:
By the end of this course, PARTICIPANTS should be able to:
• Develop awareness on the current Philippine Statistics on accidents/injuries

and illnesses and correlate the OSH Situation in their own organization.
• Learn the Roles of Safety Officers in the OSH implementation
• Identify the risk assessment process and define the unsafe act and unsafe
condition.
• Describe the different workplace safety and health hazards, evaluate the
Risk, and determine appropriate control to prevent/minimized the hazards
and risk at the workplace.
• Create an Understanding of the causes of accidents, recognized

existing/potential safety and health hazards and risks at work, and the
methods to prevent these hazards and risks
• Know the reporting requirements of the Department of Labor and

Employment and how to document an accident investigation.
• Simulate Safety and health walkthrough audit and create specific HIRAC
after the audit.
• Create an understanding of OSH Committee and its functions and

importance of workers participation
• Prepare a toolbox talk topic and conduct a 5 minutes TBT to determine

capacity as trainer
• Gain basic knowledge of different workplace emergencies and identify

the different elements of Emergency Preparedness program that must be
embedded to the OSH Program.
• Gain knowledge about the employee compensation program and

requirements to gain the benefits from ECP.
• Understand the Different National and Local OSH Rules and Regulations,
OSH reportorial requirements and areas for compliance to the OSH
Standards.
• Identify and describe the components of a health and safety program
These objectives can be accomplished by understanding OSH, why it is

essential to learn the vital concepts in prevention and how we take actions to
existing and potential hazards that affect not only the human body, personal
lives, but also the families, and communities.
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WHAT IS OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (OSH)?
Occupational safety and health are 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.
Safety at work discusses concepts on good housekeeping, proper materials
handling and storage, machine safety, electrical safety, fire prevention and
control, safety inspection, and accident investigation.
Occupational health is a broad concept which explains how the different

hazards and risks at work may cause an illness and emphasizes that health
programs are essential in controlling work-related and/or occupational
diseases.
Industrial hygiene discusses the identification, evaluation, and control of

physical, chemical, biological, and ergonomic hazards.
“In its broadest sense, OSH aims at:
• 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”.
Successful occupational health and safety practice requires the collaboration

and participation of both employers and workers in health and safety
programs, and involves the consideration of issues relating to occupational
medicine, industrial hygiene, toxicology, education, engineering safety,
ergonomics, psychology, etc.
Occupational health issues are often given less attention than occupational
safety issues because the former are generally more difficult to confront.
However, when health is addressed, so is safety - a healthy workplace is also a
safe workplace. The reverse, though, may not be true - a so-called safe
workplace is not necessarily also a healthy workplace. The important point is
that both health and safety issues must be addressed in every workplace.”
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Remember:
The main purpose why you attend this course is to learn the basic in
Occupational Safety and Health, so we are expecting more participation and
interactions with you while you are having fun in learning the basic.
Do not hesitate in taking notes on your manual especially those that interest
you and you want to remember… believe me you will thank yourself for making
those notes.
SOURCE:
Your health and safety at work: INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY, International Labor
Organization, accessed 25 April 2005-http://www.itcilo.it/actrav/actrav-english/telearn/osh/intro/introduc.htm
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MODULE 1 - WHY THE NEED FOR

OSH?
MODULE 1 LEARNING OUTCOME:

At the end of this Module 1 participants will be able to:
• Learn the current Philippine Statistics on accidents/injuries and illnesses and

describe the OSH Situation in their own organization.
• Understand the Role of Safety Officers in the OSH implementation and

verify their current SO requirements in their organizations.
• Identify the Steps in Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Control
• Understand the difference between Safety and Health Hazards
• Define unsafe act and unsafe condition through desktop exercises.
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OSH SITUATIONER
Every day, people die because of occupational accidents or work-related

diseases – more than 2.78 million deaths per year. Additionally, there are some
374 million non-fatal work-related injuries and illnesses each year, many of
these resulting in extended absences from work.
(Source: ILO - International Labor Organization website)
OHS STATISTICS IN THE PHILIPPINES

The following statistics came from the 2017/2018 Integrated Survey on Labor
and Employment (ISLE).
The Integrated Survey on Labor and Employment (ISLE), formerly BLES

Integrated Survey (BITS), is a nationwide survey of establishments employing at
least 20 workers. Conducted simultaneously with OWS, it consists of at least
three modules covering topics on employment, conditions of work and
industrial relations.
Subjects of inquiries include employment of specific groups of workers,

occupational shortages and surpluses, training of workers, industrial relations
practices (which vary every survey round), occupational safety and health
practices, occupational injuries and diseases, and labor cost of employees.
The ISLE aims to provide inputs to studies on industry trends and practices, and
bases for the formulation of labor policies.
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CASES OF OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENT AND INJURIES IN 2017/2018

• A total of 38,235 occupational accidents occurred in 2017. These work-
related accidents were reported by about 16.3 percent of the total 32,288
establishments employing 20 or more workers in 2017.
• As a result of workplace accidents, about 46,283 cases of occupational

injuries were recorded in 2017. Both cases of occupational accidents and
cases of occupational injuries in 2017 were comparatively lower by 14.5
percent and 9.2 percent, respectively from 2015. (Figure 1)
• Among cases of occupational injuries, about 43.9 percent were non-fatal

cases with lost workdays while about 1 percent were fatal cases. More than
half of all occupational injuries (55.1%) were accounted to cases of injuries
without lost workdays.
• By industry, manufacturing accounted for the highest share of

occupational injuries at 49.7 percent of the total cases. Far second was
wholesale and retail trade; repair of motorcycles at 11.4 percent, followed
by administrative and support service activities at 7.2 percent share.
MEASURES OF SAFETY PERFOMANCE OF OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES

• The frequency rate in 2017 was registered at 1.75 percent. Approximately,
there were 2 cases of occupational injuries with workdays lost reported per
1,000,000 employee-hours of exposure.
• The incidence rate in 2017 was posted at 4.27 percent which indicates that
there were around 4 cases of occupational injuries with workdays lost per
1,000 workers.
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• The severity rate was recorded at 9.68. This means that about 10 workdays
were lost in cases of occupational injuries resulting to temporary incapacity
per 1,000,000 employee-hours of exposure.
CASES OF OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES WITH WORKDAYS LOST BY

CLASSIFICATION
TYPE OF INJURY
Superficial injuries and open wounds were the most common type of
occupational injuries with more than half or 50.8 percent of the total cases
reported. This was followed by dislocations, sprains and strains with 12.0
percent and fractures with 10.7 percent.
PART OF BODY INJURED
Wrist and hand were collectively recorded as the most injured part of body
accounting for 35.9 percent. Lower extremities and arm and shoulder came
next with 18.7 percent and 17.6 percent, respectively.
CAUSE IF INJURY
The leading cause of work-related injury in establishments was stepping on,

striking against, or struck by objects, excluding falling objects (36.3%). Other
causes of injury include caught in or between objects (21.0%) and falls of
persons (10.5%).
AGENT OF INJURY
The top three (3) agents of injuries in 2017 were machines and equipment
(26.2%); materials and objects (24.4%); and hand tools (18.3%).
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MAJOR OCCUPATION GROUP
By major occupation group, 30.2 percent of the total 20,797 cases of

occupational injuries with workdays lost in 2017 affected plant and machine
operators and assemblers. Injuries to service and sales workers; and elementary
occupations followed at 19.3 percent and 18.7 percent, respectively.
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
Occurrences of occupational diseases in establishments employing 20 or more
workers accounted to 101,851 cases in 2017. This was a decrease of 19.1
percent from 125,973 reported cases in 2015. (Figure 3)
Topmost work-related diseases suffered by workers was back pains with 31.3
percent. Other most prevalent occupational diseases experienced were
essential hypertension (15.5%) and neck-shoulder pains (11.4%).
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Workers engaged in administrative and support service activities reported the

highest share of cases with occupational diseases with 31.8 percent. Followed
by manufacturing industry (28.9%) and wholesale and retail trade; repair of
motorcycles (9.6%). (Figure 4)
TOP FIVE PREVENTIVE & CONTROL MEASURES/ ACTIVITIES

CONDUCTED BY ESTABLISHMENTS
• Among the total 32,288 establishments employing 20 or more workers
covered by the survey in 2017, 98.1 percent had conducted various
preventive and control measures/activities to protect workers from
unnecessary danger and harm in their workplaces.
• Posting of safety signages or warnings was the most common

measure/activity practiced among all establishments at 86.4 percent.
• Other top measures/activities commonly conducted were: smoke-free

workplace (85.4%); emergency preparedness and response activities for
earthquake, fire, chemical spills, etc. (84.2%); appointed safety/health
officers and/or first-aiders (81.3%); and regular inspection and
maintenance of equipment (80.4%).
TOP 5 OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (OSH) POLICIES/

PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED IN ESTABLISHMENTS
• To ensure occupational safety and good health conditions among the
employees in establishments, 95.3 percent of the total establishments had
implemented various OSH policies/programs in 2017.
• Fire prevention and control program was the topmost OSH policies and
programs conducted in 82.6 percent of the total 32,288 establishments.
• Other top OSH policies/programs include drug-free workplace

policy/program (77.0%); emergency response preparedness program
(75.1%); accident prevention program (68.4%); and
monitoring/surveillance of occupational and work-related injuries and
illnesses (63.5%).
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH–RELATED TRAININGS/

SEMINARS
• By conducting agency, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) conducted 45.1
percent of the recorded OSH-related trainings/seminars. (Figure 1)
• 39.2 percent OSH–related trainings/seminars were also conducted by the

company itself; and by the Occupational Safety and Health Center/OSH
Net with 24.5 percent.
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• About two out of three establishments (69.1%) in 2017 had conducted

various OSH-related trainings/seminars. Fire safety training was the most
common among the trainings/seminars which accounted in 51.9 percent
of the establishments. This was followed by 40-Hour Basic OSH Training and
Emergency Preparedness with 41.9 percent and 32.3 percent of
establishments, respectively.
ESTABLISHMENTS WITH DESIGNATED HEALTH AND SAFETY PERSONNEL

• Establishments have designated different health and safety officers in the
implementation of their OSH preventive/control measures and OSH
policies and programs. For all industries in 2017, 85.7 percent of the total
establishments have designated health and safety personnel.
• Across industries, wholesale and retail trade industry had the highest share
of establishments with designated health and safety personnel in 2017 with
20.3 percent; followed by manufacturing at 16.1 percent and
accommodation and food service activities at 11.4 percent.
• Trained first aider were the most designated health and safety personnel
among establishments with 81.3 percent. This was followed by safety
officers with 46.2 percent and occupational health nurses with 25.0
percent. (Figure 2)
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DEFINITION OF TERMS
Occupational accident - an unexpected and unplanned occurrence,
including acts of violence arising out of or in connection with work which results
in one or more workers incurring a personal injury, disease, or death. It can
occur outside the usual workplace/premises of the establishment while the
worker is on business on behalf of his/her employer, i.e., in another
establishment or while on travel, transport or in road traffic.
Occupational injury - an injury which results from a work-related event or a

single instantaneous exposure in the work environment (occupational
accident). Where more than one person is injured in a single accident, each
case of occupational injury should be counted separately. If one person is
injured in more than one occupational accident during the reference period,
each case of injury to that person should be counted separately. Recurrent
absences due to an injury resulting from a single occupational accident should
be treated as the continuation of the same case of occupational injury not as
a new case.
Fatal case - case where a person is fatally injured as a result of occupational

accident whether death occurs immediately after the accident or within the
same reference year as the accident.
Permanent incapacity - case where an injured person was absent from work
for at least one day, excluding the day of the accident, and 1) was never able
to perform again the normal duties of the job or position occupied at the time
of the occupational accident, or 2) will be able to perform the same job but
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his/her total absence from work is expected to exceed a year starting the day
after the accident.
Temporary incapacity - case where an injured person was absent from work
for at least one day, excluding the day of the accident, and 1) was able to
perform again the normal duties of the job or position occupied at the time of
the occupational accident or 2) will be able to perform the same job but
his/her total absence from work is expected not to exceed a year starting the
day after the accident, or 3) did not return to the same job but the reason for
changing the job is not related to his/her inability to perform the job at the time
of the occupational accident.
Workdays lost – refer to consecutive days (consecutive or staggered) an

injured person was absent from work, starting the day after the accident.
Cases without workdays lost – where the injured person required only first aid
or medical treatment on the day of the accident and was able to perform
again on the day after the accident, the normal duties of the job or position
occupied at the time of the occupational accident.
Occupational diseases – an abnormal condition or disorder other than the one

resulting from occupational injury caused by exposure over a period of time to
risk factors associated with work activity such as contact with certain
chemicals, inhaling coal dust, carrying out repetitive movements.
Source:
2017/2018 Integrated Survey and Employment- psa.gov.ph/isle
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ROLE OF SAFETY OFFICERS

A Safety Officer, also known as an Occupational Safety and Health Officer, is
key personnel in the work environment. Safety Officers provide safety
management, advice, monitoring and reporting in the workplace, and
engage staff in programs that ensure safe practice in the workplace.
Reference to Republic Act 11058 “An Act Strengthening Compliance with

Occupational Safety and Health Standards and Providing Penalties for
Violations Thereof, in the implementation of the OSH program, safety officers
shall be employed or designated with the following duties and responsibilities:
• Oversee the overall management of OSH program in coordination with

OSH Committee
• Frequently monitor and inspect any health or safety aspect of the

operation being undertaken with the participation of the Supervisor and
workers
• Assist government inspectors in the conduct of safety and health

inspection at any time whenever work is being performed or during the
conduct of an accident investigation by providing necessary information
and OSH Reports as required by the OSH standards; and
• Issue Work Stoppage Order (WSO) when necessary based on the

requirements and procedures provided by the OSH Standards.
Safety Officer/s of all workplace must possess the necessary training and
experience requirements according to its category as contained herein. The
respective qualifications of safety officers are as follows:
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MINIMUM OSH
CATEGEORY PRESCRIBED TRAINING ON OSH
EXPERIENCE
Safety a. Mandatory eight (8) hour OSH

Officer 1 Orientation and -
(SO1) b. Two (2) hour trainers training
Safety Mandatory forty (40) hour basic OSH

Officer 2 Training course applicable to the industry -
(SO2)
a. Mandatory forty (40) hour OSH

Training course applicable to the
industry
At least two (2)
Safety b. Additional forty-eight (48) hours of
years of
Officer 3 advance/specialized occupational
experience in
(SO3) safety and health training course
OSH
relevant to the industry and
c. Other requirements as prescribed by
the OSH Standards.
a. Mandatory forty (40) hour OSH

Training course applicable to the
industry
b. Additional eighty (80) hours of
advance/specialized occupational
safety and health training course
relevant to the industry Actual
Safety
Officer 4 c. An aggregate of three hundred experience as
(SO4) twenty (320) hours of OSH related SO3 for at least
training or experience (additional four (4) years
training may be converted to years of
experience where eighty (80) hours of
training many equal to one (1) year of
experience and vice-versa; and
d. Other requirements as prescribed by
the OSH Standards.
The number and qualification of safety officers shall be proportionate to the

total number of workers and equipment, size of work area, classification of the
workplace and such other criteria as required by the OSH standards.
The safety officer shall be required to undergo the prescribed DOLEBOSH

training orientation or course, advanced OH training courses, and/or other
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OSH related training or learning as necessary in the effective performance of

its duties and responsibilities.
Safety officers engaged in micro and small establishments, low to medium risk,
shall be engaged in safety programs including other tasks designated to
him/her by his/her employer.
In the case of a contractor or subcontractor, at least 1 safety officer must be

deployed at each specific area of operations to oversee the management of
the OSH program of its own workforce.
Minimum classification and number of safety officer for all covered workplaces
shall be as follows:
NUMBER OF WORKERS LOW RISK MEDIUM RISK HIGH RISK
1 to 9 One (1) SO1 One (1) SO2

One (1) SO1
10 to 50 One (1) SO3
One (1) SO2
51 to 99 One (1) SO2
One (1) SO2 and One (1)
100 to 199 SO3
One (1) SO2 and
One (1) SO3
200 to 250 Two (2) SO3
Two (2) SO2 or
251 to 500
One (1) SO3 One (1) SO2
501 to 750 Two (2) SO3 and Two (2)
SO3
751 to 1000 Two (2) SO3
Every additional 250 Additional

or fraction thereof - - One (1) SO3
or SO4
Every additional 500 Additional One Additional One

-
or fraction thereof (1) SO3 (1) SO3 or SO4
The engagement of the services of certified OSH Consultant (SO4) shall be

allowed for a period no longer than one (1) year for establishment whose
designated safety officer has to be trained or is in the process of completing
the prescribed training courses and relevant experience.
Source:
Republic Act 11058 “An Act Strengthening Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Standards and Providing
Penalties for Violations Thereof
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INTRODUCTION TO HAZARD IDENTIFICATION RISK

ASSESSMENT AND CONTROL (HIRAC)
One of the "root causes" of workplace injuries, illnesses, and incidents is the
failure to identify or recognize hazards that are present, or that could have
been anticipated.
A critical element of any effective safety and health program is a proactive,

ongoing process to identify and assess such hazards.
HIRAC PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION – HOW CAN WE DO IT?

• Organization must establish objective and goal
• Good commitment from management – appropriate people, resources,

and time
• Should have an internal and external audit
• Set Up OSH Committee that will review reports
• Specific policy or system regarding hazards identification and control
• Employee involvement and participation in hazard reporting, meeting,

and training
• Employee Orientation and training in Basic Safety
WHY DO WE NEED TO MANAGE THE HAZARDS?

• Legal - Meet legislative requirements (RA11058-DO 198 Series of 2018)
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• Moral -Protect and preserve life. Increase morale, stop workplace injury
and illnesses
• Economical - Decrease fines and penalties, reduced absenteeism,

increased productivity
LEGISLATION REQUIREMENTS
• UNDER RA 11058 Series of 2018 – Duties of Employers, Workers and Other
Person - “Inform the workers of the hazards associated with their work,
health risks involved or to which they are exposed to, preventive measures
to eliminate or minimize the risks, and steps to be taken in case of
emergency”
• UNDER DO 198 Series of 2018 - Worker’s right to Know - “All workers shall be
informed by the employer about all types of hazards in the workplace, and
provided access to training and education on chemical safety and to
orientation on data sheet of chemical safety, electrical safety, mechanical
safety, ergonomics, and other hazards and risks. “
DEFINITION
• Hazard - A source or a situation with a potential for harm to humans,
property and damage of environment or a combination of these.
• Danger - Relative exposure to hazard.
• Risk - A combination of likelihood of occurrence and severity of injury or

damage.
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HAZARD AND RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESS
HAZARD IDENTIFICATION – WHY DO WE NEED TO CONDUCT HIRAC?

• To keep workplace safe and healthy.
• Employers should make sure there are no hazards to which employees

could be exposed
• Employers should look for hazards in advance as part of their risk

management plan to prevent potential hazards.
COMMON METHOD TO IDENTIFY THE HAZARDS

To identify and assess hazards, employers, and workers:
• Collect and review information about the hazards present or likely to be

present in the workplace.
• Conduct initial and periodic workplace inspections of the workplace to

identify new or recurring hazards.
• Investigate injuries, illnesses, incidents, and close calls/near misses to

determine the underlying hazards, their causes, and safety and health
program shortcomings.
• Group similar incidents and identify trends in injuries, illnesses, and hazards
reported.
• Consider hazards associated with emergency or nonroutine situations.
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• Determine the severity and likelihood of incidents that could result for each
hazard identified and use this information to prioritize corrective actions.
Some hazards, such as housekeeping and tripping hazards, can and should be
fixed as they are found. Fixing hazards on the spot emphasizes the importance
of safety and health and takes advantage of a safety leadership opportunity.
Source:
Republic Act 11058 “An Act Strengthening Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Standards and Providing
Penalties for Violations Thereof
https://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/identify-the-hazards.htm
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WORKSHOP 01: HAZARD IDENTIFICATION

Before we continue our discussions about the hazard and risk, we
just want to know and understand your basic knowledge with what
is hazard to you…
Below are classifications and potential source of hazards and what

we want is for you to write as many hazards as you can on given
classifications
Facilitator will give you Ten (10) minutes to work on your own on this
workshop.
Do not worry about your answers… we will discuss about it as we

progress.
We encourage you to use a pencil so you may change your

answer, as necessary.
Example: in Electrical – damage electrical wiring is a hazard
CLASSIFICATION AND POTENTIAL SOURCES OF HAZARDS
CLASSIFICATION EXAMPLE OF HAZARDS
Mechanical
Physical
Electrical
Biological
Chemical
Ergonomics
Psychological
Environmental
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THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAFETY AND HEALTH

HAZARDS?
With the growth of human welfare departments that try their best to ensure
that employees are made to work in the best of conditions and are not
exposed to health or safety risks; it has become common to come across a
number of health and safety measures being deployed. Be it an employed
worker, an ad-hoc employee, or a person on a factory tour, the first thing that
they are briefed about are the health and safety hazards. Usually, as in the
cases discussed, health and safety hazards are discussed together and
although both are equally important, they are different. There might be
situations where one of them is more important than the other.
The word hazard which is common to both is a potential source of harm or an

adverse health effect on the person involved.
To understand the difference between the two types of hazards, we first need
to understand the difference between health and safety:
HEALTH
Is described as the level of efficiency of the functioning of an individual’s body.
A good state of health implies lack of illness, pain, or injury.
SAFETY
Is a state of being safe, that is, a condition whereby one is protected against
physical, social, emotional etc. consequences of failure or any undesirable
events.
SAFETY HAZARDS
Something that has potential for injury (i.e., Physical, Mechanical, Electrical). It
increases the risk level to which a person is exposed and can bring about
immediate affects if not dealt with properly.
Example can be of a construction worker falling from the ladder and injuring
his skull since he did not use the advised safety helmet.
HEALTH HAZARDS
Something that has potential to cause illness (i.e., Biological, Chemical,
Ergonomics, Psychological, Environmental) and it usually affect a person’s
health and bring about delayed results.
Example a person working in the coal mines is at an increased health risk of

developing lung related diseases in the future.
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In Module 2 we will provide detailed information regarding the different types

of Safety and Health Hazards.
WORKSHOP 1.1 – DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAFETY AND HEALTH

HAZARDS
Let us have another quick check if you understand the difference between
Safety and Health Hazard, for 5 minutes can you identify a safety hazards and
health hazards on the photo?
Safety Hazards Health Hazards
SOURCE:
http://www.differencebetween.net/science/health/differences-between-health-hazards-and-safety-hazards/
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UNSAFE ACT AND UNSAFE CONDITION

According to a study conducted by Herbert William Henrich, an American
industrial safety pioneer, 98% of workplace accidents are preventable, of
which 88% is due to unsafe acts and 10% is due to unsafe conditions.
WHAT IS AN 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.
Examples of accidents:
• Falls from heights
• Slips and trips, and falls
• Being struck by moving or falling objects
• Electrocution
• Fire
A near miss is an incident in which no injury or damage results.
Examples of near misses: a spillage on a tile floor which has not been cleaned
up causing a person to slip but not injured themselves or break any equipment
which they may have been holding or carrying.
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COST OF AN ACCIDENT
Human costs: The effect of accident to a worker entails a lot of losses in terms
of:
• Disability (temporary or permanent).
• Pain and suffering.
• Loss of income.
• Loss of earning capacity.
• Change in social life.
• Death.
Economical: Any accident or ill-health will cost both direct and indirect loss.
Many employers believe most accident costs are covered by insurance. The
opposite is usually true.
• Direct Costs:
▪ Medical costs
▪ Insurance premium
▪ Employee compensation
▪ Regulatory penalties
▪ Cost of property damages
• Indirect Costs:
▪ Investigation of the incident
▪ Cleaning up of incident site
▪ Disruption in production
▪ Ecological remediation
▪ Marketing efforts to project image
▪ Training of new/replacement employees
▪ Poor employee morale leading to low production
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UNSAFE ACT AND UNSAFE CONDITION

UNSAFE ACT
ANSI (American National Standards Institute) defines this as “any human action
that violates a commonly accepted safe work procedure or standard
operating.” These often happen when a worker has improper attitudes,
physical limitations or lack of knowledge or skills.
Example of unsafe acts:
• Horseplay
• Operation equipment without permission
• Using defective equipment
• Not using PPE
• Working under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Deliberate disobedience of safety rules
UNSAFE CONDITION
AINSI defines this as the physical or chemical property of a material, machine

or environment which could possibly cause injury to people, damage to
property, disrupt operations in a plant or office or other forms of losses. These
conditions could be guarded or prevented.
Example of unsafe conditions:
• Lack of guarding on machinery
• Slippery floor
• Faulty equipment
• Protruding nails and sharp object
• Inadequate lighting
• Congested work area
SOURCE:
www.hse.gov.uk
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WORKSHOP 02: UNSAFE ACT/UNSAFE CONDITION

Based on what we discussed, can you Identify among below photos which is
the accident, near miss, unsafe act, and unsafe condition?
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MODULE 2 - WORKPLACE RISK

ASSESSMENT
GENERAL OBJECTIVES:
• Identify the different type of Safety Hazards found at the workplace and
develop specific controls measures suitable for different type of safety
hazards.
• Identify the different type of Health Hazards found at the workplace and
develop an Occupational Health (OH) program that are compliant to OH
Package of the Department of Labor and Employment.
• Learn about the COVID 19 Workplace Prevention and Control Program
• Have a basic understanding of the DO 136-14 - Globally Harmonized

System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals requirements.
• Have a basic understanding of Work Environment Measurement (WEM)

and its importance in evaluating the hazards in the workplace and
monitoring exposure of workers.
• Classify the risk of the health hazards based on Medical Surveillance before
implementing appropriate control measures to address the risk.
• Learn the proper assessment and evaluation of Risk and be able to

conduct their own Risk Assessment without the aid of the facilitator.
• Identify the different methods of control and their importance in the control
of health and safety hazards.
• Enumerate the steps in conducting job hazard analysis and develop

recommendations to eliminate or control hazards associated with each
step as based on the hierarchy of control.
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MODULE 2.1.A - WORKPLACE SAFETY HAZARDS
Workplace safety hazards play a vital role in the increase in the statistics and
in 2017 alone about 46,283 cases of occupational injuries were recorded by
the Philippines Statistics Authority.
Some of the workplace hazards that are common cause of accident at the
workplace are but not limited to:
• Housekeeping which are associated with spills on floors or tripping hazards

such as blocked aisles or cords running across the floor
• Fire Hazards like improper storage of combustible materials and use of

chemicals
• Electrical hazards like frayed cords, missing ground pins, improper wiring
• Machinery-related hazards (lockout/tagout, boiler safety, forklifts, etc.)
• Improper handling of materials like using unguarded machinery and

moving machinery parts; guards removed or moving parts that a worker
can accidentally touch.
To give us a clear insight of these Safety hazards we will be discussing each

hazard in the next succeeding topics.
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HOUSEKEEPING
WHAT IS GOOD WORKPLACE HOUSEKEEPING?

It is the activities undertaken to create or maintain a tidy, clean, orderly and
safe working environment.
WHY SHOULD WE PAY ATTENTION TO HOUSEKEEPING AT WORK?

Effective housekeeping can eliminate some workplace hazards and help get
a job done safely and properly. Poor housekeeping can frequently contribute to
accidents by hiding hazards that cause injuries. If the sight of paper, debris,
clutter, and spills is accepted as normal, then other more serious health and
safety hazards may be taken for granted.
Housekeeping is not just cleanliness. It includes keeping work areas neat and
orderly; maintaining halls and floors free of slip and trip hazards; and removing
of waste materials (e.g., paper, cardboard) and other fire hazards from work
areas. It also requires paying attention to important details such as the layout
of the whole workplace, aisle marking, the adequacy of storage facilities, and
maintenance. Good housekeeping is also a basic part of accident and fire
prevention.
Effective housekeeping is an ongoing operation: it is not a hit-and-miss cleanup

done occasionally. Periodic "panic" cleanups are costly and ineffective in
reducing accidents.
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WHAT DO WE MEAN BY POOR HOUSEKEEPING?

A messy workplace is a sign of an inefficient business . One of the most common
findings in workplaces is poor housekeeping i.e. untidiness, disorder, poor
storage of materials and stock. On many workplace inspections visits one can
usually see dirt and dust on the workbenches, light fittings, and floors etc.
Generally speaking, a cleaning program appears to take place on an
occasional ad-hoc basis. Such clutter not only reduces productivity by
“blocking” the smooth flow of materials through the workplace, it can often
present a fire hazard as boxes, trimmings and other combustible material is
strewn on the premises. Apart from encouraging vermin and health hazards, it
is also a sign of inefficiency and waste.
A cluttered workplace:
• reduces the workspace for each worker and will thereby reduce
productivity.
• impedes the free movement of workers and goods.
• represents a fire hazard.
• hinders egress in the case of an emergency.
• makes it more likely for goods spoil.
• reduces the free flow of air (and therefore raises the temperature) in the
workplace.
• For example, we often see boxes or racks of finished goods or stock being
piled high. They often block windows, air bricks, fire exits, etc., thus creating
other hazard situations.
Poor housekeeping can result to accident like:
• Fire as a result of oil contaminated materials left in an area where hot work
is performed, or due to the accumulation of combustible dust
• Un-cleared waste could become fuel for the spread of fire
• tripping over loose objects on floors, stairs, and platforms
• being hit by falling objects
• slipping on greasy, wet, or dirty surfaces
• striking against projecting, poorly stacked items, or misplaced material
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• cutting, puncturing, or tearing the skin of hands or other parts of the body
on projecting nails, wire, or steel strapping
• Poor housekeeping could conceal hazards which would normally be visible

to be cleared.
• It can limit workspace forcing workers to adopt poor working posture.
• Poor housekeeping can maximize the severity/consequence of accidents.
• It could result to blockade of emergency exits and emergency equipment.
• An eye injury from falling grit left in the overhead of a work site.
• Illness due to the unsanitary conditions of restrooms.
• Electrical shock as a result of poorly maintained equipment or energy

sources, such as broken, cracked or damaged insulation and connections of
wiring.
• Lacerations and amputations when poor maintenance results in

inadequate lighting.
• Exposure to hazardous substances from poor storage and ineffective

labeling of hazardous chemicals.
HAZARDS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO POOR HOUSEKEEPING

▪ Presence of dust and dirt at the storage area.
▪ Poorly organized large stacks of papers, boxes, or other items strewn

around harbor dust.
▪ No regular maintenance of ventilation system, thereby harming

ventilation and setting the stage for mold growth.
▪ Employee Facilities
▪ No regular monitoring and inspection of employee facility
▪ No provisions for proper waste segregation and disposal
▪ Workers exposed to hazardous materials entering shower, washing

facilities and change room without any provisions.
▪ No separation or designated area for contaminated clothing at the

changing area.
▪ Smoking, eating, or drinking in the work area where toxic materials are
handled is not prohibited.
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▪ Surfaces
▪ Leaving slippery spots on floors unattended
▪ No regular cleaning of Trap chips, shavings, and dust
▪ No anti-slip flooring provided in areas that cannot be cleaned

continuously, such as entrance ways.
▪ Ignoring torn carpets, and damaged flooring
▪ Cable laying on the floors without protection from overrun or tripping.
• Maintain Light Fixtures
▪ No regular cleaning and maintenance of lighting fixtures.
▪ No provisions for busted bulb storage and disposal.
▪ Busted or damage lighting fixtures are not replaced.
• Aisles and Stairways
▪ Boxes and other files stored along the passageways, aisles, and door
exits obstructing the full use of the latter.
▪ Ailes is too narrow to allow movement of people, product, and materials.
▪ There is no warning signs or mirrors to improve sightlines in blind corners.
▪ No provisions for pedestrian to safely pass at the area exposing them

next to moving equipment.
▪ Stairways and aisles not properly lighted and without handrail.
• Spill Control
There are no provisions in cleaning and controlling the spills.
• Tools and Equipment
• No regular maintenance and inspection of tools
• No area is provided for tools that need repair and servicing
• Tools and equipment have no proper labeling, coding, or tagging to

indicate the worthiness of tools
• Maintenance
▪ No schedule of building maintenance, cleaning and repairs.
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▪ No repair done on broken or damaged items.
▪ No maintenance program for tools and equipment.
• Waste Disposal
▪ No regular collection, grading, and sorting of scrap.
▪ No separation or segregation of materials.
▪ Improper handling and storage of hazardous waste.
▪ No proper labeling of waste receptacles (e.g., recyclable glass, plastic,

scrap metal, etc.).
• Storage
▪ The location of the stockpiles interferes with work, and not readily
available when required.
▪ No proper stacking of cartons and drums or stacking is too high.
▪ Stored materials at aisles, stairs, exits, fire equipment, emergency

eyewash fountains, emergency showers, or first aid stations.
▪ No proper markings of storage areas.
▪ Flammable, combustible, toxic and other hazardous materials stored in

non-approved type containers and storage area has no proper
ventilation.
▪ Mixing of materials stored at the area.
Sources:
CCOHS- Canadian Centre for Occupational Safety and Health OHS Answers Fact sheets: Workplace housekeeping -
Basic Guide
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/house.html
5S: good housekeeping techniques for enhancing productivity, quality, and safety at the workplace. Export Quality
Bulletin No 89/2012
http://www.intracen.org/uploadedFiles/intracenorg/Content/Exporters/Exporting_Better/Quality_Management
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FIRE SAFETY HAZARDS
Fire safety is the set of practices intended to reduce the destruction caused
by fire. Fire safety measures include those that are intended to prevent
ignition of an uncontrolled fire, and those that are used to limit the
development and effects of a fire after it starts.
Fire safety measures include those that are planned during the construction
of a building or implemented in structures that are already standing, and those
that are taught to occupants of the building.
Threats to fire safety are commonly referred to as fire hazards. A fire hazard
may include a situation that increases the likelihood of a fire or may impede
escape in the event a fire occurs.
BASIC FIRE PRINCIPLES

Fire is the rapid process of combustion of a material causing heat, light, and
other products of combustion to be released. For a fire to start, there must:
• Fuel that burn
• An ignition source to initiate and sometimes sustain the fire until it can
sustain itself by further release of heat energy, and
• The presence of source of oxygen
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This is often referred as the Fire Triangle:
For many years, the three-sided figure of the fire triangle has adequately been
used to explain and describe the combustion and extinguishing theory. If
anyone of the three elements is removed, a fire cannot exist.
A new theory has developed to explain combustion and extinguishments

further. This is the transition from the plain geometric triangular figure, to a four-
sided geometric figure, a tetrahedron, which resembles a pyramid, the 4th
elements being chain reaction.
METHOD OF HEAT TRANSFER:

• Convection: heat is transmitted through hot air raising up
• Conduction: heat is transmitted through a conducting material. Metals are

excellent conductor of heat; concretes are poor conductor.
• Radiation: heat is transferred from an object to its surrounding in the form

of electromagnetic waves
• Direct burning: direct contact with other burning materials
FIRE CLASSIFICATIONS
Class of
Characteristics Fire extinguishers
fire
Fires involving ordinary Foam, loaded stream,
A combustible materials, such as multipurpose dry chemical,
wood, cloth, paper, rubber, and water types
and many plastics.
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Fires involving flammable Carbon dioxide, dry chemical,

B liquids, greases, and gases. foam, loaded stream and
multipurpose dry chemical
Fires involving energized Carbon dioxide, dry

C electrical equipment chemicals, multi-purpose dry
chemical
Fires involving combustible There are extinguishers specific
D metals, such as magnesium, for each combustible metal
titanium, zirconium, sodium,
and potassium.
** When the electrical energy is disconnected, Class “C” fire may be treated
as either Class “A” or Class “B”.
COMMON FIRE SAFETY HAZARDS

• Poor housekeeping of combustible materials
• Improper storage of hazardous chemicals
• Electrical systems that are overloaded, poorly maintained, or defective
• Combustible storage areas with insufficient protection
• Combustibles near equipment that generates heat, flame, or sparks
• Candles and other open flames
• Smoking (Cigarettes, cigars, pipes, lighters, etc.)
• Equipment that generates heat and utilizes combustible materials
• Flammable liquids and aerosols
• Flammable solvents (and rags soaked with solvent) placed in enclosed

trash cans
• Smoke stocks not properly or regularly cleaned
• Cooking appliances - stoves, ovens
• Heating appliances - fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, furnaces, boilers,

portable heaters, solid fuels, ovens
• Household appliances - clothes dryers, curling irons, hair dryers,

refrigerators, freezers, boilers
• Kitchen fires from unattended cooking, grease fires/chip pan fires
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• Electrical wiring in poor condition
• Leaking/ defective batteries
• Personal ignition sources - matches, lighters
• Electronic and electrical equipment
• Exterior cooking equipment – barbecue
• Process machinery that can overheat or generate excessive

mechanical friction or static electricity.
• Systems using combustible hydraulic fluids.
• Hot work activity (e.g., welding, brazing, cutting and grinding).
• Controls and safety interlocks on fuel fired boilers and hot water heaters,
which can present a risk if inadequate or poorly maintained.
• Spray painting and use of flammable or combustible liquids.
• Accumulation of combustible dusts from manufacturing processes.
• Operations using flammable gases.
• Stacked storage of combustible materials that may impact the

effectiveness of sprinklers and impede responding fire departments
Many Industries Have Unique Fire Risks
There may be fire hazards associated with exposures that are unique to your
operation. For example, in the metals industry, the following hazards may
exist:
• Combustible metal dusts.
• Pyrophoric materials (substances that ignite instantly upon exposure to

oxygen).
• Water-reactive metals.
• Combustible and flammable liquids.
• Dip tanks using hazardous materials.
• Heat-treating operations.
These are just a few of the hazards that may exist in your facilities.
Electrical Equipment Can Contribute Significantly to Your Risk
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We sometimes take for granted the availability of safe power whenever we

turn on a switch. An electrical system in need of maintenance may still work
while presenting an increased risk to your operations.
Infrared scanning is one way of inspecting electrical systems and to identify

those in need of immediate maintenance. Infrared scanning is based on the
principle that electrical equipment normally gives off heat. However,
malfunctioning, or overloaded electrical equipment can produce excessive
heat. Excessive heat can be detected with the use of infrared imaging
equipment. Detecting electrical hot spots can allow for repair or
replacement of the affected equipment, which may reduce the potential
manufacturing downtime, production losses, power outages, fires and other
catastrophic events resulting from equipment failures.
SOURCE:
RA 9514 The Fire Code of the Philippines Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations – revised 2019
http://bfp.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/RA9514-RIRR-rev-2019.pdf
http://www.nfpa.org/~/media/FD0144A044C84FC5BAF90C05C04890B7.ashx
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ELECTRICAL HAZARDS
On the job site, working around electricity can be very safe when workers
properly identify and control hazards. But, inadequate training, lack of
experience and failure to recognize potential hazards could result in electric
shock or death.
WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ELECTRICITY?

• Electric current (I): is the flow of electrons from one position to another
(measured in Ampere).
There are two forms of electric current:
▪ Direct current (DC): involves the flow of electrons along a conductor

from one end to the other (batteries and similar devices).
▪ Alternating current (AC): produced by a rotating alternator and causes

an oscillation of the electrons rather than a flow.
• Voltage (V): The difference in potentials between points (measured in

volts)
• Resistance (R): The property of material which opposes the flow of electric
current (measured in ohms).
The voltage (V), the current (I) and the resistance (R) are related by the
following formula, known as Ohm’s law: V = I x R (Volts)
• Conductor: is the substance through which electric current flows, nearly

always metals, copper being particularly good conductor, and are usually in
wire form but they can be gases or liquids, water being a particularly
good conductor of electricity.
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• Insulators: have extremely high resistance to the flow of electricity, they are
used to provide barrier around a conductor to prevent accidental
contact.
WHO ARE AT RISKS?

Engineers, electricians, and overhead line workers are at the top of the list of
professionals who are most exposed to electrical hazards. Common tasks that
put these workers at risk include electrical installation and repairs, testing of
fixtures and equipment and inspection and maintenance activities. However,
people who are indirectly working with electricity like office workers are also
exposed to electrical hazards.
WHAT ARE THE COMMON ELECTRICAL HAZARDS AT THE WORKPLACE

Electrocution is one of the most common hazards across construction sites
according to OSHA. Identifying electrical hazards can help raise awareness of
the risks, their severity, and how it can harm workers.
Common electrical hazards in the workplace and tips on what you can do to
mitigate these risks:
• Overhead Power Lines
Overhead powered and energized electrical lines have high voltages

which can cause major burns and electrocution to workers.
Examples of Equipment That Can Contact Power Lines
▪ Aluminum paint rollers
▪ Backhoes
▪ Concrete pumpers
▪ Cranes
▪ Long-handled cement finishing floats
▪ Metal building materials
▪ Metal ladders
▪ Raised dump truck beds
▪ Scaffolds
• Damaged Tools and Equipment
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Exposure to damaged electrical tools and equipment can be dangerous.

Trying to fix electrical tools without appropriate competency can lead to
accident or more damage to the tools and equipment.
• Inadequate Wiring and Overloaded Circuits
Using wires with inappropriate size for the current can cause overheating
and fires to occur.
• Exposed Electrical Parts
Examples of exposed electrical parts include temporary lighting, open

power distribution units, and detached insulation parts on electrical cords.
These hazards can cause potential shocks and burns.
• Improper Grounding
The most common OSHA electrical violation is the improper grounding of

equipment. improper grounding will create unwanted voltage and
increase the risk of electrocution. Removing the metallic ground pin
responsible for returning unwanted voltage to the ground can be
dangerous to you and the equipment.
• Damaged Insulation
Defective or inadequate insulation is a hazard. Failure to turn off all power

sources before replacing damaged insulation can lead to electrocution.
• Wet Conditions
Water greatly increases the risk of electrocution especially if the equipment

has damaged insulation as water is a good conductor of electricity.
• Equipment Not Used in Manner Prescribed
If electrical equipment is used in ways for which it is not designed, you can
no longer depend on safety features built in by the manufacturer. This may
damage your equipment and cause employee injuries.
Common Examples of Misused Equipment
▪ Using multi-receptacle boxes designed to be mounted by fitting them

with a power cord and placing them on the floor.
▪ Fabricating extension cords with ROMEX® wire.
▪ Using equipment outdoors that is labeled for use only in dry, indoor
locations.
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▪ Attaching ungrounded, two-prong adapter plugs to three-prong cords

and tools.
▪ Using circuit breakers or fuses with the wrong rating for over-current
protection, e.g. using a 30-amp breaker in a system with 15- or 20-amp
receptacles. Protection is lost because it will not trip when the system's
load has been exceeded.
▪ Using modified cords or tools, e.g., removing ground prongs, face plates,
insulation, etc.
▪ Using cords or tools with worn insulation or exposed wires.
UNDERSTANDING ELECTRIC SHOCK

When the body comes into contact to a live source of electrical energy, a
current will flow through the body from the point of contact (e.g. a hand) to a
point in contact with the ground such as a foot. Electric shock can cause pain,
burns, muscle contractions, difficulty in breathing, fibrillation of the heart and
death.
Severity of the shock will depend on:

• The current
• The duration of the shock
• The path of the current through the body
Emergency actions in case of electric

shock:
• Call for help
• Always turn off main power supply source first before extending further help
to the victim
• Never attempt to touch the victim with bare hands if not sure that the
power source is off.
• If the source is out of reach, stand on a dry insulating material such as

rubber, then push the victim away from the electric source by using
nonconductive materials such as wood, rubber, or plastic.
• Apply first aid, if trained.

SOURCES
https://www.osha.gov/Publications/3120.html
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Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Control of Hazardous Energy Lockout/Tagout OSHA 3120 (2002
Revised)
OSHA Facts Sheet
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MACHINE HAZARDS
TYPE OF WORK EQUIPMENT

• Hand tools: tools which are held and used by hand: screwdrivers, hammer
• Power tools: handheld tools which are powered: portable drills, portable
grinder
• Machinery: piece of equipment with moving parts and powered in some

way. These are machines that are not hand-held: bench mounted circular
saw, photocopiers, paper shredders.
• Access equipment: ladders, scaffolds, MEWP
Where Mechanical Hazards Occur any machine part, function, or process

which may cause injury must be safeguarded.
THREE BASIC AREAS REQUIRE SAFEGUARDING

• The point of operation: that point where work is performed on the material,
such as cutting, shaping, boring, or forming of stock.
• Power transmission apparatus: components of the mechanical system

which transmit energy to the part of the machine performing the work.
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Examples: flywheels, pulleys, belts, connecting rods, couplings, cams,

spindles, chains, cranks, and gears.
• Other moving parts: all parts of the machine which moves while the
machine is working. These can include reciprocating, rotating, and
transverse moving parts,
NON-MECHANICAL HAZARDS
• Not grounded properly (electrical)
• Failure of high-pressure system (pneumatic)
• Noise (unwanted sound)
• Potentially harmful substances (cutting fluids, coolants)
• A description of hazards associated with particular machine.
• The safeguards themselves, how they provide protection, and the hazards
for which they are intended.
Workplace machine procedure must provide information in respect to:
• How to use safeguard and why
• How and under what circumstances safeguards may be removed and by

whom.
• What to do if safeguard is damaged, missing, or unable to provide

adequate protection.
All information must also be included in your orientation and machine safety
training.
SOURCES:
https://www.osha.gov/Publications/Mach_SafeGuard/chapt1.html
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Machine Safeguarding
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BASIC OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY ANDF HEALTH (BOSH)
IMPROPER HANDLING OF MATERIAL
Handling materials involve diverse operations such as carrying bags or
• Back injuries due to bending, twisting, and turning
• Strains and sprains from lifting loads improperly or from carrying loads that
are either too large or too heavy,
• Fractures and bruises caused by being struck by materials or by being

caught in pinch points,
• Cuts and bruises caused by falling materials that have been improperly
stored or by incorrectly cutting ties or other securing devices.
HAZARDS IN MANUAL HANDLING

Manual handling occurs in almost all working environments, though workers in
construction, agriculture, hotels, and restaurants are most likely to be exposed
to heavy loads.
Manual handling of loads may cause cumulative disorders due to gradual

and cumulative deterioration of the musculoskeletal system through
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continuous lifting / handling activities, e.g. low back pain. It can also cause
acute trauma such as cuts or fractures due to accidents.
Work-related low back pain and injuries are the most common
musculoskeletal disorders caused by manual handling. About a 30.3% of work-
related injuries were workers suffer from back pain, which tops the list of all
reported work-related disorders.
Factors that increase the risk of injury include the load being too heavy, large,
difficult to grasp or unstable, the task being too strenuous or involving awkward
postures or movements, and the working environment lacking sufficient space,
having slippery, uneven or unstable floors, having extreme temperatures or
poor lighting.
Individual factors also make some workers especially vulnerable.
Where does it occur?
Manual handling occurs in almost all working environments (factories,

warehouses, building sites, farms, hospitals, offices etc). It can include lifting
boxes at a packaging line, handling construction materials, pushing carts,
handling patients in hospitals, and cleaning.
What makes Manual Handling Hazardous?
There are several factors that make manual handling hazardous and increase
the risk of injury. These are called risk factors. The risk factors, particularly for
back injury, are related to 4 aspects of manual handling: the load, the task,
the environment, and the individual.
The Load
The risk of back injury increases during lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling of
loads, if the load is:
• Too heavy
There is no exact weight limit for manual handling. A weight of 20 to 25 kg

is heavy to lift for most people, especially if the load is handled several times
in an hour. Note that pushing or pulling often imposes less loading on the
body than lifting or carrying.
• Too large
One basic rule for lifting and carrying is to keep the load as close to the
body as possible. In order to get a broad load close to the body, the worker
has to open the arms to reach and hold the load. The arm muscles cannot
produce force when reaching as effectively as with the arms held in close.
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Thus, the muscles will get tired more rapidly when handling a large bulky
load.
• Difficult to grasp
Loads that are difficult to grasp can result in the object slipping, causing
sudden movement of the load. Gloves usually make grasping more difficult
than with bare hands. Providing the objects with handles or using aids for
gripping (e.g. when carrying plate material) reduces the load on the
worker. Loads with sharp edges or of dangerous materials (solids or liquids)
can injure workers, especially in the event of a collision.
• Unbalanced, unstable or if the contents can move
With unbalanced objects, it is difficult to hold the center of gravity of the

load close to the middle of the body. This leads to uneven loading of
muscles, and fatigue. Unstable or moving content, such as a liquid, causes
uneven loading of the muscles and sudden movements of the load can
make workers lose their balance and fall.
• Difficult to reach
Loads that can only be reached with outstretched arms, or by bending or

twisting the trunk, require more muscular force. The spine may easily be hurt
if the trunk is bent or twisted while lifting.
The individual
There are also some individual factors that can influence the risk of back
injury:
• Experience, training, and familiarity with the job (for example, new
episodes of low back pain are common in the first year of employment)
• Age (the risk of low back disorders increases with the number of years at
work: the first episode of low back pain occurs in most people by the age
of 30)
• Physical dimensions and capacity (length, weight, strength, etc.)
• Personal lifestyle (smoking may, for example, increase the risk of low back
disorders)
• History of back disorders (this is a predictor of future back injuries)
• Willingness to use personal protective equipment (for example, clothing

and footwear).
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The Task
The risk of back injury increases if the task:
• Is too strenuous
Tasks may be very demanding if they have to be carried out too frequently
or for too long with insufficient rest or recovery time (e.g. continuous lifting
or carrying for long distances, or activities where the working speed is
imposed by a process which cannot be altered by the worker).
• Involves awkward postures or movements
Working with a bent and/or twisted trunk, raised arms, bent wrists, a bent
neck and turned head increases the risk of back injury and should be
avoided, as should twisting, turning and bending movements of the trunk,
overreaching, sudden movements and repetitive handling.
The Environment
The following characteristics of the work environment may increase the risk of
back injury:
• Space available
A lack of space to carry out manual handling may lead to inappropriate

body postures and dangerous imbalance in the loads.
• Floor
Handling loads on different working levels or on floors that are slippery,

uneven or unstable (such as working platforms or fishing boats) may
increase the risk of accidents and back injury.
• Climate
The physical climate (temperature, humidity and ventilation) may affect

the risk of back injury. Heat makes you feel tired, and sweat makes it hard
to hold tools, requiring more force. Cold can make your hands numb,
making it hard to grip.7
• Lighting
Insufficient lighting may increase the risk of accidents when handling loads.
It may also make you work in awkward positions to see clearly what you
are doing.
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HAZARDS RELATED TO MATERIAL HANDLING EQUIPMENT
Crane
Working with cranes poses many hazards, and unsafe working practices can
result in injuries, fatalities and costly damage to buildings and materials.
Therefore, it is important you’re aware of the main hazards and how you can
avoid them.
Some of the main crane-related hazards include:
• Falling Loads
When working with overhead cranes, falling loads are one of the most
common, and most dangerous, hazards. A falling load can result in several
injuries, fatalities and significant structural damage to buildings and
property. Additionally, it will also lead to significant time and money costs.
Falling loads from an overhead crane could be the result of:
▪ Operator incompetency. You must ensure your employees are

adequately trained so they are able to carry out their roles
competently and safely.
▪ Slipping. If you don’t secure loads properly it can result in slipping

material.
▪ Mechanical failure. The risk of mechanical failure can be reduced if

you ensure a competent person carries out routine inspections,
maintenance and repairs at suitable intervals.
▪ Two blocking. Two blocking occurs when an uppermost hoist line

component (i.e the load block, hook block, overhaul ball) touches the
upper block, boom tip or similar component. When two blocking
occurs, increased tension is placed on the line which can result in falling
loads or crane components.
• Electrical Hazards
Around 50% of accidents involving overhead cranes are a result of a metal

part of a crane coming into contact with a power source (i.e a high-
voltage power line). There’s a risk of a crane’s hoist line or boom touching
energized power lines when moving materials nearby or underneath. While
those directly touching the crane are the most likely to be electrocuted,
any workers in the vicinity are also at risk. Therefore, one accident can result
in multiple deaths and injuries. Around 200 fatalities per year are the result
of contact with power lines, so it’s crucial that pre-job planning is carried
out prior to starting work.
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• Crane Overload
The majority of crane structural failures and upsets are the result of
somebody overloading a crane. If you exceed a crane’s operational
capacity, you are likely to subject it to structural stresses and cause
irreversible damage.
You could overload a crane if you:
▪ Swing or suddenly drop loads.
▪ Hoist loads beyond the cranes capacity.
▪ Use defective components.
▪ Drag loads.
▪ Side-load a boom.
Forklift Trucks
Many work-related factors can cause incidents. Grouping them into specific
categories may help to analyze incidents and, eventually, to prevent them.
• Work Organization
▪ Production factors such as speed or stress.
▪ Lack of proper tools, attachments, and accessories.
▪ Improper assignment of forklifts and operators.
▪ Poor maintenance of forklifts.
▪ Age of forklifts.
▪ Lack of training or improper training of workers who have to operate

forklift trucks.
• Operator
▪ travelling at excessive speed.
▪ Riding with the load elevated.
▪ Improper backing up techniques.
▪ Improper turning, braking or accelerating.
▪ Improper warnings to others about a forklift in use nearby.
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▪ Poor communication during shared tasks, or in shared spaces.
▪ Not being aware of the route to be travelled (e.g., narrow passages,

obstacles, poor surface conditions, etc.).
▪ Riding or giving rides on forklift or load.
▪ Parking the forklift improperly.
▪ Improper blocking of wheels on semi-trailers or railway cars.
▪ Horseplay; stunt driving; jerky, erratic driving.
▪ Inadequate servicing of the forklift.
• Workplace Design
▪ Narrow aisles.
▪ Crowded, cluttered aisles.
▪ Shelving that has components that could hit or intrude into the operator
area.
▪ Obstructions at intersections and doors.
▪ Volume of traffic in work area.
▪ Pedestrians who are walking and working in the general area of forklift
operations.
▪ Other workplace conditions such as noise, odours, toxic gases, dust, or

poor lighting.
▪ Ramps or flooring with different surfaces.
▪ Condition of loading dock.
• Load
▪ Goods are poorly stacked or piled on the pallet in a way that result in an
unstable load.
▪ Pallets are in poor repair.
▪ Load is too heavy.
▪ Load is unstable or blocking vision
• Machine Condition
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▪ Malfunction of brakes.
▪ Malfunction of steering.
▪ Malfunction of clutch, shift linkage, or transmission.
▪ Malfunction of mast assembly.
▪ Leaks in hydraulic systems or transmission.
▪ Safety devices lacking, inadequate, or malfunctioning.
▪ Emissions from forklifts.
▪ Blind spots or obstructions blocking driver's view.
▪ Poor layout of controls and displays.
Conveyors
Conveyors are used to transport materials horizontally, vertically at an angle or

around curves. Hazards depend on the type of conveyors, the materials
location of the conveyor and how close the conveyor is to the workers.
Conveyor eliminate or reduced manual material handling task, but they
introduced amputations hazards associated with mechanical motions.
Conveyor relate injuries often involved a worker’s body part getting caught in
nip points or shear points when:
• Cleaning or maintaining a conveyor, especially when it is still operating.
• Reaching into an in-going nip point to remove debris or free jammed

materials.
• A cleaning cloth or clothing gets caught in the conveyor and pull fingers
or hand into the conveyors.
Other conveyor related hazards include improper guarded gears, sprocket

and chain drives, horizontal and vertical shafting, belts and pullet and power
transmission couplings
Overhead conveyors warrant special attention because most of the drive

train is exposed. Workers have been injured or killed while working in areas
underneath conveyors and in areas around lubrication fittings, tension
adjusters and other equipment with hazardous sources.
Typical Conveyor Hazards
• Belt Conveyors
▪ belt-conveyor drive mechanisms and conveying mediums
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▪ conveyor take-up and discharge ends
▪ where the belt or chain enters or exits the in-going nip point
▪ where the belt wraps around pulleys
▪ snub rollers where the belt changes direction, such as take ups
▪ where multiple conveyors are adjoined
▪ on transfers or deflectors used with belt conveyor
• Screw Conveyor
Screw conveyors are troughs with a revolving shaft with a spiral or twisted
plate. Ingoing nip points for the entire length of the screw conveyor exist
between the revolving shaft and trough. Because the trough may not be
covered and the conveyor may be located or near floor level, screw
conveyors can be particularly dangerous.
• Chain Conveyor
Nip points occur when a chain contacts a sprocket. Nip points also occur
at drives, terminals, take-ups, (automatic take-ups may also have shear
points), and idler. Clothing, jewelry, long hair may also get entangled and
caught in moving chain conveyor.
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• Roller Conveyors
Roller conveyors are used to move material on a series of parallel roler that
are either powered or gravity fed. Powered roller conveyors can snag and
pull hands, hair, and clothing into the area between the rollers and the
stationary components of the conveyor. Ingoing nip points may exist
between the drive chain and sprockets; between belt and carrier rollers;
and at terminals.
SOURCE:
http://www.osha.mddsz.gov.si/resources/files/pdf/E-fact_14_--
Hazards_and_risks_associated_with_manual_handling_in_the_workplace.pdf
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998
https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/safety_haz/forklift/accident.html
Safeguarding Equipment and Protecting Employees from Amputation (OSHA 3170-02R, 2007)
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MODULE 2.1.B - WORKPLACE HEALTH HAZARDS
INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
Industrial hygiene is the science and art dedicated to the anticipation,
recognition, evaluation, and control of workplace hazards that may cause
worker injuries or illnesses.
Industrial hygiene focuses on the prevention of worker illnesses caused by

workplace exposures to various chemicals, substances, and other elements.
ELEMENTS OF INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE

ANTICIPATION OF HAZARDS
Before ever arriving at a job site or facility, a preliminary research can be done
to determine the type of work and the potential exposures that may be
present. This can be performed by asking and answering the following
questions:
• What type of facility or site is it?
• What types of operations or processes are being performed?
• What hazardous materials are present or are likely to be present?
• Are facility schematics or drawings available for review?
• What standard operating procedures are available?
• Are safety data sheets (SDSs) available for review?
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• Were there any complaints from workers?
RECOGNITION OF HAZARDS
This phase of the assessment process is conducted primarily through

walkthrough inspections to identify the specific processes and operations and
the potential hazards that each may pose to workers This process is more
qualitative than quantitative in nature. Once the walkthrough inspection has
been completed; a strategy can be developed to further evaluate the extent
of each hazard.
EVALUATION OF HAZARD
The evaluation process may require the use of specialized sampling equipment
to actually quantify the workers’ exposure to the specific hazards. Depending
on the type of hazard, representative samples will be collected using various
methodologies. Once samples have been analyzed by an accredited
laboratory, then plan can be formulated to control the hazards.
CONTROL OF HAZARDS
Developing a plan of action to eliminate, minimize, or mitigate the hazards,

which may include engineering controls, administrative controls, or personal
protective equipment (PPE). Through the elimination or mitigation of a hazard,
the risk to the employee can be drastically reduced
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CLASSIFICATION OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH HAZARDS

The various environmental stresses or hazards, otherwise known as
occupational health hazards, can be classified as chemical, physical,
biological, or ergonomic.
EFFECTS OF HEALTH HAZARDS

Health effect can be categorized into:
• Acute effect: short duration, appear rapidly after short term exposure &
usually reversible e.g. nausea & vomiting
• Chronic effect: long duration, develop over a long period of time which
may take many years, produced by prolonged exposure to hazard
resulting in gradual, usually irreversible illness e.g. cancer.
TYPES OF HEALTH HAZARDS

• CHEMICAL HAZARDS
Route of entry of chemical hazards include inhalation (main route of entry),

ingestion, absorption, and injection.
Chemical agents may be in the form of dust, fumes, vapor, mist and gases.
The degree of risk of handling a given substance depends on the
magnitude and duration of exposure.
▪ Dust is made of fine particles of solid matter float in air (particle size of
about 1 to 150 um). Examples are silica, metal dusts and asbestos.
▪ Fumes are heated solid particles suspended floating in the air (particles
size of about 0.1 to 1 um). Examples are oxides generated from molten
metal such as cadmium oxide, beryllium oxide, etc.
▪ Vapor diffused matter suspended floating in the air and impairing its
transparency. Examples are the components of organic solvents such
as benzene, toluene, acetone, and xylene.
▪ Mist is a tiny droplet of water hanging in the air (particle size of 5 to 100
um approximately. Examples: nitric acid and sulfuric acid.
▪ Gases is a state of mater that has no fixed shape and no fixed volume.
Examples are chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, carbon monoxide,
sulfur dioxide, phosgene, and formaldehyde.
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▪ PHYSICAL HAZARDS
Is an agent, factor, or circumstances that can cause harm without contact.

The most common physical hazards are extreme temperature (Hot and
Cold), heat stress, vibration, radiation, abnormal air pressure, illumination,
and noise are physical stresses.
It is important that the employer, supervisor, and those responsible for

safety and health are on guard to these hazards due to the possible
immediate or cumulative effects on the health of the employees.
▪ Extreme temperature. Excessive heat workplace, whether working in

the field or in the building where high temperatures not only cause
discomfort but may increase the risk of accidents due to muscle
cramps, heat exhaustion, and the worst is death.
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Effects of High Temperature Risk to Safety and Health
o Prickly heat: can occur where due to the sweat glands are blocked
and consequently accumulated sweat.
o Heat Cramps: usually occurs in the arms, legs and abdomen. Usually,
it happens after intense sweating and not drinking enough water.
o Heat Syncope: Sudden unconscious. Occurred because of blood

pressure is too low. Often occur after heavy work continuously. The
skin becomes cold and sticky while the pulse is weak.
o Heat Exhaustion: Symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, clammy skin,

intense sweating, loss of appetite, nausea, and abdominal pain.
These signs arise when the body loses too much water when doing a
lot of physical activity in high temperature areas.
o Heat Stroke: The body loses its ability to cool itself. As a result,
increased body temperature, quick pulse, lost orientation, confusion,
decreased blood pressure, unconsciousness, and coma. This issue
requires urgent medical treatment because it can cause death.
Predisposing factors for heat illnesses includes:
o Physical activity
o Extremes of age, poor physical condition, fatigue
o Excessive clothing
o Dehydration
o Cardiovascular disease
o Skin disorder
o Obesity
o Drugs – diuretics, amphetamine, cocaine
Temperatures that are too low can increase the risk of accidents due
to health problems arising from the cold. Those who work in low
temperatures such as cold storage, freezing and ice factories often
vulnerable to this problem.
Effects of Low Extremes Temperature Risk to Health and Safety
o Frostbite: The ice crystals formed in the cells and tissues resulting in
impaired blood flow.
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o Hypothermia: body temperature drops to less than 35C.
o Injury to the eye: the cornea become blind due to freezing.
▪ Vibrations: Exposure to vibrations could have a negative effect on the

health of the workers. It could damage joints, muscles, circulations, and
sensory nerves.
This could lead to considerable pain, time off or even disability.
Common Vibration Hazards are:
o Hand arm vibration (HAV)
HAV is caused by regular exposure to high levels of vibration from

handheld tools and equipment. It could also be caused by holding
materials in contact with grinding or cutting operations.
HAV can affect workers who use power tools and cutting equipment
such as:
➢ Grinders
Ø Polishers
Ø Strimmer
➢ Chainsaws
➢ power drills
➢ road breakers.
The vibration transmitted from the tools or materials to the hands and
arms could damage sensory nerves, muscles and joints which is
called hand arm vibration syndrome (HAVS).
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o Vibration white finger
This is a condition caused by damage to the circulatory system in the

hands and fingers because of contact with vibrating tools. The
symptoms are:
➢ Tingling
➢ Numbness
➢ whitening appearance to the fingers.
After the attack, the fingers affected may become painful, red and
throbbing as the circulation returns.
These symptoms may become more severe and frequent with

continued exposure to vibration, especially in cold weather. This can
eventually lead to permanent disability.
o Whole body vibration
Whole body vibration is caused by sitting, standing, or lying on a

vibrating surface. This could lead to
➢ Headaches
➢ motion sickness
➢ chronic back pain
➢ stomach problems
➢ sleep and visual disturbances.
Using vehicles off road increases the risk of jolts and jarring. For this
reason, employees that drive or operate heavy plant and vehicles
such as construction plant, agricultural machines and quarry
vehicles are especially at risk.
Vibration transmitted through the feet can also be a problem for

employees that stand on the platforms of stationary plant such as
rock crushers.
Portable meters are available for vibration measurements. These

usually provide readouts that must be compared to the appropriate
standards.
• Radiation: Electromagnetic waves are produced by the motion of

electrically charged particles. These waves are also called
“electromagnetic radiation” because they radiate from the electrically
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charged particles. They travel through empty space as well as through

air and can penetrate some other substances. Radio waves,
microwaves, visible light, and X-rays are all examples of electromagnetic
waves.
The electromagnetic spectrum can be divided into two at a

wavelength of about 10 nm, which distinguishes NON-IONIZING
RADIATION and IONIZING RADIATION.
Visible light, infrared and microwaves are types of non-ionizing radiation.
X-rays and Gamma rays are examples of ionizing radiation.
The distinction between non-ionizing and ionizing radiation is simply one

of associated energy. For the ionizing region of the electromagnetic
spectrum, the energy incident upon a material is large enough to
remove an electron from an atom orbit to produce ionization, whereas
for the non-ionizing region the energy is not normally sufficient to
produce ion pairs.
Workers may be exposed to ionizing radiation in several ways,

depending on their job tasks.
The health effects of radiation dose depend on:
o the type of radiation emitted,
o the radiation dose received by a worker, and
o the parts of the body that are exposed,
Radiation dose
o depends on the duration of exposure,
o the amount of radiation generated from the radiation source,
o the distance from the radiation source, and
o the amount and type of shielding in place.
In general, radiation dose is received when a worker is:
o Near to an unshielded or partially shielded radiation source.
o Unprotected when near unshielded radiation-generating machines

(e.g., X-ray machine, accelerator, etc.) in operation.
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o Unprotected when handling radioactive materials

(e.g., radionuclides).
o Near to surfaces or areas contaminated with radioactive materials

(e.g., from small spills or leaks).
o Contaminated with radioactive materials

Types of Non-Ionizing Radiation
o Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation
o Infrared (IR) Radiation
o Laser Radiation
o Microwave Radiation
Effects of Non ionizing radiation Ozone may be produced as a result of

electrical discharges or ionization of the air surrounding non-ionizing
radiation sources, e.g. UV, high power laser, microwave and short
duration exposure in excess of a few tenths ppm can result in discomfort
(headache, dryness of mucous membranes and throat).
• Abnormal Air Pressure: It has been recognized as from the beginning of

caisson work (work performed in a watertight structure) that men
working under pressures greater than at a normal atmospheric one, are
subject to various illnesses connected with the job. Hyperbaric (greater
than normal pressures) environments are also encountered by divers
operating under water, whether by holding the breath while diving,
breathing from a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus
(SCUBA), or by breathing gas mixtures supplied by compression from the
surface.
Occupational exposures occur in caisson or tunnelling operations,

where a compressed gas environment is used to exclude water or mud
and to provide support for structures. Man can withstand large pressures
due to the free access of air to the lungs, sinuses, and middle ear.
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• Illumination: Inadequate illumination. The measure of the stream of light

falling on a surface is known as illumination. The key aspects of
illumination include lux, luminance, reflectance, glare and sources of
lighting.
Key aspects of illumination:
o Lux - unit of measurement.
o Luminance - measure of light coming from a source
o Reflectance - ability of a surface to return light.
o Glare is caused by bright light sources which can be seen by looking

in the range from straight-ahead to 450 above the horizontal. There
are two types of glare: direct and reflected.
➢ Direct Glare is produced when light is positioned at the surface.

It can be prevented by correct installation of lighting fittings,
installing louvers below the light source, enclosing the lamps in
bowl reflectors, and opaque or prismatic shades.
➢ Reflected Glare is produced when light is reflected off a shiny

surface. It may be addressed by providing indirect lighting.
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Sources of light
There are two sources of light:
o Daylight, also called natural light depends on the availability at the

location and weather condition.
o Electric Light can come from:
➢ Incandescent lamps or bulbs
➢ Fluorescent lamps or tubes
➢ High intensity discharge or mercury
Types of Lighting
Illumination can also be viewed in terms of:
o General lighting illuminating the entire premises
o Local lighting directing light on an object that you are working with.
Factors in determining the quantity of light:
o Nature of work - more light will be required if one is working with small
objects.
o Environment - the ability of the surrounding surfaces to reflect light.
o Eyesight of the workers - the ability of the eye to adjust

rapidly to different distances declines as people grow older.
▪ Noise
Types of noise
o Continuous noise is a steady state noise with negligible level

fluctuations during the period of observation.
o Intermittent noise levels shift significantly during observation.
o Impact noise consists of one or more bursts of sound energy, each

lasting less than one second.
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Factors that can influence noise exposure
Several factors can influence the effects of the noise exposure.
These include:
o variation in individual susceptibility
o the total energy of the sound
o the frequency distribution of the sound
o other characteristics of the noise exposure, such as whether it is

continuous, intermittent, or made up of a series of impacts
o the total daily duration of exposure
• ERGONOMICS HAZARDS
The applied science of equipment design, as for the workplace, intended

to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort.
According to the International Labour Organization it is
“… The application of human biological science in conjunction with the

engineering sciences to achieve the optimum mutual adjustment of man
[sic] and his [sic] work, the benefits being measured in terms of human
efficiency and well-being.”
Ergonomic hazards are factors in your environment that can harm the
musculoskeletal system. There are Injuries that are caused by strain placed
on the body from ergonomic hazards and are not always immediately
obvious, making these hazards difficult to detect.
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The severity of ergonomic hazards often depends on the level of exposure

over time. Injuries sustained from these safety hazards can include anything
from sore muscles to long-term illnesses.
Ergonomic hazards include:
▪ Improperly adjusted workstations and chairs
▪ Frequent lifting
▪ Poor posture
▪ Awkward movements, especially if they are repetitive
▪ Using too much force, especially if it is done frequently
▪ Vibration
Ergonomic hazards are often a result of the way a space is designed,

meaning that planning and thinking about how employees interact with
their workspace is crucial.
Types of work most likely to pose ergonomic hazards
▪ Manual handling,
▪ Manufacturing and production,
▪ Heavy lifting,
▪ Twisting movements,
▪ Long hours of working in awkward positions.
Controls to improve ergonomics
▪ Arrange items stored on shelving so those used most frequently and

those that are the heaviest are between waist and shoulder height;
▪ Raise platforms to help operators reach badly located controls (or

alternatively relocate the controls);
▪ Remove obstacles from under desks so there is enough leg room;
▪ Provide height-adjustable chairs, so individual operators can work at

their preferred work height change shift work patterns;
▪ Introduce job rotation between different tasks to reduce physical and

mental fatigue.
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Proper Posture
▪ Relaxed natural position
▪ Wrists straight, Shoulders relaxed
▪ Back and neck as close to their natural alignment as possible
▪ Elbows near the side, bent at a 90° angle to reach the work.
• BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS
It is also known as a biohazard, is an organism or a by-product from an

organism that is harmful or potentially harmful to other living things, primarily
human beings.
Common types of biological hazards include bacteria, viruses, medical

waste, and toxins that were produced by organisms.
The "biohazard” symbol is a familiar sight in hospitals, and any object that
carries it should be treated with extreme caution. Biological hazards vary in
their degree of severity and the precautions employed when handling,
storing, or disposing of them are determined accordingly.
Chemical and biological hazards differ in that the latter may have the
potential to pass from person to person. This makes it particularly important
that all precautions are strictly observed by those working with, or
encountering, biologically hazardous materials. In a worst-case scenario,
inadequate precautions, or a failure to observe them, could lead to a
major outbreak of a fatal disease. This is extremely unlikely, however, as
establishments that carry out research into disease causing infectious
agents are carefully designed to prevent accidental release and have
strict biosafety rules.
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Example of Biological hazards
▪ Tuberculosis (TB)
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium

tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can
attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. Not
everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick. As a result, two TB-
related conditions exist: latent TB infection (LTBI) and TB disease. If not
treated properly, TB disease can be fatal.
Transmission
TB bacteria are spread through the air from one person to another. The
TB bacteria are put into the air when a person with TB disease of the lungs
or throat coughs, speaks, or sings. People nearby may breathe in these
bacteria and become infected.
TB is NOT spread by:
o shaking someone's hand
o sharing food or drink
o touching bed linens or toilet seats
o sharing toothbrushes
o kissing
Symptoms:
TB disease in the lungs may cause symptoms such as:
o a bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer
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o pain in the chest
o coughing up blood or sputum (phlegm from deep inside the lungs)
o Other symptoms of TB disease are weakness or fatigue, weight loss,

no appetite, chills, fever, sweating at night
o People who have latent TB infection do not feel sick, do not have
any symptoms, and cannot spread TB to others
Prevention:
o Strengthen immune system by eating healthy, exercising regularly,

and getting enough rest.
o Seek medical advice immediately if have been exposed to an

active tuberculosis patient
o For patient with active TB
➢ Covering the mouth when coughing, sneezing or laughing to

minimize spread of bacteria
➢ Wearing a mask or staying at home until sputum examination has

reverted to normal
➢ At home, sleeping in a room by oneself to help prevent

transmission of disease to other family members
➢ Providing proper ventilation on the workplace
DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment Short course): a TB control strategy

launched by World Health Organization (WHO) in 1995, which involves
supervising the patient`s intake of medication. In 2003, the Philippines
also adopted the DOTS strategy.
In 2005, DOLE issued Department Order No 73-05: Guidelines for the

implementation on Policy and Program on Tuberculosis Prevention and
Control in the Workplace to assist companies in strengthening TB
prevention effort through enterprise-level policies and programs.
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▪ HIV and AIDS
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the cause of Acquired

Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) – a condition in which progressive
failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic
infections and cancers to thrive.
Once inside the body, the virus attacked the body`s immune system,
specifically the CD4 cells (T cells), which help the immune system fight
off infections. AIDS is the most advanced stage of infection with HIV.
Transmission:
o Only certain body fluids—blood, semen (cum), pre-seminal fluid (pre-

cum), rectal fluids, vaginal fluids, and breast milk—from a person who
has HIV can transmit HIV. These fluids must come in contact with a
mucous membrane or damaged tissue or be directly injected into the
bloodstream (from a needle or syringe) for transmission to occur.
Mucous membranes are found inside the rectum, vagina, penis, and
mouth
o HIV CAN be transmitted by:
➢ Sexual contact
➢ From mother to child during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding.
➢ Being stuck with an HIV-contaminated needle or other sharp

object (mainly for health care workers)
➢ Sharing needles or syringes, rinse water, or other equipment

(works) used to prepare drugs for injection with someone who
has HIV.
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o HIV does not survive long outside the human body (such as on
surfaces), and it cannot reproduce outside a human host. HIV is NOT
transmitted by:
➢ Mosquitoes, ticks, or other insects.
➢ Saliva, tears, or sweat that is not mixed with the blood of an HIV-
positive person.
➢ Hugging, shaking hands, sharing toilets, sharing dishes, or closed-

mouth or “social” kissing with someone who is HIV-positive.
Prevention
o Abstinence is the only 100% effective way to prevent HIV, other

sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
o Reducing the number of sexual partners
o Correct and consistent use of condoms
o Getting tested at least once or more often if you are at risk.
o Don`t share needles/ sterilize needles.
o Education and information
To prevent the spread of the virus among the working population, and
in recognition that HIV/AIDS has far reaching consequences beyond the
health sector, the government passed the Republic Act 8504 otherwise
known as The Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998. The
DOLE DO NO. 102-10: Guidelines for the implementation of the HIV and
AIDS prevention and Control in the Workplace Program was issued to
provide directions for employers, employees, and program
implementers in the workplace.
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▪ Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a contagious liver disease that ranges in severity from a mild

illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness. It results from
infection with the Hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B can be either “acute” or
“chronic.”
Transmission
Hepatitis B is spread when blood, semen, or other body fluid infected

with the Hepatitis B virus enters the body of a person who is not infected.
People can become infected with the virus during activities such as:
o Birth (spread from an infected mother to her baby during birth)
o Sex with an infected partner
o Sharing needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment
o Sharing items such as razors or toothbrushes with an infected person
o Direct contact with the blood or open sores of an infected person
o Exposure to blood from needle sticks or other sharp instruments.
Hepatitis B virus is NOT spread by sharing eating utensils, breastfeeding,

hugging, kissing, holding hands, coughing, or sneezing.
Symptoms
Symptoms of acute Hepatitis B, if they appear, can include: Fever,

fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine,
clay-colored bowel movements, joint pain, jaundice (yellow color in the
skin or the eyes).
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Most individuals with chronic Hepatitis B remain symptom free for as

long as 20 or 30 years. About 15%–25% of people with chronic Hepatitis
B develop serious liver conditions, such as cirrhosis (scarring of the liver)
or liver cancer.
Treatment
Prevention is recommended by receiving a vaccine for HBV.
At present, there is no specific treatment for patients with acute hepatitis

B. Acute infection is usually short and will often resolve on its own.
While chronic infection cannot be cured, there are standard treatments

that may control the virus and prevent further damage to the liver.
DOLE Department Advisory No. 05 Series of 2010: Guidelines for the

implementation of a Workplace Policy and Program on Hepatitis B is the
government response since Hepatitis B continues to be a major public
health concern in the Philippines. Strategies need to be implemented to
reduce the risk of transmission of Hepatitis B in the workplace and
eliminate discrimination against Hepatitis B positive workers.
▪ Tetanus
Tetanus, commonly called lockjaw, is another illness caused by a

bacterial toxin or poison from the spore of the bacterium Clostridium
tetani.
Tetanus affects the nervous system and is characterized by an increase

in muscle tone causing painful spasms. Lockjaw is one of the usual
manifestations of untreated tetanus infection. Severe spasms and
convulsions may occur which can lead to death if not treated early.
Workers engaged in agriculture have an increased risk of contracting

tetanus. Such workers are particularly susceptible to cuts and abrasions
and owing to the nature of the work environment it is likely that wounds
will become contaminated with soil containing tetanus spores. Other
susceptible workers include miners and construction workers.
The illness is contracted through a cut or wound that becomes

contaminated with tetanus bacteria. The bacteria can get in through
even a tiny pinprick or scratch, but deep puncture wounds or cuts like
those made by nails or knives are especially susceptible to infection.
Tetanus bacteria are present worldwide and are commonly found in soil,
dust and manure. Tetanus causes severe muscle spasms, including
“locking” of the jaw so the patient cannot open his/her mouth or
swallow, and may lead to death by suffocation.
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Common first signs of tetanus include muscular stiffness in the jaw

(lockjaw) followed by stiffness of the neck, difficulty in swallowing, rigidity
of abdominal muscles, generalized spasms, sweating and fever.
Symptoms usually begin 7 days after bacteria enter the body through a
wound, but this incubation period may range from 3 days to 3 weeks.
Tetanus is not transmitted from person to person. Effective prevention of

tetanus is achieved by active immunization, using tetanus toxoid. In view
of the substantial risk of contracting tetanus following an injury and in
view of the fatal consequences of the disease, mass immunization is fully
justified. Immunization is usually carried out as part of the occupational
health program for workers. Active immunity is preferable to passive
immunity, because there are fewer side reactions and because better
protection is afforded.
▪ Other Health Hazards
Tobacco and Drugs
Smoking leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of
the body. Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases,
diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which
includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking also increases risk
for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune
system, including rheumatoid arthritis.
Secondhand smoke causes stroke, lung cancer, and coronary heart

disease in adults. Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke are
at increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory
infections, middle ear disease, more severe asthma, respiratory
symptoms, and slowed lung growth.
Drugs can affect a person’s thinking, mood, energy level, and

perception. They may impair motor functioning, interfere with decision-
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making and problem-solving, and reduce inhibition, as well as cause a

host of physical health problems, such as long-lasting brain damage.
According to the Dangerous Drug Board of the Philippines, there are

about 1.3 Million drug users in the Philippines.
In accordance with Article V of Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known

as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and its
Implementing Rules and Regulations , the DOLE DO No. 53-03: Guidelines
for the implementation of drug-free workplace Policies and Programs for
the Private Sector was issued to assist employers and employees in the
formulation of company policies and programs to achieve a drug-free
workplace.
This guideline states that:
It shall be mandatory for all private establishments employing ten (10) or

more workers to formulate and implement drug abuse prevention and
control programs in the workplace, including the formulation and
adoption of company policies against dangerous drug use.
Establishments with less than ten (10) workers are also encouraged to
formulate and adopt drug-free policies and programs in the workplace.
Components of a drug-free workplace policies and programs
o Advocacy, Education and Training
➢ training to increase awareness and education of employees on

the adverse effects of dangerous drugs on the person, workplace,
family, and the community.
➢ monitoring of employees susceptible to drug abuse.
➢ display of billboard or streamer in conspicuous places in the

workplace with standard message like “THIS IS A DRUG-FREE
WORKPLACE; LET’S KEEP IT THIS WAY!”
o Drug Testing Program for Officers and Employees: random drug test
(screening and confirmatory test should the screening turn positive)
for officials and employees.
o Treatment, Rehabilitation and Referral: provision for employee

assistance and counseling programs for emotionally stressed
employees.
o Monitoring and Evaluation: periodically by the employer to ensure that

the goal of a drug-free workplace is met.
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HEALTH HAZARD IDENTIFICATION

One of the "root causes" of workplace injuries, illnesses, and incidents is the
failure to identify or recognize hazards that are present, or that could have
been anticipated. A critical element of any effective safety and health
program is a proactive, ongoing process to identify and assess such hazards.
To identify and assess hazards, employers, and workers:
• Collect and review information about the hazards present or likely to be

present in the workplace.
• Conduct initial and periodic workplace inspections of the workplace to

identify new or recurring hazards.
• Investigate injuries, illnesses, incidents, and close calls/near misses to

determine the underlying hazards, their causes, and safety and health
program shortcomings.
• Group similar incidents and identify trends in injuries, illnesses, and hazards
reported.
• Consider hazards associated with emergency or nonroutine situations.
• Determine the severity and likelihood of incidents that could result for each
hazard identified and use this information to prioritize corrective actions.
Some hazards, such as housekeeping and tripping hazards, can and should be
fixed as they are found. Fixing hazards on the spot emphasizes the importance
of safety and health and takes advantage of a safety leadership opportunity.
COLLECT EXISTING INFORMATION ABOUT WORKPLACE HAZARDS

Information on workplace hazards may already be available to employers and
workers, from both internal and external sources.
How to accomplish it
• Collect, organize, and review information with workers to determine what

types of hazards may be present and which workers may be exposed or
potentially exposed. Information available in the workplace may include:
• Equipment and machinery operating manuals.
• Safety Data Sheets (SDS) provided by chemical manufacturers.
• Self-inspection reports and inspection reports from insurance carriers,

government agencies, and consultants.
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• Records of previous injuries and illnesses, such as WAIR and ECP logs and
reports of incident investigations.
• Workers' compensation records and reports.
• Patterns of frequently occurring injuries and illnesses.
• Exposure monitoring results, industrial hygiene assessments, and medical

records (appropriately redacted to ensure patient/worker privacy).
• Existing safety and health programs (lockout/tagout, confined spaces,

process safety management, personal protective equipment, etc.).
• Input from workers, including surveys or minutes from safety and health
committee meetings.
• Results of job hazard analyses, also known as job safety analyses.
Information about hazards may be available from outside sources, such as:
• OSHC, DOLE, OSHA, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) websites,
publications, and alerts.
• Trade associations.
• Labor unions,
• Safety and health consultants.
INSPECT THE WORKPLACE FOR SAFETY HAZARDS

Hazards can be introduced over time as workstations and processes change,
equipment or tools become worn, maintenance is neglected, or
housekeeping practices decline. Setting aside time to regularly inspect the
workplace for hazards can help identify shortcomings so that they can be
addressed before an incident occurs.
• Conduct regular inspections of all operations, equipment, work areas and

facilities. Have workers participate on the inspection team and talk to them
about hazards that they see or report.
• Be sure to document inspections so you can later verify that hazardous

conditions are corrected. Take photos or video of problem areas to
facilitate later discussion and brainstorming about how to control them,
and for use as learning aids.
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• Include all areas and activities in these inspections, such as storage and
warehousing, facility, and equipment maintenance, purchasing and office
functions, and the activities of on-site contractors, subcontractors, and
temporary employees.
• Regularly inspect both plant vehicles (e.g., forklifts, powered industrial

trucks) and transportation vehicles (e.g., cars, trucks).
• Use checklists that highlight things to look for. Typical hazards fall into
several major categories, such as those listed below; each workplace will
have its own list:
▪ General housekeeping
▪ Slip, trip, and fall hazards
▪ Electrical hazards
▪ Equipment operation
▪ Equipment maintenance
▪ Fire protection
▪ Work organization and process flow (including staffing and scheduling)
▪ Work practices
▪ Workplace violence
▪ Ergonomic problems
▪ Lack of emergency procedures
• Before changing operations, workstations, or workflow; making major

organizational changes; or introducing new equipment, materials, or
processes, seek the input of workers and evaluate the planned changes
for potential hazards and related risks.
Note: Many hazards can be identified using common knowledge and

available tools. For example, you can easily identify, and correct hazards
associated with broken stair rails and frayed electrical cords. Workers can be
a particularly useful internal resource, especially if they are trained in how to
identify and assess risks.
IDENTIFY HEALTH HAZARDS

Identifying workers' exposure to health hazards is typically more complex than
identifying physical safety hazards. For example, gases and vapors may be
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invisible, often have no odor, and may not have an immediately noticeable
harmful health effect. Health hazards include chemical hazards (solvents,
adhesives, paints, toxic dusts, etc.), physical hazards (noise, radiation, heat,
etc.), biological hazards (infectious diseases), and ergonomic risk factors
(heavy lifting, repetitive motions, vibration). Reviewing workers' medical
records (appropriately redacted to ensure patient/worker privacy) can be
useful in identifying health hazards associated with workplace exposures.
• Identify chemical hazards –review SDS and product labels to identify

chemicals in your workplace that have low exposure limits, are highly
volatile, or are used in large quantities or in unventilated spaces. Identify
activities that may result in skin exposure to chemicals.
• Identify physical hazards –identify any exposures to excessive noise (areas

where you must raise your voice to be heard by others), elevated heat
(indoor and outdoor), or sources of radiation (radioactive materials, X-rays,
or radiofrequency radiation).
• Identify biological hazards –determine whether workers may be exposed

to sources of infectious diseases, molds, toxic or poisonous plants, or animal
materials (fur or scat) capable of causing allergic reactions or
occupational asthma.
• Identify ergonomic risk factors –examine work activities that require heavy
lifting, work above shoulder height, repetitive motions, or tasks with
significant vibration.
• Conduct quantitative exposure assessments –when possible, using air

sampling or direct reading instruments.
• Review medical records –to identify cases of musculoskeletal injuries, skin

irritation or dermatitis, hearing loss, or lung disease that may be related to
workplace exposures.
Note: Identifying and assessing health hazards may require specialized

knowledge. Small businesses can obtain free and confidential occupational
safety and health advice services, including help identifying and assessing
workplace hazards, through OSHS AND DOLE.
CONDUCT INCIDENT INVESTIGATION

Workplace incidents – including injuries, illnesses, close calls/near misses, and
reports of other concerns– provide a clear indication of where hazards exist.
By thoroughly investigating incidents and reports, you will identify hazards that
are likely to cause future harm. The purpose of an investigation must always be
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to identify the root causes (and there is often more than one) of the incident
or concern, in order to prevent future occurrences.
• Develop a clear plan and procedure for conducting incident

investigations, so that an investigation can begin immediately when an
incident occurs. The plan should cover items such as:
▪ Who will be involved
▪ Lines of communication
▪ Materials, equipment, and supplies needed
▪ Reporting forms and templates
• Train investigative teams on incident investigation techniques, emphasizing

objectivity and open-mindedness throughout the investigation process.
• Conduct investigations with a trained team that includes representatives

of both management and workers.
• Investigate close calls/near misses.
• Identify and analyze root causes to address underlying program

shortcomings that allowed the incidents to happen.
• Communicate the results of the investigation to managers, supervisors, and

workers to prevent recurrence.
Effective incident investigations do not stop at identifying a single factor that

triggered an incident. They ask the questions "Why?" and "What led to the
failure?" For example, if a piece of equipment fails, a good investigation asks:
"Why did it fail?" "Was it maintained properly?" "Was it beyond its service life?"
and "How could this failure have been prevented?" Similarly, a good incident
investigation does not stop when it concludes that a worker made an error. It
asks such questions as: "Was the worker provided with appropriate tools and
time to do the work?" "Was the worker adequately trained?" and "Was the
worker properly supervised?"
Note: DOLE AND OSHC has special reporting requirements for work-related
incidents that lead to serious injury or a fatality (RULE 1050). DOLE
Representative must be notified within 8 hours of a work-related fatality, and
within 24 hours of an amputation, loss of an eye, or inpatient hospitalization.
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IDENTIFY HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH EMERGENCY AND NON-

ROUTINE SITUATIONS
Emergencies present hazards that need to be recognized and understood.
Nonroutine or infrequent tasks, including maintenance and start-up/ shutdown
activities, also present potential hazards. Plans and procedures need to be
developed for responding appropriately and safely to hazards associated with
foreseeable emergency scenarios and nonroutine situations.
• Identify foreseeable emergency scenarios and nonroutine tasks,

considering the types of material and equipment in use and the location
within the facility. Scenarios such as the following may be foreseeable:
▪ Fires and explosions
▪ Chemical releases
▪ Hazardous material spills
▪ Startups after planned or unplanned equipment shutdowns
▪ Nonroutine tasks, such as infrequently performed maintenance activities
▪ Structural collapse
▪ Disease outbreaks
▪ Weather emergencies and natural disasters
▪ Medical emergencies
▪ Workplace violence
CHARACTERIZE THE NATURE OF IDENTIFIED HAZARDS, IDENTIFY

INTERIM CONTROL MEASURES AND PRIORITIZE THE HAZARDS FOR
CONTROL
The next step is to assess and understand the hazards identified and the types
of incidents that could result from worker exposure to those hazards. This
information can be used to develop interim controls and to prioritize hazards
for permanent control.
• Evaluate each hazard by considering the severity of potential outcomes,

the likelihood that an event or exposure will occur, and the number of
workers who might be exposed.
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• Use interim control measures to protect workers until more permanent

solutions can be implemented.
• Prioritize the hazards so that those presenting the greatest risk are
addressed first. Note, however, that employers have an ongoing obligation
to control all serious recognized hazards and to protect workers.
Note: "Risk" is the product of hazard and exposure. Thus, risk can be reduced
by controlling or eliminating the hazard or by reducing workers' exposure to
hazards. An assessment of risk helps employers understand hazards in the
context of their own workplace and prioritize hazards for permanent control.
KNOWING THE RAW MATERIALS, BY-PRODUCT AND FINSIHED

PRODUCTS
Knowing about the raw materials used and the nature of the products
manufactured will help you determine the specific contaminants to which
workers are actually exposed. Possible impurities in raw materials such as
benzene in some solvents should be considered.
REVIEW OF THE PROCESS INVOLVED

The identity of the chemical intermediates formed during an industrial process
and the toxicological properties of these intermediates may be difficult to
establish. Undesirable chemical by-products such as carbon monoxide
resulting from the incomplete combustion of organic material may be formed.
SET UP FORMAL PROCESSES FOR EMPLOYEES TO REPORT HAZARDS

THEY SEE AND VOICE OUT THEIR SAFETY COMPLAINTS
Send out surveys to receive input from workers. Set up a safety and health
committee of employees to discuss and review workplace hazards and keep
detailed minutes of committee discussions to keep an up-to-date record of
your findings.
How to Accomplish
• Have employees play an active role in regular safety inspections of work

areas, equipment, and operations.
• Consult workers before making any major changes to the workplace,

including rearranging workstations, reorganizing operations, or introducing
new equipment. Ask them to help you identify potential hazards that might
emerge.
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SOURCE:
https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/hazard-Identification.html
Occupational Safety and Health Center OSH Manual
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GLOBALLY HARMONIZED SYSTEM OF CLASSIFICATION AND

LABELLING OF CHEMICALS
GHS is a set of international guidelines that were developed by the United
Nations. These guidelines were created to ensure the safe manufacturing,
handling, use, disposal, and transport of hazardous materials. The GHS system
is used to:
• Classify chemical data and hazard criteria.
• Identify a chemical's health, physical, and environmental hazards.
• Provide chemical manufacturers and distributors with a well-defined

system to communicate a chemical's hazard information and protective
measures.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Employer (s) shall:
• Ensure development, implementation and monitoring of the Chemical

safety policy and program
• Ensure that all chemicals are properly labeled, and Safety Data Sheets are
provided in accordance with GHS.
• Provide the necessary control measures including the appropriate personal

protective equipment.
• Ensure that workers are provided with the appropriate information,

education and training on GHS and chemical safety.
• Establish and implement chemical emergency response plan to mitigate

accidents like accidental exposure, inadvertent release, and fire or
explosion.
• Ensure that the Safety Officer is in charge of the overall responsibility for
chemical safety in the establishment.
Employees shall:
• Comply with the chemical safety policy and program.

• Take all reasonable steps to eliminate or minimize risk to themselves and to
others from the use of chemicals at work.
• Observe proper use of all safeguards and safety devices.
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• Report immediately to their supervisor any situation which they believe

could present a risk of chemicals
GHS CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA
Hazard Classification Criteria has three major hazard groups namely physical,
heath, and environmental hazards. Based on the three classifications of
hazards, the following compose the GHS criteria:
• Physical hazards – explosives, flammable gases/aerosols, oxidizing gases,

corrosive to metal, substances, and mixtures which, in contact with water,
emit flammable gases, and others.
• Health hazards – acute toxicity, skin corrosion/ irritation, serious eye

damage/eye irritation, respiratory or skin sensitization, carcinogenicity,
reproductive toxicity, aspiration hazards, and others.
• Environmental hazards – hazardous to aquatic environment, hazardous to

the ozone layer, and others.
Hazard communication composed of Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and Labels. GHS
labels must include specific:
• signal words - warning or danger
• hazard statements - flammable liquids, fatal if swallowed
• symbols/ pictograms.
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CHEMICAL SAFETY PROGRAM ELEMENTS

• Facilities and Control Measures
Interventions to provide protection of workers through Engineering and

Administrative Controls and PPE
• Workers’ Right to Know
▪ shall cover training and information on chemical safety and orientation

on chemical safety data sheets.
▪ Has the right of refusal to work if an imminent danger situation exists until
the corrective action to eliminate the danger is achieved.
STORAGE REQUIREMENTS AND INVENTORY
• Chemicals procured shall have GHS label and safety data sheet;
• Have adequate, well-ventilated storage space for chemicals and proper

segregation of chemicals
• Chemicals classified to any GHS Health Hazards Danger Category should

be kept under strict control.
• Stored chemicals should be examined periodically for replacement,

deterioration, and container integrity.
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• Storage temperature, humidity and ventilation requirements as stated in

the SDS should be followed.
• Quantities of chemicals to be stored shall be kept to the minimum amount.
• There should be adequate security of and access to chemical storage

areas.
• Periodic inventories shall be conducted regularly.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
• This shall include regular biochemical monitoring for workers exposed to

toxic substances classified under toxicity categories I and II of WHO
standards
• It shall be free of charge for the workers

• The employees’ medical record is considered confidential and only upon
the expressed approval of the employees that the employer furnishes a
copy to any third party
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE

• A written emergency procedure posted in the workplace and
communicated to all workers in the area.
• Appropriate and adequate emergency equipment provided and well-

trained emergency response team.
SOURCE:
http://www.oshc.dole.gov.ph/images/Files/Reports%20and%20Proceedings/6a_Department_Order_no_136_14_Guid
elines_for_the_Implementation_of_GHS.pdf
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LABELS AND SAFETY DATA SHEET

SAFETY LABELS
The following are the higher-level categories for safety colors issued by the ANSI
Z535.1 code.
RED - The color red is used on any safety signs, labels, or other objects to signify
danger or to alert people that they need to stop.
ORANGE - The color orange is used to alert people to the fact that there are
dangerous parts of a machine or equipment. The danger could be from
crushing, cutting, shocking or otherwise harming people or the facility. This is
most commonly used on labels that are applied to machinery but could also
be used on signs and other objects.
YELLOW - Anywhere that caution needs to be used, the color yellow should be
primary on the signs or labels alerting people to this fact. Similar to OSHA, this
includes risks of tripping, falling, getting burned, being caught in a pinch point,
experiencing hearing damage, and almost any other common hazard that
may be present.
GREEN- Green is used to alert people to the presence of an emergency egress.

This is important for helping people escape from an area if they need to.
Another place where green is used according to ANSI is to identify where first
aid and other types of safety equipment are kept.
BLUE - Blue is used on signs and labels that provide information about a
particular item or area. This information does not necessarily have to be safety
related.
BLACK AND WHITE - Black & white signs or labels are used for guiding traffic or
telling people which direction to go. These colors can also be for housekeeping
information in the facility. While not specifically safety related, having this type
of signage can directly improve the safety of the facility.
PURPLE - Purple was being reserved by ANSI for future use, but it has become a
de facto standard for radiation hazards through popular use.
SAFETY DATA SHEET
A safety data sheet, or SDS, is a standardized document that contains

occupational safety and health data. The International Hazard
Communication Standard (HCS) mandates that chemical manufacturers must
communicate a chemical’s hazard information to chemical handlers by
providing a Safety Data Sheet. SDS's typically contain chemical properties,
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health and environmental hazards, protective measures, as well as safety

precautions for storing, handling, and transporting chemicals.
SDS STRUCTURE AND FORMAT
Safety data sheets have sixteen sections. The early sections, one through
eight, focus on quick access to essential information that might be required
by chemical handlers for safe handling practices or by emergency response
personnel. Sections nine through eleven contain technical and scientific
data, e.g., stability, reactivity, physical & chemical properties. Sections twelve
through fifteen are not mandatory; however, they are required to be fully GHS
compliant. The last section, section sixteen, contains information about the
SDS itself, e.g., the revision date and changes since the last version.
SDS INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYERS
Employers must ensure that employees have access to safety data sheets for
all the hazardous chemicals they handle. Employers may fulfill this
requirement in a variety of ways. For example, SDS binders are quite common
as are computer based SDS databases. What is important is that employees
have access to the safety data sheets for all the chemicals that they are
using. If the employer does not have an SDS for one of these chemicals, they
should contact the manufacturer to obtain the current version of the SDS for
that chemical. In this sense, the online SDS databases have a clear
advantage over binder-based systems since the database vendor usually
takes care of indexing and updating the safety data sheets.
SOURCES
Safety Professionals reference and study guides

ANSI/NEMA Z535.1-2006 (R2011), Safety colors
96 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020


This is a 2 hours activity.
Based on what you have learned so far pertaining to the different type of
Hazards, can you identify safety and health hazards on the provided photos.
This workshop is intended only for Identification of Hazards so please focus on

writing your answers on the HAZARD SECTION of your template.
Please expect that there will be a presentation of findings later so you may
need to familiarize yourself with your work.
You may request the facilitator to provide you an extra time should necessary.
Facilitator will guide you should you have any clarifications pertaining to the
activity.
Template is attached on the Appendix section – HAZARD IDENTIFICATION

TEMPLATE.
Further instruction will be provided to you by your facilitator once given

exercise has been completed.
Remember: This exercise aims to help you get familiarized with the hazard, so
any questions regarding the topic is always welcome.
97 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

MODULE 2.2.A – WORKPLACE

ENVIROMENT MEASUREMENT
Under the General Provisions of the OSHS, the objective of the issuance of the
OSHS is to protect every workingman against the dangers of injury, sickness or
death through safe and healthful working conditions, thereby assuring the
conservation of valuable manpower resources and the prevention of loss or
damage to lives and properties, consistent with national development goals
and with the State’s commitment for the total development of every worker as
a complete human being. Having said the Work Environment Monitoring has
been part in keeping the workplace safe to work with.
DEFINITION OF WORK ENVIROMENT MEASUREMENT

Work Environment Measurement (WEM), is a branch of Industrial Hygiene
aimed at evaluating levels of workers’ exposures from various physical and
chemical hazards emanating from workplace operations and recommending
appropriate control measures for the improvement of the working
environment.
GENERAL CONSIDERATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

• WHERE to sample - Samples should be collected at or near the workers
breathing zone or near the vicinity of the source
• WHEN to sample- Samples should be collected during each shift, pre- and
post-shift. Frequency can be single or repeated.
• WHOM to sample - Sampling must be done to the most highly exposed

employee with consideration of the ventilation booths, the air supply index,
open doors and windows, size and shape of the work area
• HOW MANY samples to take: it depends on the purpose of the sampling.

Enough quantity of the sample must be collected to determine minute
amounts of the air contaminant. The sensitivity and accuracy of the
instruments must also be considered
• HOW LONG to sample - sampling usually takes a complete cycle of

operation, however, for air sampling, air-borne contaminants of toxic
substances may vary from each shift due to:
▪ air currents within a room
▪ process variations
▪ change in work practice by an operator
98 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

▪ variation in emission rate of a contaminant
RULE 1070 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND ENVIROMENTAL

CONTROL
To achieve compliance to Rule 1072, administrative or engineering controls
must be first be determined and implemented whenever feasible. When such
controls are not feasible to achieve full compliance, Personal Protective
Equipment or other appropriate measures shall be used to keep exposure of
employees to air contaminants within the limit prescribed.
Physical Agents Threshold Limit Values for Noise – the TLV refer to the sound
pressure that represents conditions under which is believed that nearly all
workers may be repeatedly exposed without adverse effect on their ability to
hear and understand normal speech.
• Permissible Noise exposure must be referred to Table 8b.
• The values specified in Table 8b apply to total time of exposure per working
day regardless whether this is one continuous exposure or a number of STE
but does not apply to impact or impulsive type of noise
• If variation in noise level involves maximum interval of one (1) second or less
it is considered as continuous, if more than 1 second it becomes impulse or
impact noise
• If daily exposure is composed of two or more period of exposure of different

level, their combined effect shall be considered rather than the effect of
each.
• Exposure to impulse or impact noise shall not exceed 140 dBa peak sound
pressure level (ceiling value)
• No noise exposure in excess of 115 dBa is allowed.
Illumination – all places where person work or pass may have to work or pass
in emergencies, shall be provided during time of use with adequate natural
lighting or artificial lightings or both, suitable for the operation and special type
of work performed.
• Natural Lighting
- Skylight and windows should be located and spaced so daylight is fairly

uniform over the working area
- Skylight and windows should be provided with means to avoid glare
99 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

- Regular cleaning scheduling should be established to maintain

cleanliness
• Artificial Lighting
- Should be provided on area where daylight fails, or illumination is

insufficient
- General lighting should be uniform level, widely distributed to avoid

harsh shadow and free from reflective glare
- Where intense lighting is necessary a combination of general and

supplementary lighting may be provided
- Supplementary lightings are designed for particular visual task and

arranged with shading to prevent glare.
• Intensity
- Artificial lighting should be adequate at the place of work for the

operation
- Refer to Table 8C of OSH Standard for the lighting intensity requirements.
- For average operating conditions it may be necessary to provide initially

an illumination of at least 25%.
- In location where dirt collects rapidly, the initial level should be at least
50% above the recommended standards.
• Emergency Lightings
- Where large number of persons are employed in building more than one
story in height, emergency lightings shall be provided in all important
stairways, exits, workplaces, and passages.
- Emergency system shall be capable of producing and maintaining for

at least 1 hour, a minimum intensity of 5 lux or 1-foot candle and shall
have energy source independent of the general lighting system
installation
- Provisions shall be made for automatic lightings of the emergency

system immediately upon failure of the general lighting system.
General Ventilation
• Atmospheric Conditions
Suitable atmospheric condition shall be maintained in workroom by natural

or artificial means to avoid insufficient air supply, stagnant or vitiated air,
100 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

harmful draft, excessive heat or cold, sudden variations in temperature,

and where practicable, excessive humidity or dryness and objectionable
odors.
• Air Supply
- Clean air shall be supplied to enclosed workplaces at an average rate

of not less than 20 to 40 cubic meters (700 to 1400 cu. Ft) an hour per
worker, or such a rate as to effect of complete change of air a number
of times per hour varying from 4 for sedentary workers to 8 for active
workers.
- Where adequate supply of fresh air cannot be obtained by natural

ventilation or difficult to get the desired amount of air at center of the
workroom without creating uncomfortable draft near the inlets,
mechanical ventilation shall be provided.
• Cleanliness
- Dust, gases, vapors, or mist generated and release in work processes

shall be removed at the point of origin and not permitted to permeate
the atmosphere of the workroom
- Internal combustion engine fueled by gasoline, diesel or LPG installed at

workroom shall be located such that exhaust gases are prevented from
permeating the atmosphere of the workroom.
• Air Movement
- Need to arrange in an enclosed space such that workers are not

subjected to objectionable draft.
- Air velocity shall not exceed 15 meters (50 ft) per minute during rainy
season and 45 meters (150 ft) during summer season.
• Temperature and Humidity
- It needs to be maintained suitable for the type of work performed in

enclosed space and such be increase or decrease and the degree of
humidity varied in accordance with the type of work.
- All workers shall be protected either by insulation of the equipment or by

suitable means against radiation and excessive temperature due to
steam, hot pipe or other heated machinery
- In workplaces where workers are exposed to unduly high/low

temperature, passage room shall be provided so that workers can
gradually adjust themselves to the prevailing temperature.
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Working Environmental Measurement
The employer shall exert effort to maintain and control the working
environment in comfortable and healthy condition for the purpose of
promoting and maintain the health of his workers.
“WEM shall mean sampling and analysis carried out in respect of the
atmospheric working environment and other fundamental elements of
working environment for the purpose of determining actual condition therein”
• Requirements
- WEM shall include temperature, pressure, illumination, ventilation and

concentration of substances and noise
- Employer to carry out WEM in indoor or other workplaces where

hazardous work is performed and shall keep record of such
measurements, which shall be made available to enforcing authority.
- WEM shall be performed periodically as may be necessary but not

longer than annually.
- WEM shall be performed by safety or medical personnel who have taken

adequate training and experience in WEM.
- In the event of inability to perform WEM the employer shall commission

the Bureau/Center for Occupational Safety and Health/Regional Labor
Office concerned and other institutions accredited by the bureau to
perform the measurement.
To ensure the integrity of the testing the Department of Labor and Employment
issued a Department Order DO 160-16 Guidelines on the accreditation of
Consulting Organizations to provide WEM Services. This DO provide a policy
guideline and use to evaluate the competence and integrity of the testing
organization.
PURPOSE OF WORK ENVIROMENT MEASUREMENT (WEM)

WEM is conducted for the following purposes:
• To determine the extent of exposure to harmful levels of physical and

chemical agents as well as hazardous materials present in the workplace
• To evaluate actual and potential exposures to environmental hazards

encountered by workers
• To utilize obtained measurements for recommending appropriate control

measures in the workplace to minimize exposure levels.
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TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

• Personal monitoring: measurement of a particular employee`s exposure to
contaminants, the device is worn by worker during a certain period of time.
• Area/ environmental sampling: measurement of contaminant in the

workroom, measuring device is placed at a fixed location in the work area
or adjacent to a worker workstation.
Example of instruments used to measure different hazards:
▪ Sound level meter – noise
▪ Anemometer – air movement
▪ Lux meter – illumination
▪ Smoke tester – air direction
▪ Globe thermometer – heat
▪ Psychrometer – humidity
▪ Smoke tester – air direction
• Biological Monitoring – involves the measurement of changes in the

composition of body fluids, tissue, or expired air to determine absorption of
a potentially hazardous material. Examples are measurement of lead and
mercury in blood or in urine.
EVALUATION OF HEALTH HAZARDS

The collected samples from the WEM are analyzed in the laboratory.
Some of the analytical instruments used are as follows:
ANALYTICAL SAMPLE
Atomic Absorption Spectrometer Heavy Metals
Gas Chromatograph Organic/Inorganic vapor
High Performance Liquid

Inorganic chemicals
Chromatography (DHPLC)
X-Ray Diffractometer Mineral Dust
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Phase Contrast Microscope

(PCM)/Polarized Light Microscope/ Quantitative and Qualitative
Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) Asbestos Fibers and Silica
Spectroscopy
UV-Vis Spectrophotometer Acids and Other Chemicals
COMPARISON OF MEASUREMENT RESULT WITH STANDARDS
All the laboratory analysis results are compared with the Threshold Limit Values
(TLVs). TLVs are exposure guidelines that have been established for airborne
concentration of many chemical compounds. Concentrations of hazards that
exceed the TLVs can cause adverse effects to humans.
• Time-Weighted Average (TLV-TWA) is the time-weighted average

concentration for a 8-hour workday and a total of forty eight (48 hours work
of exposure per week to which nearly all workers may be repeatedly
exposed, day after day, without adverse health effects.
Computation for Time Weighted Average:
C1T1 + C2T2 + …. + CnTn

TWA Concentrate =
T1 + T2 + … + Tn
Where:
C1…. Cn = different mass concentrations obtained at different sampling

time
T1……. Tn = sampling time
Example: Exposure level to Carbon Monoxide (CO) gas
CO concentration (ppm) Sampling Time
15 6 hours
10 2 hours
18 8 hours
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[(15ppm)(6hrs) + (10ppm)(2hrs) +
(18ppm)(8hours)]
TWA Concentrate =
[6hrs + 2hrs + 8hrs)]
TWA Concentrate of (90 +20+144)ppm.hrs

CO =
16hrs
TWA concentration of CO = 15.875ppm
TLV for CO is 50ppm, so therefore the exposure is below TLV
• Short-term exposure limit (STEL) is the acceptable exposure limit to a toxic

or an irritant substance over a short period of time (time-weighted
average), usually 15 minutes. STEL is the maximum concentration of a
chemical to which workers may be exposed continuously for a short period
of time without any danger to health, safety, or work efficiency.
• Ceiling (TLV-C) is the concentration that should not be exceeded during

any part of the working exposure; otherwise, the exposed workers might be
vulnerable to serious risks.
• All employee’s exposure to any materials specified in Table 8 and Table 8a

of OSH Standard (pp 193-204) shall be limited in accordance with the
following:
▪ Materials with names preceded by “C” or Ceiling Values
▪ Other Materials, 8-hour Time Weighted Average
▪ “Skin” Notation which refer to the potential contribution to the overall

exposure by the cutaneous route including mucous membrane and
eye, either by airborne or particularly by direct contact with the
substance.
• TLV for Airborne contaminants are specified under the Table 8, 8a and 8d.
• Permissible Noise Exposure can be found in Table 8b
• Lighting Intensity Requirements can be found in Table 8c.
• TLVs for other environmental hazards and stresses may be found in the
Philippine Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHS) and in the
ACGIH, OSHA, and NIOSH web sites
Notes: The impact of hazard exposure depends on the following:
105 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

• Nature of the material or energy involved
• Intensity of exposure
• Duration of exposure
• Individual susceptibility
The key elements to be considered when evaluating a health hazard are:
• how much of the material in contact with the body cells is required to
produce an injury
• the probability of the material being absorbed by the body to result an

injury
• rate that airborne contaminants is generated
• total time in contact
• control measures in use
The TLV conversion equations for parts per million (ppm) to milligram per cubic
meter (mg/m3 ) at standard temperature and pressure are:
(TLV in mg/m3) (24.45)

TLV in ppm =
gram molecular weight of substance
TLV in mg/m3 = (TLV in ppm) (gram molecular weight of substance)
24.45
SOURCE:
United States. American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH®). (2010). TLVs® and BEIs® Based
on the documentation of the threshold limit values for chemical substances and physical agents & biological exposure
indices. Cincinnati, OH: ACGIH.
Philippines. Department of Labor and Employment – Occupational Safety and Health Center. (2010, September).
Occupational Safety and Health Standards as amended. Intramuros, Manila: DOLE-OSHC.
www.ccohs.ca
www.osha.gov
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics
DTI and DOLE Interim Guidelines on Workplace Prevention and Control of COVID-19
106 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

MODULE 2.2.B - MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE

Businesses frequently call on OH Physicians to provide employee health
services at the work site or in the clinician's office. These services include
medical screening (detection of dysfunction or disease before an employee
would ordinarily seek medical care) and medical surveillance (analysis of
health information to identify workplace problems that require targeted
prevention). Such services can transform acute care and routine screening
activities into opportunities for primary prevention when they are integrated
into the broader framework of work-site safety and health programs.
Components of these programs include management commitment,
employee participation, hazard identification and control, employee training
and program evaluation. For optimal program success, OH Physicians must
communicate with frontline safety officers and have first-hand knowledge of
the workplace and its hazards. Professional and technical resources are
available to guide the OH Physician in the role of medical surveillance program
coordinator.
Occupational medicine is the branch of preventive medicine devoted to the

prevention and management of occupational injury, illness and disability, and
the promotion of health and productivity of workers.1 The OH Physician who
provides occupational medicine services must maintain continuous vigilance
for signs of prevention failure. To be an effective participant in an employer's
health and safety program, the OH Physician must visit the work site, observe
the jobs being performed, review known hazards with knowledgeable staff,
review established legal requirements for medical surveillance, screening and
prevention, and talk with employees
PRIMARY PREVENTION IN THE WORKPLACE

Primary prevention in the workplace (i.e., preventing known hazards from
coming into contact with vulnerable employees) depends on appropriately
implemented engineering and administrative controls. For example, properly
functioning fume capture hoods and ventilation design can prevent exposures
to lead, known effective exhaust ventilation for silica can prevent silicosis, and
creative ergonomic materials handling design can reduce the probability of
upper-extremity cumulative trauma disorders and reinjury. Physicians who are
involved in occupational medicine services have a unique opportunity to
sound an alarm when a workplace has a problem.
MEDICAL SCREENING AND MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE

Medical screening is a valuable tool for secondary prevention in the
workplace. Screening can detect disease or dysfunction before medical care
would ordinarily be sought. Screening tests are administered to asymptomatic
persons who are at risk for certain diseases or adverse health outcomes.
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Screening has a clinical focus, and its fundamental purpose is early diagnosis
and treatment of the person. In some settings, medical screening also affords
an opportunity to identify new instances of occupational injury or illness, assess
fitness for duty and evaluate the efficacy of personal protective measures.
Employee medical surveillance is an additional strategy for optimizing the

health status of persons who work in settings where hazards exist. Medical
surveillance involves a careful search for unexpected outcomes that might
herald new or uncontrolled hazards in the workplace.
By definition of the International Labor Office (ILO) at page 22, Medical

Surveillance in the occupational setting is the systematic collection and
analysis of the health information on groups of workers potentially exposed to
harmful agents, for the purpose of identifying health effects at an early and
hopefully reversible stage.
For medical surveillance to be an effective warning mechanism, it must be

connected to preventive safety and health actions.
Classic examples include hearing-threshold shifts on audiometric testing and

rising blood lead levels. Injury data suggesting patterns of tenosynovitis or
epicondylitis in particular production areas constitute an important and
frequently overlooked source of surveillance information. Similarly, a single
case can trigger an alarm in an astute physician. However, eliciting potential
workplace connections requires awareness and inquiry into the patient's
occupation. Such cases, called “sentinel events,” are also a form of medical
surveillance.
Once information about potentially work-related adverse health events is

communicated to work-site health and safety personnel, previously
unidentified workplace hazards may be discovered. Some notable historical
exposure-effect relationships have surfaced in this way. Examples include the
relationship between vinyl chloride and hepatic angiosarcoma10 and the
relationship between the pesticide dibromochloropropane and reduced
sperm counts. A single case of noise-induced hearing loss might be the trigger
for intensified noise abatement.
A comprehensive medical surveillance program contains many different

elements. The OH Physician can facilitate the development and maintenance
of a program by securing written management commitment from the
employer, determining what specific medical testing is appropriate and what
is required by law, educating employees and management about the
purpose and benefits of the medical screening elements, reviewing the data
collected, communicating results and periodically reviewing the program.
Screening, and surveillance serve different but complementary roles in

preserving and protecting the health of employees. Effective work-site health
and safety programs should include all strategies as a means to evaluate
108 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

program effectiveness. The OH Personnel has an important clinical role in

carrying out medical screening, and surveillance.
MEDICAL RECORDS VS EXPOSURE RECORDS

Medical records include the following:
• Medical and employment questionnaires and histories.
• The results of medical examinations and laboratory tests.
• Medical opinions and diagnosis, progress rates and recommendations.
• First aid records.
• Description of treatment and prescriptions.
• Employee medical complaints.
Medical records do not include medical information in the form of
Physical specimens (e.g. blood or urine samples) which are routinely

discarded as part of normal medical practice.
Exposure records
• A record containing measurements or monitoring results of the amount of

a toxic substance or harmful physical agent to which the employee is or
has been exposed.
• In the absence of directly relevant records, records of other employees

with past or present job duties or working conditions related to or similar to
those of the employee, may be used to indicate the amount and nature
of the toxic substances or harmful physical agents to which the employee
is or has been subjected.
• Exposure records to the extent necessary to reasonably indicate the

amount and nature of the toxic substance or harmful physical agent at
workplaces or working conditions to which the employee is being assigned
or transferred.
PURPOSE OF MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE

• Evaluate the health status of potential employees and determine whether
they can perform the job in a safe and effective manner.
• Detect exposure-related adverse health effects at an early and hopefully

reversible stage so that occupational diseases can be prevented, and
proper medical care can be rendered, if necessary.
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• Periodically assess employee suitability for ongoing or new assignments

that involve potential contact with hazardous agents.
• Correlate past occupational or environmental exposures with future

workplace activities and exposures, to arrive at an opinion on the risk that
the job might represent to the health status of the individual.
• Provide a medical monitoring program that complies with all the pertinent
Legislations and other rules and regulations.
• Identify unrecognized effects of exposure by continually evaluating group

employee health data to detect possible adverse health trends.
SCOPE OF MEDICAL SURVELILLANCE

Employees with occupational exposure to the following conditions and
chemicals may be placed on the Medical Surveillance Program.
Those on the Medical Surveillance Program should have a physical during

probation, annually thereafter and post-employment.
Among those cases that requires Medical Surveillance are but not limited to:
• Occupational Noise • Formaldehyde
• Hazardous Waste Handling • Benzene
• Respirator Use • Ethylene Oxide
• Carcinogens • Ionizing Radiation
• Asbestos • Animal Handlers
• Vinyl Chloride • Confined Space Entry
• Acrylonitrile • Lead
• Pesticides/ Pest Control

Operations
You may refer to Rule 1070 in regard to the TLV exposure limit, ECC List of
Occupational Diseases for the Medical Surveillance requirements and OSHA
Medical Surveillance Guidelines for detailed information.
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STEPS IN DEVELOPING A MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE PLAN

CONDUCT A HAZARD ASSESSMENT
Development of a medical screening and surveillance plan is based on an

assessment of the physical, biomechanical, biologic, and/or chemical hazards
to which employees may be exposed and which have the potential to cause
adverse health consequences. The OH Personnel can assist in this process by
visiting the work site and interviewing health, safety and production personnel,
as well as the involved employees.
The OH Personnel should observe the work processes in their entirety, evaluate
job tasks, review material safety data sheets of relevant chemicals, discuss
personal protective measures, conduct a medical literature review as needed
and investigate all other relevant information necessary to achieve a full
understanding of the hazards and exposures that are present. Published
hazard exposure limits are available in Table 8a-8d of Rule 1070 in OSHS.
EMPLOYEE ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION
For certain chemical substances, medical surveillance, including which

employees must be enrolled, is prescribed by law. Standards are set under Rule
1070 and Rule 1960 of Occupational Safety and Health Standard (OSHS).
When OSHS has set no standards for a specific substance, the principal
employees to include in screening and surveillance programs are those at risk
for adverse health effects because of definite or anticipated exposure to the
substance. The employer, along with the family physician, must assess all
employees when deciding which ones should be assigned to the high-risk
group. Employees assigned to a high-risk group because of their a priori risk of
disease or dysfunction should be enrolled in proactive screening on a periodic
and continuing basis.
Factors in Assigning an Employee to a High-Risk Group for Surveillance
• Type(s) of exposures
• Dose or Level of exposure
• Duration of Exposure
• Multiplicity of exposure
• Likelihood of Exposure
• Consequences of Exposure
• Anticipated frequency of exposure
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SCREENING ACTIVITIES
The OH Personnel is often called on to provide and coordinate screening of

employees. Typically, the physician's responsibilities involve hands-on physical
assessment or ancillary testing. Tasks might include, for example, performing
preplacement or periodic spirometry on employees wearing negative-
pressure half-face respirators for work in the finishing section of an automobile
repair shop, obtaining blood cholinesterase levels in employees who work with
pesticides in a landscaping business, obtaining annual complete blood counts
and electrocardiograms in oncology nurses who are exposed to toxic
chemotherapeutic agents, or performing skin examinations on members of a
road-paving crew with seasonal exposure to asphalt, tar, creosote and other
hydrocarbon materials.
In the context of work-site safety and health programs, the employer may ask
the family physician to perform nonclinical tasks, such as helping to design
appropriate screening content or an overall surveillance strategy. In designing
screening content, the physician should refer to standard clinical preventive
screening resources and, when necessary, occupational screening guidelines.
Attention to sensitivity, specificity and predictive value is particularly important

in occupational screening programs. Times when screening should be
considered are listed in Table 3. According to a position statement from the
American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, medical
surveillance should not be used for the purposes of hiring and firing.
Screening Intervals
• The Initial Baseline Examination - The purpose of the baseline examination

is pre-placement or probationary screening. All affected employees shall
be given a baseline examination before being assigned to work with
respirators or in occupations with known potentially hazardous exposures
or Rule 1070 regulated substances.
• Periodic/Annual Examination - All personnel who have taken the initial pre-
placement examination and have reviewed clearance by the examining
physician shall be re-examined periodically in accordance with hazard-
specific regulations. The date of each periodic examination should fall on
or as closely as possible to, the anniversary of the previous examination.
Any employee who has not participated in potentially hazardous work or

who is no longer required to use a respirator during the 12 month period
following his/her last annual examination, and who is not expected to
continue to participate, may discontinue participation in the medical
monitoring program as determined by the Safety Officer/OH Personnel and
the employee’s appropriate administrator/supervisor.
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• Exit Examination - An exit examination shall be given to any employee

whose employment has included contact with OSHS regulated agents and
who has been a participant in medical monitoring. If a medical exam has
been administered within one year of exit, this requirement may be waived
in certain cases.
However, the employee must have a termination (of program inclusion)

physical examination and not have been exposed to asbestos or OSHS
regulated carcinogens during this period.
• Special / Emergency Examination (situational medical clearance) -

Special testing may be required on certain projects due to the potential for
exposure to specific substances. This may be necessary where the potential
for heat or cold stress exists, or after an exposure that results in a toxicity
reaction. The need for special testing will be assessed on an ongoing basis.
Emergency testing may be necessary in the event the of employee
exposure.
• Physician’s reports - Examining physicians will use the information provided by

the employee in the questionnaire, the examination results, and the
results of the laboratory tests to determine if any work restrictions or
occupational health problems appear to be present. The physician must
send a report of the examination to the OH Personnel or HR who will
maintain the employees’ records. These records are confidential and can
only be viewed by the employee, the employee’s representative, and
those that are authorized by the worker.
Non-work-related health issues may arise during the course of the medical
evaluation. The examining physician may recommend that employees see
their family doctor or a specialist. Any additional tests required to
investigate non-work-related health issues will be the employee’s
responsibility.
• Routine Examinations – OH Personnel identifies employees covered by

these regulations and coordinates the completion of baseline, periodic /
annual and exit examinations with the employee or his or her supervisor.
In complex situations, additional expertise may be sought from board-certified

occupational medicine physicians, toxicologists or epidemiologists. Health
professionals knowledgeable in the field of occupational medicine can be
found through various professional organizations and other associations
BIOLOGIC MONITORING
Rule 1967.01 of OSHS and Rule III, Section 2 (b) of Implementing Rules of PD 626
as amended requires that employees with potential exposures to certain
harmful agents shall receive medical monitoring examinations. These
examinations serve the purpose of detecting adverse health effects which
113 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

could possibly be related to workplace exposures. Early detection of disease

will result in earlier treatment and will allow for cessation of additional exposures
that could aggravate a potentially serious medical condition.
In the context of surveillance, biologic monitoring refers to the collection and

analysis of blood, urine, sputum or other body fluids and tissues to look for
evidence of exposure to chemical hazards in the workplace. Depending on
the chemical of interest, biologic monitoring may evaluate the unchanged
chemical in body fluids, a metabolite of the original chemical, an enzymatic
alteration, a physiologic effect, or a secondary clinical finding. Examples
include obtaining a blood lead level and/or zinc protoporphyrin level in a
worker with known lead exposure, obtaining a urinary phenol level in a worker
with benzene exposure and obtaining a red blood cell cholinesterase level in
a worker with organophosphate pesticide exposure.
In addition to monitoring of employee health, biological monitoring may also

be necessary. Biological monitoring provides a correlation between external
exposures and internal exposure. Biological monitoring provides a reliable
indication of health risk to an individual worker.
The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists publishes

guidelines and reference values (biologic exposure indices) for biologic
monitoring
COMMUNICATING RESULTS
Feedback of individual and group results completes the surveillance cycle. The
OH personnel who is involved in a work-site medical surveillance program must
communicate results to several stakeholder groups. In doing so, confidentiality
must be ensured.
The OH Personnel should prepare a written individual summary report for each
employee who participates in the medical surveillance program. A copy of
this report, which might be entitled “Disposition Statement,” “Physician's Written
Opinion” or something similar, should be given to the employee and explained
in detail. The employer should be given a similar report but with confidential
clinical information “blinded.” The following information should be covered in
the employer's written report on an employee: the employee's fitness for duty;
the employee's medical capability to wear personal protective equipment;
recommended medical removal protection, if appropriate; comparisons with
previous medical screening and surveillance data; clinical follow-up
recommendations; and recommended accommodations relating to the
workers with disability.
Collective findings for the employee group(s) enrolled in the surveillance

program should be condensed into a feedback report. The group report
should address overall findings and trends (normal or abnormal), as well as
information on sentinel health events or clusters of employees demonstrating
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some abnormal facet(s) of health. Recommendations for strategies to prevent

or reduce the likelihood of adverse health effects should also be included in
the report. To ensure confidentiality, the OH Personnel should use job codes,
job titles or other exposure surrogates instead of the names of individual
employees.
OSH Committee meetings should be held to discuss group findings and their
relevance to work-site hazards. These meetings should include relevant
employer representatives, such as personnel involved in industrial hygiene,
safety, environmental issues, on-site medical provision, and management. It is
imperative that the coordinating OH Personnel participate in these meetings.
These forums provide the greatest opportunity for a meaningful exchange of
information between the OH Personnel and the work site, as well as the
integration of surveillance program parts into the whole.
The group findings should also be presented orally or in writing to the

employees. An opportunity for discussion should be provided.
The goal of the feedback process is to ensure that the activities of the OH
Personnel performing screening tasks are linked to the rest of the surveillance
effort. The feedback process facilitates and encourages continuous review of
work-site exposures and the health outcomes of such exposures, and it also
provides a mechanism for continuously improving health and safety
performance. As appropriate, action-planning steps should be established to
remedy matters of concern.
PROGRAM QUALITY
Assuring quality in a medical surveillance program is essential to its success.
Quality assurance begins with the employer identifying an appropriately
trained and experienced OH Personnel to engage in the program. Desired
physician credentials include evidence of specific training and experience in
occupational health. Nonphysician occupational health professionals should
be similarly trained and experienced.
As mentioned previously, physicians are often called on, preferentially or out of

necessity, to participate in work-site surveillance programs. Physicians with an
interest in this area can obtain additional training.
A second element in continuous quality improvement is data collection (i.e.,

ancillary tests, biologic monitoring) that conforms to recognized standards of
acceptability, reproducibility, calibration, and technician certification. For
example, spirometry should be performed in accordance with the American
Thoracic Society's criteria for acceptability and reproducibility, and testing
should be done by personnel who have taken an instructional course
approved by the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety.
Audiometry should be performed by technicians with training from the Council
on Accreditation of Occupational Hearing Conservation, and laboratories
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that analyze biologic samples should have certification from the Department
of Health (DOH) or any governing bodies in the Philippines.
The OH Personnel who is overseeing the surveillance effort must take the lead
in ensuring that quality issues relating to medical screening and surveillance
are adequately addressed. This step is important because when otherwise
healthy persons are screened, end points of significance are usually more
subtle than they are in overtly symptomatic persons. Adhering to available
guidelines also facilitates epidemiologic review because of the quality and
integrity of the data obtained.
SOURCE:
JAMES C. WESDOCK, M.D., M.P.H., and ROSEMARY K. SOKAS, M.D., M.O.H., Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, Washington, D.C.
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Threshold limit values for chemical substances and
physical agents in the work environment. Cincinnati: ACGIH Worldwide, 1998.
Screening and surveillance: a guide to OSHA standards. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Labor and
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 1999; publication no. OSHA-3162
Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Proposed regulation on safety and health programs for general
industry. Retrieved March 10, 2000, from the Worldwide
http://www.osha-slc.gov/STLC/safetyhealth/nshp.html
Philippine OSH Standard 2019 Edition
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MODULE 2.2.C - WORKPLACE RISK ASSESSMENT

As part of managing the health and safety of your business, you must control
the risks in your workplace. To do this you need to think about what might cause
harm to people and decide whether you are taking reasonable steps to
prevent that harm.
This is known as risk assessment and it is something you are required by law to
carry out. A risk assessment is the process of evaluating the risk to safety &
health from hazards at work.
It is not about creating huge amounts of paperwork, but rather about

identifying sensible measures to control the risks in your workplace. You are
probably already taking steps to protect your employees, but your risk
assessment will help you decide whether you have covered all you need to.
Think about how accidents and ill health could happen and concentrate on
real risks – those that are most likely, and which will cause the most harm.
For some risks, other regulations require particular control measures. Your
assessment can help you identify where you need to look at certain risks and
these particular control measures in more detail. These control measures do
not have to be assessed separately but can be considered as part of, or an
extension of, your overall risk assessment.
Risk assessments in matters of Occupational Health and Safety are based on 2

key factors:
• the severity of any injury/illness resulting from the hazard(s),
• the likelihood that the injury/illness will occur.
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RISK ASSESSMENT PROCESS
The Risk Assessment process will vary between organisations, but it should start
with identification of hazards, analysis of who and what might be harmed,
evaluation of the risk, documentation of the risks, take an action and review.
• Identify the hazards
One of the most important aspects of your risk assessment is accurately

identifying the potential hazards in your workplace.
A good starting point is to walk around your workplace and think about
any hazards. In other words, what is it about the activities, processes or
substances used that could injure your employees or harm their health?
When you work in a place every day it is easy to overlook some hazards, so
here are some tips to help you identify the ones that matter:
▪ Check manufacturers’ instructions or data sheets for chemicals and

equipment as they can be very helpful in explaining the hazards and
putting them in their true perspective.
▪ Look back at your accident and ill-health records – these often help to
identify the less obvious hazards.
▪ Take account of non-routine operations (eg maintenance, cleaning

operations or changes in production cycles).
▪ Remember to think about long-term hazards to health (eg high levels of

noise or exposure to harmful substances).
• Who might be harmed?
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Then think how employees (or others who may be present, such as
contractors or visitors) might be harmed. Ask your employees what they
think the hazards are, as they may notice things that are not obvious to you
and may have some good ideas on how to control the risks.
For each hazard you need to be clear about who might be harmed – it will
help you identify the best way of controlling the risk. That does not mean
listing everyone by name, but rather identifying groups of people (e.g.,
people working in the storeroom or passers-by). Remember:
▪ Some workers may have particular requirements, e.g., new, and young
workers, migrant workers, new or expectant mothers, people with
disabilities, temporary workers, contractors, homeworkers, and lone
workers
▪ Think about people who might not be in the workplace all the time, such
as visitors, contractors, and maintenance workers.
▪ Take members of the public into account if they could be harmed by

your work activities.
▪ If you share a workplace with another business, consider how your work
affects others and how their work affects you and your workers. Talk to
each other and make sure controls are in place.
▪ Ask your workers if there is anyone you may have missed.
• Evaluate the risks
Having identified the hazards, you then have to decide how likely it is that
harm will occur, i.e., the level of risk and what to do about it. Risk is a part
of everyday life and you are not expected to eliminate all risks. What you
must do is make sure you know about the main risks and the things you
need to do to manage them responsibly.
Generally, you need to do everything ‘reasonably practicable’ to protect

people from harm. This means balancing the level of risk against the
measures needed to control the real risk in terms of money, time or trouble.
However, you do not need to take action if it would be grossly
disproportionate to the level of risk.
Your risk assessment should only include what you could reasonably be
expected to know – you are not expected to anticipate unforeseeable
risks.
Look at what you are already doing, and the control measures you already
have in place. Ask yourself:
▪ Can I get rid of the hazard altogether?
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▪ If not, how can I control the risks so that harm is unlikely?
Some practical steps you could take include:
▪ trying a less risky option.
▪ preventing access to the hazards.
▪ organizing your work to reduce exposure to the hazard.
▪ issuing protective equipment.
▪ providing welfare facilities such as first aid and washing facilities.
▪ involving and consulting with workers.
Improving health and safety need not cost a lot. For instance, placing a
mirror on a blind corner to help prevent vehicle accidents is a low-cost
precaution, considering the risks. Failure to take simple precautions can
cost you a lot more if an accident does happen.
Involve your workers, so you can be sure that what you propose to do will
work in practice and will not introduce any new hazards.
If you control a number of similar workplaces containing similar activities,

you can produce a model risk assessment reflecting the common hazards
and risks associated with these activities.
You may also come across model assessments developed by trade

associations, employers’ bodies or other organizations concerned with a
particular activity. You may decide to apply these model assessments at
each workplace, but you can only do so if you:
▪ satisfy yourself that the model assessment is appropriate to your type of

work.
▪ adapt the model to the detail of your own work situations, including
any extension necessary to cover hazards and risks not referred to in
the model.
Estimation of probability and seriousness of risks to happen in a certain

circumstance, with given conditions.
This process is based on quantitative, semi-quantitative (empiric or

theoretical) estimation taking hazards, exposure routes into consideration.
RISK MATRIX
▪ Qualitative Risk Assessment
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It is based on the personal judgement and expertise of the assessor.

They will often use their own experience but will also consult with others
carrying out the activity and best practice guidance to reach their
decisions. It involves making a formal judgement on the consequence
(severity) and probability (likelihood).
A qualitative risk assessment will look at the risk of somebody being

injured, and if that is high, medium, or low. Just like any other type of risk
assessment, any high risks will need to be addressed as a priority. Low-
level risks can be looked at later or might not need further action to be
taken.
Risk = Severity x Likelihood
▪ Quantitative Risk Assessment
The quantitative risk assessment is used to measure risk by assigning a

numerical value. This type of risk assessment will more likely be used with
major hazards, like aircraft design, complex chemical or nuclear plants.
Quantities measured could be the presence of hazards from chemicals

or machinery for example, or modelling techniques and estimates.
In carrying out quantitative risk assessments, special quantitative tools

and techniques will be used for hazard identification, and to estimate
the severity of the consequences and the likelihood of realization of the
hazards.
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▪ Generic Risk Assessment
Generic risk assessments cover common hazards for a task or activity.

The idea behind generic risk assessment is to cut down on duplication
of effort and paperwork. This type of risk assessment will consider the
hazards for an activity in a single assessment, where that activity may
be carried out across different areas of the workplace or different sites.
A generic risk assessment will often be used for similar activities or

equipment across different sites, departments, or companies. It can act
as a risk assessment template, covering the types of hazards and risks
that are usually present for the activity.
▪ Semi-quantitative Risk Assessment
Semi-quantitative risk assessment is generally used where one is

attempting to optimize the allocation of available resources to
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minimize the impact of a group of risks under the control of one

organization.
• Record your significant findings
Make a record of your significant findings – the hazards, how people might
be harmed by them and what you have in place to control the risks. Any
record produced should be simple and focused on controls.
If you have fewer than five employees, you do not have to write anything
down. But it is useful to do this so you can review it at a later date, for
example if something changes. If you have five or more employees, you
are required by law to write it down.
Any paperwork you produce should help you to communicate and

manage the risks in your business. For most people this does not need to be
a big exercise – just note the main points down about the significant risks
and what you concluded.
When writing down your results keep it simple, for example ‘fume from
welding – local exhaust ventilation used and regularly checked’.
A risk assessment must be suitable and sufficient, ie it should show that:
▪ a proper check was made.
▪ you asked who might be affected.
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▪ you dealt with all the obvious significant hazards, considering the
number of people who could be involved.
▪ the precautions are reasonable, and the remaining risk is low.
▪ you involved your employees or their representatives in the process.
Where the nature of your work changes fairly frequently or the workplace
changes and develops (e.g. a construction site), or where your workers
move from site to site, your risk assessment may have to concentrate more
on a broad range of risks that can be anticipated.
If your risk assessment identifies a number of hazards, you need to put them
in order of importance and address the most serious risks first.
Identify long-term solutions for the risks with the biggest consequences, as
well as those risks most likely to cause accidents or ill health. You should also
establish whether there are improvements that can be implemented
quickly, even temporarily, until more reliable controls can be put in place.
Remember, the greater the hazard the more robust and reliable the
measures to control the risk of an injury occurring will need to be.
• Regularly review your risk assessment
Few workplaces stay the same. Sooner or later, you will bring in new
equipment, substances and procedures that could lead to new hazards.
So, it makes sense to review what you are doing on an ongoing basis, look
at your risk assessment again and ask yourself:
▪ Have there been any significant changes?
▪ Are there improvements you still need to make?
▪ Have your workers spotted a problem?
▪ Have you learnt anything from accidents or near misses?
Make sure your risk assessment stays up to date.
WORKPLACE CLASSIFICATION BASED ON RISK

Establishment to determining its own level of classification (low risk, medium risk,
high risk) based on Hazards Identification and Risk Assessment and Control
(HIRAC). Results of the HIRAC and number of workers shall be the bases for
determining the required minimum number of safety officer, OH personnel,
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medical services, and facilities pursuant to Section 14 and Section 15 of the

IRR/DO 198-18.
Low risk workplace
Low level of danger or exposure to safety and health hazards and not likely or
with low probability to result in accident, harm, or illness.
Medium risk workplace
Moderate exposure to safety and health hazards and with probability of an

accident, injury, or illness.
High risk workplace
Presence of hazard or potential hazard within the company may affect the
safety and/or health of workers.
SOURCE:
DO 198 Series of 2018 Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 11058 entitled “An Act Strengthening Compliance
with Occupational Safety and Health Standards and Providing Penalties for Violation Thereof.
https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg163.pdf
WORKSHOP 04: RISK ASSESSMENT

This is an hour (1) activity.
Based on what you have learned in Risk Assessment, using the Risk Matrix
provided please complete the second part of your risk assessment form.
This workshop is intended only for Risk Assessment so please focus on

completing the 2. RISK ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION section of your template.
activity.

TEMPLATE.
Risk Matrix is provided and can be found at the Appendix Section after Hazard
Identification Template.
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Remember: This exercise aims to help you get familiarized with the proper
assessment and evaluation of the hazard, so any questions regarding the topic
is always welcome.
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MODULE 2.3.A – CONTROL MEASURES OF

HEALTHHAZARDS
Effective controls protect workers from workplace hazards; help avoid injuries,
illnesses, and incidents; minimize or eliminate safety and health risks; and help
employers provide workers with safe and healthful working conditions. The
processes described in this section will help employers prevent and control
hazards identified in the previous section.
To effectively control and prevent hazards, employers should:
• Involve workers, who often have the best understanding of the conditions
that create hazards and insights into how they can be controlled.
• Identify and evaluate options for controlling hazards, using a "hierarchy of
controls."
• Use a hazard control plan to guide the selection and implementation of
controls and implement controls according to the plan.
• Develop plans with measures to protect workers during emergencies and
nonroutine activities.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of existing controls to determine whether they
continue to provide protection, or whether different controls may be more
effective. Review new technologies for their potential to be more
protective, more reliable, or less costly.
PRINCIPLES OF HAZARD CONTROL

A hazard control program consists of all steps necessary to protect workers
from exposure to a substance or system, the training and the procedures
required to monitor worker exposure and their health to hazards such as
chemicals, materials or substance, or other types of hazards such as noise and
vibration. A written workplace hazard control program should outline which
methods are being used to control the exposure and how these controls will
be monitored for effectiveness.
IDENTIFY CONTROL OPTIONS
A wealth of information exists to help employers investigate options for

controlling identified hazards. Before selecting any control options, it is essential
to solicit workers' input on their feasibility and effectiveness.
Selecting an appropriate control is not always easy. It is often involves doing a

risk assessment to evaluate and prioritized the hazards and risk. In addition,
both “normal” and any potential or unusual situations must be studied. Each
program should be specially designed to suit the needs of the individual
workplace. Hence, no two programs will be exactly alike.
Choosing a control method may involve:
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• Evaluating and selecting temporary and permanent control.
• Implementing temporary measures until permanent (engineering) controls

can be put in place.
• Implementing permanent controls when reasonably practicable.
For example, in the case of a noise hazard, temporary measures might require
workers to use hearing protection. Long term, permanent controls might use
engineering methods to remove or isolate the noise source.
Collect, organize, and review information with workers to determine what

types of hazards may be present and which workers may be exposed or
potentially exposed. Information available in the workplace may include:
• Review sources such as OSH standards and guidance, industry consensus

standards, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
publications, manufacturers' literature, and engineering reports to identify
potential control measures. Keep current on relevant information from
trade or professional associations.
• Investigate control measures used in other workplaces and determine

whether they would be effective at your workplace.
• Get input from workers who may be able to suggest and evaluate solutions
based on their knowledge of the facility, equipment, and work processes.
SELECT CONTROLS
Employers should select the controls that are the most feasible, effective, and
permanent.
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• Eliminate or control all serious hazards (hazards that are causing or are likely
to cause death or serious physical harm) immediately.
• Use interim controls while you develop and implement longer-term solutions.
• Select controls according to a hierarchy that emphasizes engineering

solutions (including elimination or substitution) first, followed by safe work
practices, administrative controls, and finally personal protective
equipment.
• Avoid selecting controls that may directly or indirectly introduce new

hazards. Examples include exhausting contaminated air into occupied
workspaces or using hearing protection that makes it difficult to hear
backup alarms.
• Review and discuss control options with workers to ensure that controls are
feasible and effective.
• Use a combination of control options when no single method fully protects

workers.
Note: Whenever possible, select equipment, machinery, and materials that are
inherently safer based on the application of "Prevention through Design" (PtD)
principles. Apply PtD when making your own facility, equipment, or product
design decisions.
Hierarchy of Controls
• Elimination is the process of removing the hazard from the workplace. It is

the most effective way to control a risk because the hazard is no longer
present. It is the preferred way to control a hazard and should be used
whenever possible.
• Substitution occurs when a new chemical or substance that is less

hazardous is used instead of another chemical. It is sometimes grouped
with elimination because, in effect, you are removing the first substance or
hazard from the workplace. The goal, obviously, is to choose a new
chemical that is less hazardous than the original.
The table below provides some examples:
Instead Of: Consider:
carbon tetrachloride (causes liver 1,1,1-trichloroethane,

damage, cancer) dichloromethane
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benzene (causes cancer) toluene, cyclohexane, ketones
pesticides (causes various effects on "natural" pesticides such as

body) pyrethrins
organic solvents (causes various water-detergent solutions

effects on body)
leaded glazes, paints, pigments versions that do not contain

(causes various effects on body) lead
sandstone grinding wheels (causes synthetic grinding wheels such

severe respiratory illness due to as aluminium oxide
silica)
Remember, however, that you need to make sure the substitute chemical
or substance is not causing any harmful effects, and to control and monitor
exposures to make sure that the replacement chemical or substance is
below occupational exposure limits.
Another type of substitution includes using the same chemical but to use it
in a different form. For example, a dry, dusty powder may be a significant
inhalation hazard but if this material can be purchased and used as pellets
or crystals, there may be less dust in the air and therefore less exposure.
Remember!
When substituting, be careful that one hazard is not being traded for
another. Before deciding to replace a chemical/substance with another,
consider all the implications and potential risks of the new material.
Substitution may also include using a machine that requires less energy or
lifting items with less weight.
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• Engineering Controls are methods that are built into the design of a plant,
equipment, or process to minimize the hazard. Engineering controls are
reliable way to control worker exposures if the controls are designed, used
and maintained properly. The basic types of engineering controls are:
▪ Process control.
▪ Enclosure and/or isolation of emission source.
▪ Ventilation.
Process Control
Process control involves changing the way a job activity or process is done
to reduce the risk. Monitoring should be done before and as well as after
the change is implemented to make sure the changes did, in fact, control
the hazard.
Examples of process changes include to:
▪ Use wet methods rather than dry when drilling or grinding. "Wet
method" means that water is sprayed over a dusty surface to keep dust
levels down or material is mixed with water to prevent dust from being
created.
▪ Use an appropriate vacuum or "wet method" instead of dry sweeping

(e.g. with a broom) to control dust and reduce the inhalation hazard.
Note: Never use a regular "household" vacuum cleaner, especially

when cleaning toxic material such as lead, or asbestos. Use a vacuum
specifically designed for industrial workplaces and be sure to use
appropriate filters, etc.
▪ Use steam cleaning instead of solvent degreasing (but be sure to

evaluate the potential high temperature hazard being introduced such
as heat stress).
▪ Use electric motors rather than diesel ones to eliminate diesel exhaust
emissions.
▪ Float "balls" on open-surface tanks that contain solvents (e.g.

degreasing operations) to reduce solvent surface area and to lower
solvent loss.
▪ Instead of conventional spray painting, try to dip, paint with a brush, or

use "airless" spray paint methods. These methods will reduce the
amount of paint that is released into the air.
▪ Decrease the temperature of a process so that less vapor is released.
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▪ Use automation - the less workers have to handle or use the materials,
the less potential there is for exposure.
▪ Use mechanical transportation rather than manual methods.
Enclosure and Isolation
These methods aim to keep the chemical "in" and the worker "out" (or vice
versa).
An enclosure keeps a selected hazard "physically" away from the worker.

Enclosed equipment, for example, is tightly sealed and it is typically only
opened for cleaning or maintenance. Other examples include "glove
boxes" (where a chemical is in a ventilated and enclosed space and the
employee works with the material by using gloves that are built in), abrasive
blasting cabinets, or remote-control devices. Care must be taken when the
enclosure is opened for maintenance as exposure could occur if adequate
precautions are not taken. The enclosure itself must be well maintained to
prevent leaks.
Isolation places the hazardous process "geographically" away from most

of the workers. Common isolation techniques are to create a contaminant-
free or noise-free booth either around the equipment or around the
employee workstations.
Ventilation
Ventilation is a method of control that strategically "adds" and "removes"

air in the work environment. Ventilation can remove or dilute an air
contaminant if designed properly. Local exhaust ventilation is very
adaptable to almost all chemicals and operations. It removes the
contaminant at the source so it cannot disperse into the workspace and it
generally uses lower exhaust rates than general ventilation (general
ventilation usually exchanges air in the entire room).
There are two main types of industrial ventilation systems, and they include
dilution and local exhaust ventilation.
Dilution ventilation can include a few methods, from allowing in fresh air by
opening doors and windows to using large fans. The point of such industrial
ventilation systems is to direct the air away from the employees, so they do
not have to breathe contaminated air whiling working. Some of the
benefits of this type include easy installation in most cases, typically little
maintenance, and efficiency in controlling small sources of contaminants.
Drawbacks of this kind of industrial ventilation are mainly related to the fact
that it cannot typically handle large amounts of toxic chemicals or vapours
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that may pollute the air. A common example of dilution ventilation includes
large commercial fans.
Local exhaust ventilation is a kind of industrial ventilation system that aims

to stop contaminants before they spread. Unlike dilution ventilation, this
type does not rely on fans to disperse the air. Rather, it works similarly to a
vacuum, usually resulting in low concentration of the pollutants. It is often
best suited for very toxic chemicals or a high amount of dust or fumes. While
local exhaust ventilation is usually quite effective and energy-efficient, it
typically costs more to install than dilution ventilation and is known by many
for being a high-maintenance system.
A local exhaust ventilation system consists of these basic parts:
▪ A hood that captures the contaminants generated in the air (at the
source).
▪ Ductwork (exhaust stack and/or recirculation duct) that carries the

contaminated air to the air cleaning device, if present or to the fan
(away from the source).
▪ A fan which draws the air from the hood into the ducts and removes the
air from the workspace. The fan must overcome all the losses due to
friction, hood entry, and fittings in the system while producing the
intended flow rate.
▪ Air cleaning devices may also be present that can remove

contaminants such as dust (particulates), gases and vapors from the air
stream before it is discharged or exhausted into the environment
(outside air), depending on the material(s) being used in the hood.
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The design of a ventilation system is important and must match the process
and chemical or contaminant in use. Expert guidance should be sought. It
is a highly effective control measure but only if it is designed, tested, and
maintained properly.
Because contaminants are exhausted to the outdoors, you should also

check with your local environment ministry or municipality for any
environmental air regulations or bylaws that may apply in your area.
• Administrative controls limit workers' exposures by scheduling shorter work

times in contaminant areas or by implementing other "rules". These control
measures have many limitations because the hazard itself is not actually
removed or reduced. Administrative controls are not generally favoured
because they can be difficult to implement, maintain and are not a
reliable way to reduce exposure. When necessary, methods of
administrative control include:
▪ Restricting access to a work area.
▪ Restricting the task to only those competent or qualified to perform the

work.
▪ Scheduling maintenance and other high exposure operations for times

when few workers are present (such as evenings, weekends).
▪ Using job-rotation schedules that limit the amount of time an individual

worker is exposed to a substance.
▪ Using a work-rest schedule that limits the length of time a worker is

exposure to a hazard.
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Work Practices
Work practices are also a form of administrative controls. In most

workplaces, even if there are well designed and well-maintained
engineering controls present, safe work practices are important. Some
elements of safe work practices include:
▪ Developing and implementing safe work procedures or standard

operating procedures.
▪ Training and education of employees about the operating procedures

as well as other necessary workplace training.
▪ Establishing and maintaining good housekeeping programs.
▪ Keeping equipment well maintained.
▪ Preparing and training for emergency response for incidents such as

spills, fire, or employee injury.
Education and Training
Employee education and training on how to conduct their work safely

helps to minimize the risk of exposure and is a critical element of any
complete workplace health and safety program. Training must cover not
only how to do the job safely, but it must also ensure that workers
understand the hazards and risks of their job. It must also provide them with
information on how to protect themselves and co-workers.
Good Housekeeping
Good housekeeping is essential to prevent the accumulation of hazardous

or toxic materials (e.g., build-up of dust or contaminant on ledges, or
beams), or hazardous conditions (e.g., poor stockpiling).
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Emergency Preparedness
Being prepare for emergencies means making sure that the necessary
equipment and supplies are readily available and that employees know
what to do when something unplanned happens such as a release, spill,
fire, or injury. These procedures should be written, and employees should
have the opportunity to practice their emergency response skills regularly.
Personal Hygiene Practices and Facilities
Personal hygiene practices are another effective way to reduce the

amount of a hazardous material absorbed, ingested, or inhaled by a
worker. They are particularly effective if the contaminant(s) can
accumulate on the skin, clothing, or hair.
Examples of personal hygiene practices include:
▪ Washing hands after handling material and before eating, drinking or

smoking.
▪ Avoiding touching lips, nose and eyes with contaminated hands.
▪ No smoking, drinking, chewing gum or eating in the work areas - these

activities should be permitted only in a "clean" area.
▪ Not storing hazardous materials in the same refrigerator as food items.
• Personal protective equipment (PPE) includes items such as respirators,

protective clothing such as gloves, face shields, eye protection, and
footwear that serve to provide a barrier between the wearer and the
chemical or material.
It is the final item on the list for a particularly good reason. Personal
protective equipment should never be the only method used to reduce
exposure except under specific circumstances because PPE may "fail"
(stop protecting the worker) with little or no warning. For example:
"breakthrough" can occur with gloves, clothing, and respirator cartridges.
No matter which type of PPE is used, it is essential to have a complete PPE

program in place.
DEVELOP AND UPDATE A HAZARD CONTROL PLAN
A hazard control plan describes how the selected controls will be

implemented. An effective plan will address serious hazards first. Interim
controls may be necessary, but the overall goal is to ensure effective long-term
control of hazards. It is important to track progress toward completing the
control plan and periodically (at least annually and when conditions,
processes or equipment change) verify that controls remain effective.
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• List the hazards needing controls in order of priority.
• Assign responsibility for installing or implementing the controls to a specific

person or persons with the power or ability to implement the controls.
• Establish a target completion date.
• Plan how you will track progress toward completion.
• Plan how you will verify the effectiveness of controls after they are installed
or implemented.
SELECT CONTROLS TO PROTECT WORKERS DURING NONROUTINE OPERATIONS

AND EMERGENCIES
The hazard control plan should include provisions to protect workers during
nonroutine operations and foreseeable emergencies. Depending on your
workplace, these could include fires and explosions; chemical releases;
hazardous material spills; unplanned equipment shutdowns; infrequent
maintenance activities; natural and weather disasters; workplace violence;
terrorist or criminal attacks; disease outbreaks (e.g., pandemic influenza); or
medical emergencies. Nonroutine tasks, or tasks workers do not normally do,
should be approached with particular caution. Prior to initiating such work,
review job hazard analyses and job safety analyses with any workers involved
and notify others about the nature of the work, work schedule, and any
necessary precautions.
• Develop procedures to control hazards that may arise during nonroutine

operations (e.g., removing machine guarding during maintenance and
repair).
• Develop or modify plans to control hazards that may arise in emergency

situations.
• Procure any equipment needed to control emergency-related hazards.
• Assign responsibilities for implementing the emergency plan.
• Conduct emergency drills to ensure that procedures and equipment

provide adequate protection during emergency situations.
Note: Depending on your location, type of business, and materials stored or

used on site, authorities including local fire and emergency response
departments, government agencies, the DENR, DOH, and DOLE may have
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additional requirements for emergency plans. Ensure that your procedures

comply with these requirements.
IMPLEMENT SELECTED CONTROLS IN THE WORKPLACE
Once hazard prevention and control measures have been identified, they
should be implemented according to the hazard control plan.
Implement hazard control measures according to the priorities established in

the hazard control plan.
When resources are limited, implement measures on a "worst-first" basis,

according to the hazard ranking priorities (risk) established during hazard
identification and assessment. (Note, however, that regardless of limited
resources, employers have an obligation to protect workers from recognized,
serious hazards.)
Promptly implement any measures that are easy and inexpensive—e.g.,

general housekeeping, removal of obvious tripping hazards such as electrical
cords, basic lighting—regardless of the level of hazard they involve.
FOLLOW UP TO CONFIRM THAT CONTROLS ARE EFFECTIVE
To ensure that control measures are and remain effective, employers should
track progress in implementing controls, inspect and evaluate controls once
they are installed, and follow routine preventive maintenance practices.
• Track progress and verify implementation by asking the following questions:

▪ Have all control measures been implemented according to the hazard
control plan?
▪ Have engineering controls been properly installed and tested?
▪ Have workers been appropriately trained so that they understand the

controls, including how to operate engineering controls, safe work
practices, and PPE use requirements?
▪ Are controls being used correctly and consistently?
• Conduct regular inspections (and industrial hygiene monitoring, if

indicated) to confirm that engineering controls are operating as designed.
• Evaluate control measures to determine if they are effective or need to be

modified. Involve workers in the evaluation of the controls. If controls are
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not effective, identify, select, and implement further control measures that
will provide adequate protection.
• Confirm that work practices, administrative controls, and personal

protective equipment use policies are being followed.
• Conduct routine preventive maintenance of equipment, facilities, and

controls to help prevent incidents due to equipment failure.
CONTROL OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES

Hazardous chemicals are substances, mixtures and articles that can pose a
significant risk to health and safety if not managed correctly. They may have
health hazards, physical hazards, or both.
Examples of chemicals that can cause adverse health effects include:
• toxic chemicals
• chemicals that cause skin damage
• carcinogens.
Examples of chemicals that can immediately injure people or damage

property include:
• flammable liquids
• compressed gasses
• explosives.
Work Health and Safety Duties
As per Rule 1093.01 Reduction of Hazards General Provisions, when

practicable, harmless substances shall be substituted for hazardous substances
or the process shall be revised to reduce worker exposure to the hazards. To
manage the risks to health and safety associated with using, handling,
generating, and storing hazardous chemicals at a workplace user of
hazardous substances need to:
• Ensure correct labelling of containers and pipework, using warning

placards and displaying safety signs.
• Provide information, training, instruction, and supervision to workers.
• Provide health monitoring to workers (if relevant).
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• Maintain a register and manifest (where required) of hazardous chemicals

and notifying the regulator if you store manifest quantities of hazardous
chemicals.
• Identify any risk of physical or chemical reaction of hazardous chemicals

and ensuring their stability.
• Ensure workplace exposure standards for hazardous chemicals are not

exceeded.
• Provide a spill containment system for hazardous chemicals if necessary.
• Obtain the current SDS from the manufacturer, importer, or supplier of the
chemical.
• Control ignition sources and accumulation of flammable and combustible

substances.
• Provide fire protection equipment, firefighting equipment and emergency

and safety equipment.
• Provide a copy of your emergency plan to the primary local emergency

services organization if the quantity of a class of hazardous chemical at
your workplace exceeds its manifest quantity.
• Ensure the stability and support of containers for bulk hazardous chemicals,
including pipework and attachments.
• Ensure hazardous chemical storage and handling systems are

decommissioned correctly.
• Notify the regulator as soon as practicable of abandoned tanks in certain

circumstances.
Managing the risks associated with hazardous chemicals
Handlers of Hazardous Substances must also manage risks associated with

using, handling, generating, or storing hazardous chemicals at a workplace,
including:
• Identify reasonably foreseeable hazards that could give rise to the risk.
• Eliminate the risk so far as is reasonably practicable.
• If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risk, minimize it so far as is

reasonably practicable by implementing control measures in accordance
with the hierarchy of risk control.
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• Maintain the implemented control measure so it remains effective.
• Review and if necessary, revise all risk control measure at least every five
years maintain, so far as is reasonably practicable, a work environment that
is without risks to health and safety.
When managing the risks handlers of hazardous substances must consider:
• The hazardous properties of the chemical.
• Any potentially hazardous reaction (chemical or physical) between the

hazardous chemical and another substance or mixture, including a
substance that may be generated by the reaction.
• The nature of the work to be carried out with the hazardous chemical.
• Any structure, plant or system of work that is needed in the use, handling,
generation, or storage of the hazardous chemical or could interact with
the hazardous chemical at the workplace.
• Follow the Rule 1090 Hazardous Materials Requirements.
RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

The primary corrective measure in the control of occupational diseases
caused by harmful, dusts, fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, sprays, or vapors
shall be to prevent atmospheric contamination.
This shall be accomplished through the use or application of accepted

engineering control measures, like enclosure or confinement of the operation,
general and local ventilation and substitution of less toxic materials or a
combination of these. When effective engineering control measures are not
feasible or while they are in process of being instituted, appropriate respirators
shall be used.
Appropriate respirators shall be furnished by the employer when such

equipment is necessary to protect the health of the employees.
The employee shall use the respiratory protection in accordance with

instruments.
Respiratory Protective Program
In order to effectively implement the provision of Rule 1083, the employer shall
institute a respiratory protective program which shall include the following:
• Proper selection of respirators on the basis of the hazards to which the

workers exposed.
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• Sufficient instruction and training in the proper use and the limitations
of respirators.
• When practicable, the assignment of respirators to individual workers for

their exclusive use.
• Regular cleaning and disinfecting of the respirators. Respirators issued for

the exclusive use of one worker shall be cleaned after each day’s use or
as often as necessary. Those used by two or more workers shall be
thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after each use.
• Appropriate examination and testing of the conditions of the work area in

order to assure that the allowable degree of employee exposure is
maintained, and to determine the effectiveness of the control measures.
Selecting of Respirators
For purposes of proper selection, design, construction, testing and use of

respirators, the American National Standards Practices for Respiratory
Protection (ANSI z88.-21059) is adopted.
Use of Respirators
Standard procedures shall be developed for the use of respirators. These

should include all information and guidance necessary for their proper
selection, use and care. Possible emergency uses of respirators should be
anticipated and planned for.
Written procedures shall be prepared covering safe use of respirators in

dangerous atmospheres that might be encountered in normal operations or
in emergencies. All personnel shall be familiar with these procedures and the
available respirators to use.
• Workers in enclosed toxic or oxygen-deficient atmosphere shall be

assisted in case of accident by at least one additional worker stationed
in an area unaffected by the incident and provided with proper rescue
equipment to assist the other(s) in case of emergency. Communication
(visual, voice or signal line) shall be maintained among the individuals
present.
• When self-contained breathing apparatus or hose masks with blowers are

used in atmospheres dangerous to life or health, standby men must be
present with suitable rescue equipment.
• Persons using airline respirators in atmospheres hazardous to life or health,

shall be equipped with safety harnesses and safety lines for lifting or
removing persons from hazardous atmospheres or other equivalent
provisions for the rescue of persons. A standby man or men with suitable
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self-contained breathing apparatus shall be at the nearest fresh air base

for emergency rescue.
For the safe use of any respirator, the user shall be properly instructed in its
selection, use and maintenance.
Maintenance and Care of Respirators
A program for the maintenance and care of respirators shall be adopted to

the type of plant, working conditions, and hazards involved and shall include
the following basic services:
• inspection for defects (including leak check),
• cleaning and disinfecting, and
• repair and storage.
Fit Testing of Respirators
A “fit test” tests the seal between the respirator's facepiece and your face. It
takes about fifteen to twenty minutes to complete and is performed at least
annually. After passing a fit test with a respirator, you must use the exact same
make, model, style, and size respirator on the job.
A fit test should not be confused with a user seal check. A user seal check is a
quick check performed by the wearer each time the respirator is put on. It
determines if the respirator is properly seated to the face or needs to be
readjusted.
There are two types of fit tests: qualitative and quantitative.
Qualitative fit testing is a pass/fail test method that uses your sense of taste or
smell, or your reaction to an irritant in order to detect leakage into the respirator
facepiece. Qualitative fit testing does not measure the actual amount of
leakage. Whether the respirator passes or fails the test is based simply on you
detecting leakage of the test substance into your facepiece.
There are four qualitative fit test methods accepted by OSHA:
• Isoamyl acetate, which smells like bananas.
• Saccharin, which leaves a sweet taste in your mouth.
• Bitrex, which leaves a bitter taste in your mouth; and
• Irritant smoke, which can cause coughing.
Qualitative fit testing is normally used for half-mask respirators - those that just
cover your mouth and nose. Half-mask respirators can be filtering facepiece
respirators - often called "N95s" - as well as elastomeric respirators.
Quantitative fit testing uses a machine to measure the actual amount of
leakage into the facepiece and does not rely upon your sense of taste, smell,
143 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

or irritation in order to detect leakage. The respirators used during this type of
fit testing will have a probe attached to the facepiece that will be connected
to the machine by a hose.
There are three quantitative fit test methods accepted by OSHA:
• Generated aerosol;
• Ambient aerosol; and
• Controlled Negative Pressure.
Quantitative fit testing can be used for any type of tight-fitting respirator.
Many workers need to wear prescription glasses or personal protective
equipment, such as safety goggles or earmuffs, while performing a job. If you
fall into this category, then you must wear these items during the fit test to be
sure they do not interfere with the respirator's fit.
You must be fit tested before you use a respirator in the workplace, and you
must be retested at least every 12 months to make sure that the respirator you
use still fits you. You must be fit tested with the specific make, model, style, and
size of respirator that you will be using.
Not everyone can get a good fit with one specific respirator. If the respirator
fails the fit test, then another make, model, style, or size must be tried until one
is found that fits you properly. Therefore, your employer needs to provide you
with a reasonable selection of sizes and models to choose from. When you've
completed the fit testing process, it's very important that you know which
make, model, style, and size respirator fits your face properly, and when and
where you'll need to wear it for protection.
Also, the fit of your respirator must be retested whenever you have a change
in your physical condition that could affect the fit of your respirator. Such
changes could include:
• large weight gain or loss;
• major dental work (such as new dentures);
• facial surgery that may have changed the shape of your face; or
• significant scarring in the area of the seal.
Any of these changes could affect the ability of your respirator to properly seal
to your face, which could allow contaminated air to leak into your respirator
facepiece.
If you find that the fit of your respirator becomes unacceptable, you must be
allowed to select a different type of respirator and be retested. The selection
may include a new make, model, style, or size of respirator.
Facial hair, like a beard or mustache, can affect your respirator's ability to
protect you. Anything that comes between your face and the respirator's seal
or gets into the respirator's valves can allow contaminated air to leak into the
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respirator facepiece and you will not be protected. For example, if you have
long hair, make sure it does not get between the respirator seal and your face
because this can allow contaminated air to leak into the respirator.
While recent fit testing can follow you from job to job, it is still your current
employer's responsibility to ensure that the fit testing and recordkeeping
requirements of OSHA's respiratory protection standard have been met before
you use a respirator for protection against hazardous exposures at work.
Sometimes workers own their own respirators and bring them to a job where
respiratory protection is required. If your employer allows you to use your own
personal respirator for protection, then your employer still has to comply with
all of the requirements of the OSHA standard. For example, your employer must
still ensure that:
• your respirator is appropriate for the hazards you face;
• your respirator is properly cleaned, maintained, and stored; and
• the proper schedule for replacing cartridges and filters is followed.
Keep in mind, however, that while your employer may allow you to use your
own respirator, your employer cannot require you to use your own respirator.
Remember, if you don't know if a respirator is needed for the task you will be
doing, or if you are unsure about how to properly use a respirator or which filter
or cartridge to use, talk to your supervisor before entering the hazardous area.
NOISE REDUCTION RATING FOR HEARING PROTECTION

Noise reduction ratings are measured using the decibel, a standard unit of
measurement used to describe how powerful or compressed a specific sound
level is. Screenings are typically conducted in controlled laboratory
experiments during which devices are tested in order to determine real world
capabilities.
Noise Reduction Ratings are a set of “rules” that are set in place to serve as
an absolute point of reference for those who are serious about protecting
worker hearing. The NRR essentially functions as a “ruler” that measures how
well a particular piece of hearing protection or equipment may work in real
time and space. Those who are serious about hearing protection may need
to consider the fact that NRR is an estimate based on what will be achieved
by 98% of the population if the hearing protection is properly fit (note that fit
and individuality may skew the numbers drastically – in some cases by as
much as 50%).
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Noise Reduction Ratings are important because they indicate the functionality
of a device, and the ability for that device to protect hearing in noisy
environments.
In order to approximate an NRR, a little math is required; the equipment used

to protect hearing does not reduce the decibel levels within a given
environment by the precise decibel number that is tied to the NRR for that
device. For example, a person who is working in a loud occupational
environment may be exposed to noise as great as 100 decibels. If an individual
is wearing hearing protection equipment with an NRR of about 30 decibels, the
noise exposure amount would not be lowered to 70 decibels. Instead, it would
be lowered to 88.5 decibels. Take a look at the following steps taken to
determine the level of noise exposure after reduction:
• Subtract seven from the NRR number, which is given in decibels.
• Divide the result by two.
• Subtract the result from the original noise exposure level in decibels.
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MODULE 2.3.B – CONTROL MEASURES OF

SAFETYHAZARDS
Managing safety hazards is key to operational excellence in the workplace -
regardless of its size. Where possible, you should always try to remove or
eliminate hazards from the workplace, for example by using a different
process, or changing the way a job is done.
If it is not possible to eliminate the hazard, below are 6 steps to determine the
most effective measures to control workplace hazards and to minimize risk.
STEP 1: DESIGN OR RE-ORGANIZE TO ELIMINATE HAZARDS

It is often cheaper and more practical to eliminate hazards at the design or
planning stage of a product, process or place used for work. In these early
phases, there is greater scope to design out hazards or incorporate risk control
measures that are compatible with the original design and functional
requirements. For example, remove trip hazards on the floor, use of cable
hangers/ tray.
STEP 2: SUBSTITUTE THE HAZARD WITH SOMETHING SAFER

If it is not reasonably practical to eliminate the hazards and associated risks,
you should minimize the risk. Example is the use of advance guardrails system
or staging instead of scaffold; use of mechanical aid instead of doing the lifting
manually.
Should Mechanical Aid be not available, a precautionary measure must be

considered prior to manual handling of materials.
Precautions for Manual Handling of Materials
• Attach handles or holders to loads
• Wear PPE
• Use proper lifting techniques.
To prevent injury from oversize loads, workers should seek help in the following:
• When a load is so bulky that employees cannot properly grasp or lift it
• When employees cannot see around or over a load,
• When employees cannot safely handle a load.
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Proper Manual Lifting Technique:
• Check the load, make sure to clear the route you intend to take, well lit &
safe, ask for help if the load is too heavy or hard to grasp.
• Get as close as possible to the load.
• Position both feet on both sides of the load, with one foot ahead of the
other to maintain balance and line of strength,
• Bend your knees & get a firm grip of the load.
• Look forward & keep your back straight in line with your head & neck.
• Lift using your lower limb muscles.
• Keep the load at waist level & as close to your trunk you can.
• Move your feet & do not twist, use side stepping if possible.
• Put down the load in the same method you lifted it up.
In case of team lifting, a plan should be set on how to lift, move & put down
STEP 3: ISOLATE THE HAZARD FROM PEOPLE

This involves physically separating the source of harm from people by distance
or using barriers. For example, introducing a strict work area, using guard rails
around exposed edges and holes in the floors, using remote control systems to
operate machinery, enclosing a noisy process from a person, use of LOTO and
markings on floors.
Precautions for Electricity
• Use of lower voltage equipment, battery operated for example
• Use of double insulated equipment
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• Use of protective devices, such as fuses and circuit breakers
• Lock Out Tag Out
• Regular inspection and testing of electrical equipments
• All electrical installation must be done by competent electrician
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Additional tips for electricity
• Do not use substandard materials
• Avoid overloading the circuit, avoid octopus connection
• Never bypass, bridge nor disable any circuit protection device
• Never repair electrical cords or equipment unless qualified and authorized.
• Never replace any circuit-protection device in an energized or live circuit

always be sure that the power is safely off.
Lock Out, Tag Out (LOTO)
What is LOTO?
"Lockout/tagout or LOTO" refers to specific practices and procedures to

safeguard employees from the unexpected energization or startup of
machinery and equipment, or the release of hazardous energy during service
or maintenance activities.
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Hazardous energy
• Electrical – can be a direct source
• Hydraulic – uses fluid under pressure
• Pneumatic – uses air under pressure
• Kinetic – the energy created in a moving object
• Potential – stored energy such as the energy in capacitors, compressed air,

hydraulics, and springs
• Pressurized liquids or gases – including steam and chemicals present in

pipes and supply lines or mechanical energy, gravity, pressurized systems
and elevated parts.
• Any other energy – including thermal
Steps of LOTO
• Before beginning service or maintenance, the following steps must be

accomplished in sequence and according to the specific provisions of the
employer's energy-control procedure:
• Prepare for shutdown.
• Shut down the machine.
• Disconnect or isolate the machine from the energy source(s);
• Apply the lockout or tagout device(s) to the energy-isolating device(s);
• Release, restrain, or otherwise render safe all potential hazardous stored or

residual energy. If a possibility exists for accumulation of hazardous energy,
regularly verify during the service and maintenance that such energy has
not accumulated to hazardous levels; and
• Verify the isolation and de-energization of the machine.
Removing lock
Before removing lockout or tagout devices, the employees must take the
following steps in accordance with the specific provisions of the employer's
energy-control procedure:
• Inspect machines or their components to assure that they are operationally

intact and that nonessential items are removed from the area; and
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• Check to assure that everyone is positioned safely and away from

machines.
STEP 4: USE ENGINEERING CONTROLS

An engineering control is a control measure that is physical in nature, including
a mechanical device or process. For example, this can be done through the
use of machine guards, effective ventilation systems and setting work rates on
a roster to reduce fatigue.
Requirements for Safeguarding of Equipment
• Prevent contact: The safeguard must prevent hands, arms, and any other
part of workers body from making contact to dangerous moving parts.
• Secure: Workers should not be able to easily remove or tamper with the
safeguard, because a safeguard that can easily be made ineffective is no
safeguard at all.
• Protect from falling objects: The safeguard should ensure that no objects
can fall into moving parts. A small tool which is dropped into a cycling
machine could easily become a projectile that could strike and injure
someone.
• Create no new hazards such as a shear point, a jagged edge, or an

unfinished surface which can cause a laceration.
• Create no interference: Any safeguard which impedes a worker from

performing the job quickly and comfortably might soon be overridden or
disregarded.
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• Allow safe lubrication: If possible, one should be able to lubricate the

machine without removing the safeguards.
Types of Machine Guarding
• Fixed: Permanent part of the machine, not dependent upon moving parts
to perform its intended function. It may be constructed of sheet metal,
screen, bar or any other material strong enough to withstand whatever
impact it may receive and to endure prolonged use.
• Interlocked: When this type of guard is opened or removed, the tripping

mechanism and/or power automatically shuts off or disengages, and the
machine cannot cycle or be started until the guard is back in place.
• Adjustable or self-adjusting: guards may be constructed of plastic, metal, or

other substantial material. These types of guards are useful because they
allow flexibility in accommodating various sizes of stock.
Types of Safety Devices
• Presence Sensing: uses a system of light sources and controls which can
interrupt the machine's operating cycle. If the light field is broken, the
machine stops.
• Two hands control: Requires constant, concurrent pressure by the operator

to activate the machine.
• Pullback: uses a series of cables attached to the operator's hands, wrists,

and/or arms.
• Restraint: uses cables or straps that are attached to the operator's hands
at a fixed point.
• Safety tripwire cable: cables are located around the perimeter of or near
the danger area. The operator must be able to reach the cable with either
hand to stop the machine
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Safeguarding by Location/Distance
Employees can be protected by having the dangerous moving part of a

machine positioned in a way that those areas are not accessible or do not
present a hazard to a worker during the normal operation of the machine.
Example:
• by positioning a machine with its power transmission apparatus against a

wall and leaving all routine operations conducted on the other side of the
machine
• by putting enclosure walls or fences can restrict access to machines
• having dangerous parts located high enough to be out of the normal reach
of any worker
• locating operator controls at a safe distance from the machine
Other Protections
• Awareness barriers: not provide physical protection, but serves only to

remind a person that he or she is approaching the danger area
• Miscellaneous protective shields: may be used to provide protection from

flying particles, splashing cutting oils, or coolants
• Hand-feeding tools and holding fixtures: used to place or remove stock,

particularly from or into the point of operation of a machine. Example a
push stick
STEP 5: USE ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS

Administrative controls are work methods or procedures that are designed to
minimize exposure to a hazard. Establish appropriate procedures and safe
work practices such as; limit exposure time to a hazardous task so that fewer
employees are exposed, routine maintenance and housekeeping procedures,
training on hazards and correct work methods and use signs to warn people
of a hazard, use of safe operating procedures.
• REDUCING WORKER`S EXPOSURE through job rotation, reduction of work

periods and providing frequent breaks.
• HOUSEKEEPING: Good housekeeping plays important roles in occupational

health hazards. For instance, dust must be removed regularly on workplaces
before it become airborne due to air currents or vibration.
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Effective housekeeping results in:
▪ reduced handling to ease the flow of materials
▪ fewer tripping and slipping accidents in clutter-free and spill-free work

areas
▪ decreased fire hazards
▪ lower worker exposures to hazardous substances (e.g. dusts, vapours)
▪ better control of tools and materials, including inventory and supplies
▪ more efficient equipment cleanup and maintenance
▪ better hygienic conditions leading to improved health
▪ more effective use of space
▪ reduced property damage by improving preventive maintenance
▪ less janitorial work
▪ improved morale and productivity (tools and materials will be easy to

find)
Elements of an Effective Workplace Housekeeping Program
Dust and Dirt Removal
▪ Use of vacuum cleaners for removing light dust and dirt. Industrial models
have special fittings for cleaning walls, ceilings, ledges, machinery, and
other hard-to-reach places where dust and dirt may accumulate.
▪ Use of Special-purpose vacuums for removing hazardous substances. For

example, vacuum cleaners fitted with HEPA (high efficiency particulate
air) filters may be used to capture fine particles of asbestos or fiberglass.
▪ Dampening (wetting) floors or using sweeping compounds before

sweeping to reduce the amount of airborne dust.
▪ Manual cleaning may be required for dust and grime that collect in
places like shelves, piping, conduits, light fixtures, reflectors, windows,
cupboards, and lockers
▪ Compressed air should not be used for removing dust, dirt or chips from
equipment or work surfaces.
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Employee Facilities
▪ Provide lockers for storing employees' personal belongings.
▪ Cleaning of washroom facilities once or more each shift. Provide good

supply of soap, towels plus disinfectants, if needed.
▪ Provide special precautions such as showers, washing facilities and

change rooms if workers are using hazardous materials,
▪ Some facilities may require two locker rooms with showers between.
Using such double locker rooms allows workers to shower off workplace
contaminants and prevents them from contaminating their "street
clothes" by keeping their work clothes separated from the clothing that
they wear home.
▪ Prohibit smoking, eating, or drinking in the work area where toxic

materials are handled. The eating area should be separate from the
work area and should be cleaned properly each shift.
Surfaces
▪ Clean up spilled oil and other liquids at once
▪ Trap chips, shavings, and dust before they reach the floor or clean them
up regularly to prevent their accumulation\
▪ Provide anti-slip flooring in areas that cannot be cleaned continuously,

such as entrance ways.
▪ Keep floors in good order by replacing any worn, ripped, or damaged

flooring that poses a tripping hazard.
Maintain Light Fixtures
▪ Dirty light fixtures reduce essential light levels. Clean light fixtures can
improve lighting efficiency significantly.
Aisles and Stairways
▪ Aisles should be wide enough to accommodate people and vehicles

comfortably and safely. Aisle space allows for the movement of people,
products, and materials.
▪ Provide warning signs or mirrors to improve sightlines in blind corners.
▪ Arrange aisles properly to encourage people to use them so that they

do not take shortcuts through hazardous areas.
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▪ Keeping aisles and stairways clear is important. They should not be used
for temporary "overflow" or "bottleneck" storage.
▪ Stairways and aisles also require adequate lighting.
Spill Control
▪ Stop spill before they happen by:
o Regularly cleaning and maintaining machines and equipment.
o Use drip pans and guards where possible spills might occur.
▪ When spills do occur, clean them up immediately.
▪ Absorbent materials are useful for wiping up greasy, oily, or other liquid
spills. Used absorbents must be disposed of properly and safely.
Tools and Equipment
• Provide suitable tools fixtures with marked locations to provide orderly

arrangement, both in the tool room and near the work bench.
• Return tools promptly after use to reduce the chance of being

misplaced or lost.
• Workers should regularly inspect, clean, and repair all tools and take any
damaged or worn tools out of service.
Maintenance
Maintenance involves keeping buildings, equipment, and machinery in

safe, efficient working order and in good repair. This includes:
▪ Maintaining sanitary facilities and regularly painting and cleaning walls.

Broken windows, damaged doors, defective plumbing, and broken floor
surfaces can make a workplace look neglected; these conditions can
cause accidents and affect work practices.
▪ Replacing or fixing broken or damaged items as quickly as possible.
▪ A good maintenance program provides for the inspection,

maintenance, upkeep and repair of tools, equipment, machines, and
processes.
Waste Disposal
▪ Regular collection, grading, and sorting of scrap. Separate materials

that can be recycled from those going to waste disposal facilities.
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▪ Do not allow material to build up on the floor. It wastes time and energy
since additional time is required for cleaning it up.
▪ Place scrap containers near where the waste is produced to encourage

orderly waste disposal and to make collection easier.
▪ Clearly label all waste receptacles (e.g., recyclable glass, plastic, scrap
metal, etc.).
Storage
▪ The location of the stockpiles should not interfere with work, but they
should still be readily available when required.
▪ Stacking cartons and drums on a firm foundation and cross tying them,
where necessary, reduces the chance of their movement.
▪ Stored materials should not obstruct aisles, stairs, exits, fire equipment,
emergency eyewash fountains, emergency showers, or first aid stations.
▪ All storage areas should be clearly marked.
▪ Flammable, combustible, toxic and other hazardous materials should be

stored in approved containers in designated areas that are appropriate
for the different hazards that they pose.
Good Housekeeping Technique: 5S
5S is a process designed to organize the workplace, keep it clean, maintain

effective and standard conditions. It instills the discipline required to enable
everyone to achieve and maintain a world-class environment.
The use of this tool was started in 1972 by Henry Ford in the United States as
the CANDO programmed: Cleaning up, Arranging, Neatness, Discipline
and Ongoing improvement. The technique was popularized as ‘Japanese
5S’ in 1980 by Hiroyuki Hirano.
What is the meaning of 5S?
5S is the acronym for five Japanese words: Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu and
Shitsuke and they represent the five steps for a systematic technique for
good housekeeping as indicated below:
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Why do we practice the 5S?
Among the main benefits of implementing 5S are:
▪ the workplace becomes cleaner, safer, well-organized, and more

pleasant
▪ floor space utilization is improved
▪ workflow becomes smoother and more systematic and non-value-

added activities are reduced.
▪ time for searching tools, materials and document is minimized.
▪ machine breakdowns are reduced since clean and well-maintained

equipment breaks down less frequently and it also becomes easier to
diagnose and repair before breakdowns occur, therefore extending
equipment life.
▪ errors are minimized leading to making defect-free products.
▪ consumables and material wastage are minimized.
▪ the morale and satisfaction of employees improves.
▪ the productivity of the organization improves together with the quality

of products and services.
How do we practice 5S?
The meaning, methods of implementing and benefits of each of the 5S are

given below.
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1. SORT OUT (Seiri)
MEANING METHODS BENEFITS
This means • First decide what is necessary • Your useful floor

distinguishing or and what is unnecessary. is saved.
sort out between • Check not only the floor but • Your searching
‘wanted’ and also shelves, lockers, time of tools,
‘unwanted storehouse, stairs, roofs, notice materials, and
items’ at place boards, etc. papers is
of work and reduced.
• Put a red tag on unnecessary
removal of items and keep them in a • You have
unwanted items separate area. better flow of
• Discard or throw those items work.
which have not been used in • Your inventory
the past one year. cost of
• Things used once in 6 to 12 unnecessary
months may be stored at a items is
distance from workstation. reduced.
• Things used more than once a

month should be available at
a central point in the
workplace.
• Things used hourly/ everyday/
once a week should be near
the workstation or may be
worn by or kept in the pocket
of your worker there.
2. SET IN ORDER (Seiton)
Arranging items • If necessary, reassign spaces, • You take things

in such a manner racks, cabinets, etc. out and keep
that they are • Decide the right places for things back
easy to use. everything. easily.
• You make
• Put all materials and
lesser mistakes.
Labelling them equipment at a place
so that they are allocated to them with proper • You reduce
easy to find and label or signalization. searching time.
put back. • Use alerts or indications for out
of stock situations.
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This means a • Use floor paint marking to • Your work

place for define working area, path, environment
everything entrance/exit, safety becomes safe
(necessary) and equipment, cart/ trolley
everything in its locations, etc.
place. No more • Use standard color coding for
homeless items. pipelines for steam, water,
gas, drainage, etc.
• Use display cautions,
messages, instructions at
proper place at proper height
and written clearly
3. SHINE (Seiso)
This means • Divide the total area in zones • Your workplace

removing dirt, and allocate responsibility for becomes free
strain, filth, soot cleaning for each zone. of dirt and
and dust from • Decide on cleaning points, stains which is
the work area. order of cleaning, type of the starting
cleaning, cleaning aid point for
This includes
required, etc. quality.
cleaning and
care for • Display cleaning schedule. • Your
equipment and equipment
• During cleaning look for lifespan will be
facilities and also
defective conditions (loose prolonged and
inspecting them
bolts, vibrations, excessive breakdowns
for abnormalities.
sound, high temperature, will be less.
In a way it also
includes primary fallen tools, etc.) and solve • Creates a
maintenance of the problem. pleasant
equipment. • Allocate space for storage of environment.
cleaning aids and • Prevents
consumables for cleaning. accidents.
Note: Cleaning is
not polishing,
etc., to make the
piece of
equipment more
beautiful – it
looks after its
condition and
fitness for use.
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4. STANDARDIZE (Sieketsu)
This call for • Document procedures and • Your activities

systematizing the guidelines for sorting, set in will be
above 3S order and shine. simplified.
practices. This • Make a checklist for each • You will have
means ensuring section and train your people consistency in
that whatever in using them the work
cleanliness and practices.
orderliness is • Carry out periodic evaluation
by using the above check list. • You will avoid
achieved should
mistakes.
be maintained. • Use visual management to
act quickly, for example • With better
putting/using: visual and
This requires that transparency
– Open and shut directional
you should management
labels on switches, etc.
develop a work work efficiency
structure that will – Temperature and safety labels will improve.
support the new – Zone labels on measuring
practices and meters (normal zone, danger
turn them into zone, etc.)
habits.
– OK or hold marks on product.
– Put transparency control
The purpose of
standardization – Make transparent covers of
is to make sure drawers.

that everyone in – Put inspection windows in the
the company metal covers.
follows the same
– Use location maps with
procedure, the
emergency exits, firefighting
same names of
equipment, etc..
items, the same
size of
signalization/floor
marking, shapes,
colors, etc.
Standardize also
helps to do the
right thing the
right way every
time.
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5. SUSTAIN ( Shitsuke)
Sustain also • Create awareness and • Promotes habit

means publicize the system. for complying
with workplace
‘Discipline’. It • For example, develop 5S
denotes your News, 5S Posters, 5S rules and
Slogans, 5S Day, etc. procedures.
commitment to
maintain • Create a structure of how and • Creates
when 5S activities will be healthy
orderliness and
implemented. atmosphere
to practice
and a good
first 3S as a way • Formulate guidelines for workplace.
of life. This audit/evaluation of 5S
• Helps you to
also requires that implementation. develop team
your • Provide management support work.
employees show by providing
• Provides you
positive resources and leadership. with data for
interest and • Reward and recognize best improving 5S
overcome performers.
resistance to
change.
Management’s role in implementing 5S
▪ It is important to note that the implementation of 5S concerns and

benefits everyone in the organization. Like any other initiative,
management has the important role to facilitate and support the
process by:
▪ Acknowledging the importance of 5S for the organization.
▪ Allowing employees time for 5S.
▪ Providing resources and infrastructure for 5S implementation.
▪ Personal involvement in implementation of 5S,
▪ Creating tangible and intangible rewards and recognition for

improvements.
▪ Promoting ongoing 5S efforts
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Supervisor`s role
▪ Maintaining constant check on housekeeping conditions
▪ Seeing that employees maintain good housekeeping
▪ Having unusual situations corrected and cleaned up immediately
▪ Planning for orderliness in all operations
▪ Issuing clear instructions to employees
▪ Insisting on clean after every job
Worker`s role
▪ Follow housekeeping procedures
▪ Maintain an orderly workplace
▪ Report to supervisors any unsafe condition
5S evaluation checklist
No. Requirement Score Remarks

1.0 SORT OUT - SEIRI
1.1 Is the floor area free of unwanted items? 0 1 2 3 4
Are tops and insides of all cupboards, shelves,
1.2 0 1 2 3 4
tables, etc. free of unwanted items?
Are items stored according to frequency of
1.3 0 1 2 3 4
use?
Are walls free of old posters, calendars,
1.4 0 1 2 3 4
pictures, notices etc.?
1.5 Is there a general clutter free appearance? 0 1 2 3 4
2.0 SET IN ORDER -SEITON
Are direction indications available to all
2.1 0 1 2 3 4
facilities from the entrance onwards?
Do all items of equipment have identification
2.2 0 1 2 3 4
labels?
Are all rooms, cubicles and similar areas clearly
2.3 0 1 2 3 4
numbered or named?
Are specific areas demarcated for garbage/
2.4 0 1 2 3 4
rejects/ waste, etc.?
Are switches, fan regulators, controls, etc.
2.5 0 1 2 3 4
labeled?
Are all cables, wires, pipes etc. neat and
2.6 0 1 2 3 4
straight?
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Is colour coding used effectively for easy

2.7 0 1 2 3 4
identification?
2.8 Is there a general appearance of orderliness? 0 1 2 3 4
Is it easy to find any item/document without
2.9 0 1 2 3 4
delay?
3.0 SHINE-SEISO
Are cleaning schedules available and
3.1 0 1 2 3 4
displayed?
Are floors, walls, windows doors etc.
3.2 0 1 2 3 4
maintained at a high level of cleanliness?
3.3 Is use of adequate cleaning tools evident? 0 1 2 3 4
Are machines, equipment, tools, furniture
3.4 maintained at a high level of cleanliness and 0 1 2 3 4
their maintenance schedules displayed?
Is there a general appearance of cleanliness
3.5 0 1 2 3 4
all round?
4.0 STANDARDIZE - SEIKETSU
4.1 Are all 5S procedures standardized? 0 1 2 3 4
Are standard check lists used to regularly
4.2 0 1 2 3 4
inspect 5S?
4.3 Are labels, notices etc. standardized? 0 1 2 3 4
Do isles/gangways have a standard size and
4.4 0 1 2 3 4
colour?
4.5 Are pipes, cables etc. colour coded? 0 1 2 3 4
5.0 SUSTAIN - SHITSUKE
Is there a system for how and when the 5S
5.1 0 1 2 3 4
activities will be implemented?
Does management provide support to 5S
5.2 programme by recognition, resources and 0 1 2 3 4
leadership?
5.3 Have first 3S become a part of the daily work? 0 1 2 3 4
Do employees show positive interest in 5S
5.4 0 1 2 3 4
activities?
Are 5S posters and 5S points of work reminders
5.5 0 1 2 3 4
displayed?
TOTAL SCORE
• INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE OF EQUIPMENT: a good inspection and
maintenance program will not only help controlling hazards but can also
improve operation efficiency.
When operating an equipment, we must at all times consider the proper

operations of heavy plant and equipment. Here are precautionary safety
measures that we need to bear in mind while operating heavy equipment.
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General Precautionary Measures:
▪ Operator must be competent – TESDA trained or an accredited body

of DOLE; if required to drive – a valid driving license with appropriate
number of rated capacity of the equipment.
▪ Operating manual must be available at the cab or at maintenance

area for review when necessary.
▪ Heavy Equipment must be inspected by a 3rd party (DOLE accredited)

Inspector to verify operation’s worthiness.
▪ A pre-use inspection must be completed prior to heavy equipment

operation.
▪ Suitable PPE requirements must be provided and use by operators and

spotter.
▪ Spotter must be use during backing of equipment and/ or as necessary.

Spotter must attend Spotter training prior to accepting his roles.
▪ Load must be check and confirm equipment rated capacity prior to

any lifting operations. DO NOT use equipment over its rated capacity.
▪ Any damage or defects identified on the equipment must be reported

and equipment must immediate be put out of service.
▪ HIRAC must be completed by everyone involved in heavy equipment

operations.
Precautions when Using Conveyors:
• Use only conveyors if you are trained and authorized to do so and;
• Go around not over or

under a conveyor.
• Keep body parts & clothing

away from moving parts.
Never wear loose clothing or
long hair.
• Watch out for materials that

could fall from belts or rollers.
• Know where emergency

stop switches are located.
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• Never let anyone ride on a materials-handling conveyor.
Precautions when using Cranes
• Only operate cranes if you

are trained and authorized
to do so
• Always check the crane's

load chart to ensure that
the crane will not be
overloaded by operating
conditions.
• Plan lifts before starting.
• Take additional precautions

and exercise extra care
when operating around
power lines.
• Attach loads to the load hook by slings, fixtures, and other devices that
have the capacity to support the load on the hook.
• Pad sharp edges of loads to prevent cutting slings.
• Keep suspended loads clear of all obstructions.
• Remain clear of loads about to be lifted and suspended.
• Cranes should be inspected frequently by competent persons.
• Precautions when using slings:
• Slings must be inspected by competent person before use
• Remove immediately damaged or defective slings from service.
• Do not shorten slings with knots or bolts or other makeshift devices.
• Do not kink slings’ legs.
• Do not load slings beyond their rated capacity.
• Avoid sudden crane acceleration and deceleration when moving

suspended loads.
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Precautions when Using Forklift
• Only operate forklift if you are

trained and authorized to do so
• Inspect the forklift daily and

have any problems fixed before
you use it.
• Refuel or recharge only in

designated areas
• Keep loads low, balanced and

centered, with the mast tilted
slightly back
• Travel with the load uphill on inclines
• Drive in reverse if the load blocks your vision except on grades and Slow
down for turns and on wet or slippery floor surfaces.
• When operating a forklift DON’T:
▪ Carry passengers or lift people and Load beyond rated capacity
▪ Carry load so high that it can cause the forklift to tip over
▪ Raise or lower loads while you are moving
▪ Travel with forks raised when unloaded and Don’t over speed
• EDUCATION OF SUPERVISORS; Supervisors should be knowledgeable and

well informed about hazardous processes, operations and materials for
which they are responsible.
• INFORMATION AND TRAINING: Worker must be trained about hazards and

operating procedures Information can be given to workers through
manuals, posters, signages, safety handbook and other means of
communication.
• EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES: workers must be trained on how to

respond to emergencies
Preventive Controls to Minimized the Risk of Fire at Work:
▪ Eliminate or reduce flammable and combustible materials
▪ Proper storage of combustible and flammable materials
▪ Correct selection and maintenance of electrical equipment
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▪ Controls of hot work, such as welding
▪ Restrictions on smoking
▪ Good housekeeping
▪ Provide firefighting equipment
▪ Emergency response plan
How to Extinguish the Fire
▪ Cooling: reducing the ignition temperature by taking the heat out of the
fire – using water to limit or reduce the temperature
▪ Smothering: limiting the oxygen available by smothering and preventing

the mixture of oxygen and flammable vapor – by the use of foam or a
fire blanket
▪ Starving: limiting the fuel supply – by removing the source of fuel by

switching off electrical power, isolating the flow of flammable liquids or
removing wood and textiles, etc.
▪ Chemical reactions: by interrupting the chain of combustion – using

Halon extinguishers
Basic Principles of Fire Prevention, Suppression and Control
• Fire Avoidance – reducing the possibility of accidental ignition of

construction materials as well as fittings and fixtures
How to Do it?
o Keeping separate heat sources and materials which might ignite

readily through planning and zoning.
Fire zoning example
a. Life Risk Area – areas in which all occupants are ambulant able to
move unaided away from the fire. (i.e., service area, office)
b. High Fire Risk Area – areas which due to their function are more
usually susceptible to an outbreak of fire or to a rapid spread of fire
or smoke (i.e., Kitchen, boiler room)
c. High Fire Load Areas – areas which because of their construction

or content, contain large amount of combustible materials, thereby
constituting a fire load in excess of that normally found (i.e.,
chemical storage area, gas storage area)
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d. High Life Risk Area – areas in which persons may reside and are able
to move unaided away from a fire. (i.e., intensive care unit,
operating department)
o Need to specify materials to reduce the risk of fire starting – from a

high fire resistance to low fire resistance.
o Reducing fire load – the amount of materials is able to burn and

release heat and smoke
• Fire Detection
o Visual Fire Detection – provide peepholes on doors for fire prone areas
o Mechanical Fire Detection – make use of manual or automatic

(electric or electronic) methods of informing the occupants in charge
that the fire has occurred at given location.
a. Fire alarm
b. Smoke Detection
c. Heat Detection
d. Flame Detector
• Fire Growth Restriction – aimed at ensuring that the growing fire is

extinguished immediately and at providing adequate time for firemen
to arrive, control the fire and evacuate the occupants.
o Manual Means of Restricting Fire growth
a. Fire Extinguisher
b. Water Supply
c. Fire Blanket
d. Bucket of Sand
o Mechanical Means of Restricting Fire growth
a. Sprinklers
b. O2 suppression
• Fire Containment – assumes that measures to control a growing fire may

not be successful, hence its maximum size needs to be restricted both to
reduce the risk and allow effective firefighting. This implies:
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o Fire cladding of structural components to ensure stability of structural

frames
o The use of fire rated walls and slabs to contain fire in rooms, sub
compartment so as to segregate area where fire may occur.
o Others – plugging holes, extending CHB up to slabs, creeping exterior

walls into the floor above through windows
o Concept of Fire Compartmentation - This is containing fire prone area

by means of fire resistive enclosures. The objective of this is to limit the
fire and smoke spread, allow longer escape time and reduced the
potential size of fire. The more combustible the content of the building,
the smaller the compartment should be. Joints must be filled with non-
combustible materials to prevent spread of smoke or flames.
o Fire Rating of construction System – fire doors; use of materials with

high fire resistance
o Load bearing capacity, integrity, and insulation
a. Load bearing capacity – ability to carry load without collapsing
b. Integrity – ability to resist the development of crack or perforations

so as not to allow passage of smoke and flame
c. Insulation – ability to prevent heat transfer from one face to other

face.
• Fire Control – covers those devices and systems which firefighters in

actively extinguishing the fire and bringing it to an end earlier than a free
burning fire.
o Fire apparatus should have unobstructed access to building
o Bollards and fences use for traffic control must allow for sufficient open
road width for fire truck
o Prevent time consuming hazardous back-ups at dead ends by using T

turns and cul-de-sac 30m dead ends
o Place hydrant at max. 3 meters from curb. Siamese connection to

standpipe must be visible and within 60m
o Utility poles, kiosk, sculpture, fountain, plant box can impede fire
rescue operations
o Hydrant must be unobstructed; fire hose connection should be at least

0.3m above grade
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o Fire Trucks aerial apparatus specifications must be considered and will

dependent on the height of the establishment
o Concept of Firefighting Shaft
a. provide access to the building especially in high rise buildings for

fire brigades
b. is fully equipped with firefighting equipment service elevator, stairs

and lobby
c. provides a sufficiently secure operating base and a rest area

between firefighting operations.
• Smoke Control – measures which can assist to some extent occupants in

the fire zone but are particularly needed for others in adjacent areas or
compartment.
o Smoke Containment/ Barrier – technique of restricting the movement

of smoke by the provisions of fire resisting elements
o Smoke dispersal – technique of clearing smoke locally by provisions of

natural cross ventilation or mechanical venting
o Pressurization – technique whereby air is blown into space which are

designed to be kept clear of smoke. Uses barrier including walls, floors
and doors to contain pressurized air generated by mechanical means
to keep smoke from protected areas such as escape staircases and
corridors
• Escape Provisions - cover a range of passive or active systems which

permits the occupants to move or be moved to a place of safety within
or to the outside of a building.
o Corridor system
a. direct, not tortuous,
b. simple layout,
c. no barrier, cul-de-sac, bottleneck
d. door open out, not in
e. easily detectible, not hidden from view
o Fire Escape
a. Fire escape stairs designed to be used daily for familiarity of

escape route
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b. Well maintained (not use as storage of junks, passageways not

obstructed)
o Escape Route
a. Must be protected from the effect of smoke and fire for an

acceptable time period usually a minimum of 60 minutes.
b. Must lead to a place of safety and once inside the occupants are
safe from immediate danger from fire and smoke.
c. Use smoke control system to keep smoke out of escape route.
d. Use compartmentation
o Alternative means of escape
a. Doors should be as far as possible from each other; preferably on

opposite walls
b. Both doors should not open into the same compartment.
o Design of Fire Resisting Doors
c. Must be in accordance with the Fire Code of the Philippines

requirements or approved design by ASME Code.
Primary Consideration in the Design for Fire Safety of Workplace
o The nature and design of business, and the capacity of the

establishment to provide such fire safety design.
o Available fire safety equipment and devices and competency of

workers to use such devices.
o Familiarity of ERT Members to their respective Roles and Duties in times

of emergency and their readiness to take necessary action when
called for.
FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT
Equipment such as extinguishers, hoses, fire blankets, etc. is an important

“first line of defense” measure for fighting a fire. Such equipment is
designed for relatively small fires and should only be operated by people
who are trained and when it is safe to do so
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Requirements for fire extinguishers
o Should be selected for the specific classes of fire and should be properly
marked to indicate the suitability of the extinguishers for class of fires, and
its proper use.
o Should be maintained in fully charged and operable condition and kept

in their designated places at all time when not in use.
o Should be installed on hangers or brackets, (except wheeled type),

conspicuously located in unobstructed areas readily accessible in the
event of fire.
o Should be inspected monthly or at more frequent intervals to determine

if they are in good operable condition
o Should be thoroughly examined, recharged and repaired at least once

a year.
o Should be hydrostatically tested at least once in every 5 years.
o Should have a durable tag attached to show the maintenance and re-
charge records.
Fire Hose – is a flexible material use to convey water under pressure from
the source of water to the scene of fire.
Means of escape:
In the event of a fire occurring, people must be able to escape to a “place

of safety”. Arrangements will depend on the type of premises.
Requirements for emergency exits:
o At least two exits should be provided in every floor
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o Must be safe, continuous, and unobstructed
o Must be able to accommodate total occupants of the building
o Provided with proper means of illuminations
o Should be properly marked to make the direction of egress clear
o Provided with self-closing fire doors, and easily opened towards the line
of travel.
Alarm system
o All buildings having two or more stories in height should be equipped

with fore alarm system
o Hand operated sending stations of fire alarm boxes should be provided

on every floor.
o Fire alarm stations should be visible, readily accessible and in the natural
path of escape from fire
Fire Drills
o Fire drills test that fire evacuation procedure work effectively and that
people know what to do in the event of a fire.
o Each place of employment depending on the magnitudes of potential

fire and the availability of assistance from the public fire department
should organize a fire brigade to deal with fires and other related
emergencies.
o Fire-exit drills should be conducted at least twice a year to maintain an

orderly evacuation of buildings unless the local fire department requires
a higher frequency of fire drills.
STEP 6: USE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

Provide suitable and properly maintained PPE and ensure employees are
trained in its proper use. Examples include gloves, earplugs, face masks, hard
hats, gloves, aprons and protective eyewear. PPE limits exposure to harmful
effects of a hazard but only if workers wear and use the PPE correctly.
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Employer should develop a PPE program including the following:
• Selection of PPE
• Instruction and training about proper use and limitations of PPE
• Regular inspection of PPE
• Proper supervision: to ensure PPE is correctly used
• Maintenance including cleaning and disinfecting
• Storage
• Replacement and disposal of PPE
When selecting and using PPE, the following must be considered:
• The hazards
• Duration of exposure
• Quality of PPE
• Suitability to the user and Compatibility with other PPE
Limitations of PPE:
• PPE does not remove the hazard, only minimize the impact on the
individual
• Only protect the individual
• If PPE is defective, the wearer may be exposed to the hazard without

knowledge of it.
Therefore, PPE should be used as a last resort.
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Head protection
Example of potential head injuries:
• Object falling from above and striking
workers on the head;
• Bumping heads against fixed objects,
such as exposed pipes or beams; or
• Accidental head contact with electrical
hazards.
Requirements for head protection:
• Made of non-combustible or slow burning materials, and non-conductor of

electricity when used in electrical environment
• Should not weight more than 0.45kg. (16 onces)
• Should have a brim all around to provide protection for the head, face and
back of the neck
• Cradle and sweatband of hard hats shall be detachable and replaceable
• Should be made of water-proof materials for work in excessive moisture.
Types of hard hats:
• Class A hard hats provide impact and penetration resistance along with
limited voltage protection (up to 2,200 volts).
• Class B hard hats provide the highest level of protection against electrical
hazards, with high-voltage shock and burn protection (up to 20,000 volts).
They also provide protection from impact and penetration hazards by
flying/falling objects.
• Class C hard hats provide lightweight comfort and impact protection but
offer no protection from electrical hazards.
Another class of protective headgear on the market is called a “bump hat,”

designed for use in areas with low head clearance. They are recommended
for areas where protection is needed from head bumps and lacerations. These
are not designed to protect against falling or flying objects.
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Hair protection
All persons with long hair employed around machinery should completely
cover their hair with well-fitting caps. Caps should be made of materials not
easily flammable and sufficiently durable to withstand regular laundering,
disinfecting, and cleaning.
Eye and face Protection
Examples of potential eye or face injuries:
• Dust, dirt, metal or wood chips entering the eye from activities such as
chipping, grinding, sawing, hammering, the use of power tools or even
strong wind forces.
• Chemical splashes from corrosive substances, hot liquids, solvents or other

hazardous solutions.
• Objects swinging into the eye or face, such as tree limbs, chains, tools or
ropes.
• Radiant energy from welding, harmful rays from the use of lasers or other
radiant light (as well as heat, glare, sparks, splash and flying particles).
Requirements for eye and face protection:
• Provide adequate protection against the particular hazard for which they
are designed or intended
• Be reasonably comfortable to use
• Fit snugly and not interfere with the movements of the user
• Be durable, easily cleaned and capable of being disinfected
• Be kept clean and in good condition
Types of Eye Protection
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• Safety spectacles: with safety frames constructed of metal or plastic and

impact-resistant lenses. Side shields are available on some models.
• Goggles: tight-fitting eye protection that completely cover the eyes, eye
sockets and the facial area immediately surrounding the eyes and provide
protection from impact, dust and splashes. Some goggles will fit over
corrective lenses.
• Welding shields: Constructed of vulcanized fiber or fiberglass and fitted

with a filtered lens, protect eyes from burns caused by infrared or intense
radiant light; they also protect both the eyes and face from flying sparks,
metal spatter and slag chips produced during welding, brazing, soldering
and cutting operations.
• Face shields: transparent sheets of plastic extending from the eyebrows to

below the chin and across the entire width of the employee’s head. Some
are polarized for glare protection. Face shields protect against nuisance
dusts and potential splashes or sprays of hazardous liquids but will not
provide adequate protection against impact hazards. Face shields used in
combination with goggles or safety spectacles will provide additional
protection against impact hazards.
Hearing Protection
Hearing protectors reduce only the amount of noise that gets through to the
ears. The amount of this reduction is referred to as attenuation, which differs
according to the type of hearing protection used and how well it fits.
Type of hearing protection:
• Earplugs: made of waxed cotton, foam, silicone rubber or fiberglass wool.

They are self-forming and, when properly inserted, they work as well as most
molded earplugs. Can be disposable or reusable (Reusable plugs should
be cleaned after each use.)
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• Earmuffs require a perfect seal around the ear. Glasses, facial hair, long hair
or facial movements such as chewing may reduce the protective value of
earmuffs.
Respiratory Protective Equipment:
Employers should develop a respiratory protective program including the

following :
• Proper selection of respirators
• Standard procedure for the use of respirators
• Instruction and training in the proper use and the limitations of respirators
• Inspection of respirators for defects (including leak check)
• Regular cleaning and disinfecting of respirators
• Repair and storage of respirators
Type of respiratory protective equipment
• Filtering half mask: disposable respirator removes respirable size dust

particles. Covers nose and mouth and provide protection against some
vapors and gases.
• Half mask respirator made of rubber or plastic, it covers the nose and
mouth. Air is drawn through a replaceable filter cartridge. Used for vapor,
gases or dusts.
• Full face mask respirator: similar to half mask but covers the eyes.
• Powered respirator: battery-operated fan delivers air through a filter to the

mask.
• Self-contained breathing apparatus: air is supplied from a compressed air

cylinder
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• Fresh air hose apparatus: fresh air is delivered through a hose to a sealed
facemask from an uncontaminated source. Air is delivered by wearer, by
natural breathing or mechanically by fan.
• Compressed air line apparatus: air is delivered through a hose from a

compressed air line. Can be continuous flow or on demand.
Foot Protection:
Examples of situations in which an employee should wear foot and/or leg

protection :
• When heavy objects such as barrels or tools might roll onto or fall on the
employee’s feet;
• Working with sharp objects such as nails or spikes that could pierce the soles
or uppers of ordinary shoes;
• Exposure to hot substances, or corrosive or poisonous materials
• Working on or around hot, wet or slippery surfaces; and
• Working when electrical hazards are present.
Requirement for safety shoes
• Safety shoes have impact-resistant toes and heat-resistant soles that

protect the feet against hot work surfaces common in roofing, paving and
hot metal industries.
• The metal insoles of some safety shoes protect against puncture wounds.
• Safety shoes may also be designed to be electrically conductive to

prevent the buildup of static electricity in areas with the potential for
explosive atmospheres or nonconductive to protect employees from
workplace electrical hazards.
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Hand and Arm Protection
When selecting protective gloves for a workplace, consider the following:
• Type of chemicals handled.
• Nature of contact (total immersion,

splash, etc.).
• Duration of contact.
• Area requiring protection (hand only,

forearm, arm).
• Grip requirements (dry, wet, oily).
• Thermal protection.
• Size and comfort.
• Abrasion/resistance requirements.
Type of gloves:
• Gloves made of leather, canvas or metal mesh: provides protection

against cuts and burns
• Fabric and coated fabric gloves: protect against dirt, slivers, chafing and
abrasions
• Chemical- and liquid-resistant gloves: for chemicals
• Insulating rubber gloves: protection against electricity
Sources:
• CCOHS- Canadian Centre for Occupational Safety and Health OHS Answers Fact sheets: Workplace
housekeeping - Basic Guide
• http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/house.html
• 5S: good housekeeping techniques for enhancing productivity, quality, and safety at the workplace. Export
Quality Bulletin No 89/2012
• http://www.intracen.org/uploadedFiles/intracenorg/Content/Exporters/Exporting_Better/Quality_Manage
ment
• RA 9514 The Fire Code of the Philippines Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations – revised 2019
• http://bfp.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/RA9514-RIRR-rev-2019.pdf
• Rule 1080 Personal Protective Equipment and Devices, OSH Standards
• https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3151.pdf
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Personal Protective Equipment OSHA 3151
• https://www.osha.gov/Publications/3120.html
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Control of Hazardous Energy Lockout/Tagout OSHA
3120 (2002 Revised)
• https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA2236/osha2236.html
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Materials Handling and Storage
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JOB HAZARDS ANALYSIS
DEFINITION.
Hazard: is anything that has the potential to cause harm, such as fire,
electricity, and noise.
Job Hazards Analysis (JHA): a technique that focuses on job tasks as a way to
identify hazards before they occur. It focuses on the relationship between the
worker, the task, the tools, and the work environment.
IMPORTANCE OF JHA:
The finding of the JHA can help eliminate and prevent hazards in the
workplace. This will likely result in:
• Fewer worker injuries and illnesses.
• Safer, more effective work methods;
• reduced workers’ compensation costs;
• Increased worker productivity.
The analysis also can be a valuable tool for training new employees in the steps
required to perform their jobs safely.
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TYPES OF ACTIVITIES REQUIRING A JHA:
Job hazard analysis should be conducted for all activities in the workplace.
Priority should be given to the following types of activities
• Jobs with the highest injury or illness rates.
• Activities with the potential to cause severe or disabling injuries or illness,

even if there is no history of previous accidents.
• Activities in which one simple human error could lead to a severe accident
or injury.
• Activities that are new to your operation or have undergone changes in

processes and procedures.
• Activities complex enough to require written instructions.
JHA TEAM
• Supervisor
• Employee most familiar with the job
• Other employees who perform the job
• Experts or specialists (maintenance personnel, occupational hygienists,

ergonomists or engineers)
• Safety Officer
JOB HAZARD ANALYSIS STEPS
Identify basic steps of a job
Nearly every job can be broken down into job tasks or steps.
• watch the employee perform the job and
• list each step as the worker takes it.
• record enough information to describe each job action without getting

overly detailed.
• get input from other workers who have performed the same job.
• Later, review the job steps with the employee to make sure you have not
omitted something.
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• Taking pictures and video , can help sometimes when doing a more
detailed analysis of the work
Identify associated hazards
Identify all of the existing or potential actions or conditions that could lead to
an injury or illness, or harm to the environment. To identify hazards, ask the
following question:
• What can go wrong?
• What are the consequences?
• How could it arise?
• What are other contributing factors?
• How likely is it that the hazard will occur?
Make recommendations to control the hazards: Hierarchy of Control.
The system used in safety to control hazard is called the Hierarchy of controls
• Elimination: the best way to control the hazard is to eliminate it and remove
the danger.
E.g.: having workers perform tasks at ground level rather than working at
heights
• Substitution: reducing the potential for the hazard to cause harm.
E.g.: Using a less toxic chemical
• Engineering Control: keep the hazards from reaching workers.
E.g.: Using machine guards around rotating part of a machine
• Administrative Control: changes in workplace policies and procedures,

includes training, signages, job rotation…
E.g.: workers could be rotated in and out of a hot area rather than having
to spend eight hours per day in the heat
• PPE: controlling hazards by placing protective equipment directly on

workers' bodies.
E.g.: respirators, gloves, protective clothing, hard hats, goggles, and ear
plugs.
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Review of JHA
Reviewing job hazards analysis ensures that it remains current and continues to
help reduce workplace accidents and injuries.
• Periodically even if the job has not changed
• If there are changes on the job
• if an illness or injury occurs on a specific job. Based on the circumstances,

you may determine that you need to change the job procedure to prevent
similar incidents in the future.
SOURCE:
https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3071.pdf
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Job Hazard Analysis OSHA 3017 (2002 Revised)
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WORKSHOP 05: DEVELOPMENT OF CONTROL MEASURES

This is an hour (1) activity.
Based on what you have learned in Module 2.6 and 2.7 for Control Measures
of Health and Safety Hazards, please complete the third part of your risk
assessment form.
This workshop is intended only for the last part of the Risk Assessment which is
the Control Measures so please focus on completing the 3. RISK CONTROL
section of your template.
activity.

TEMPLATE.
You may refer to Module 2.6 and 2.7 Hierarchy of Control to help you in
completing this activity .

Remember: This exercise aims to help you get familiarized with the different
control measures to prevent or minimized the hazards found at your
workplace, so any questions regarding the topic is always welcome.
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MODULE 3: ACCIDENT
CAUSATION: RISKY WORKPLACE
AND RISKY WORKERS – ACCIDENT
INVESTIGATION
GENERAL OBJECTIVES:
• Discuss the importance of accident investigation.
• Enumerate the types of accidents to be reported.
• Explain the basic procedure in the conduct of accident investigation.
• Know how to document an accident investigation.
• Accomplish the Work Accident/Illness Report (WAIR) and Annual

Accident/ Illness Exposure Data Reports (AEDR) based on cases given
• Compute sample Severity Rate (SR) and Frequency Rate (FR)
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ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
Thousands of accidents occur almost every day. The failure of people,
equipment, supplies, or surroundings to behave or react as expected causes
most of the accidents. Accident investigations determine how and why these
failures occur. By using the information gained through an investigation, a
similar or perhaps more disastrous accident may be prevented. Conduct
accident investigations with accident prevention in mind. Investigations are
NOT to place blame.
An accident is any unplanned event that results in personal injury or in property

damage. When the personal injury requires little or no treatment, it is minor. If it
results in a fatality or in a permanent total, permanent partial, or temporary
total (lost time) disability, it is serious. Similarly, property damage may be minor
or serious. Investigate all accidents regardless of the extent of injury or
damage.
Accidents are part of a broad group of events that adversely affect the
completion of a task. These events are incidents. For simplicity, the procedures
discussed in later sections refer only to accidents. They are, however, also
applicable to incidents.
ACCIDENT PREVENTION
Accidents are usually complex. An accident may have 10 or more events that
can be causes. A detailed analysis of an accident will normally reveal three
cause levels: basic, indirect, and direct. At the lowest level, an accident results
only when a person or object receives an amount of energy or hazardous
material that cannot be absorbed safely. This energy or hazardous material is
the DIRECT CAUSE of the accident. The direct cause is usually the result of one
or more unsafe acts or unsafe conditions, or both. Unsafe acts and conditions
are the INDIRECT CAUSES or symptoms. In turn, indirect causes are usually
traceable to poor management policies and decisions, or to personal or
environmental factors. These are the BASIC CAUSES.
Despite their complexity, most accidents are preventable by eliminating one

or more causes. Accident investigations determine not only what happened,
but also how and why. The information gained from these investigations can
prevent recurrence of similar or perhaps more disastrous accidents. Accident
investigators are interested in each event as well as in the sequence of events
that led to an accident. The accident type is also important to the investigator.
The recurrence of accidents of a type or those with common causes shows
areas needing special accident prevention emphasis.
THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
Safety means accident prevention. An accident is an unplanned event due

to the failure of people, equipment, supplies or surroundings. Accident
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investigation can help determine how and why the failure occurred. What is
learned from an accident investigation can help prevent future or even worse
scenarios. Training employees how to help with accident investigation will help
the overall safety of an operation.
WHY ACCIDENT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED
Prevention is a key reason to accident investigation, which leads to

heightened safety. Investigating accidents should have an emphasis on
determining the cause. Finding fault is not as beneficial as finding facts that
can lead to actions. This mentality will help illuminate prevention for the future.
Reasons to investigate an accident:
• Most importantly, determining the cause to prevent similar accidents in the

future
• Fulfill any legal requirements
• Figure out the cost of an accident
• Determine compliance with applicable safety regulations
• Process workers’ compensation claims
When investigating accident, the emphasis should be concentrated on finding

the root cause of the accident in order to prevent the event from happening
again. The purpose is to find facts that can lead to corrective actions, not to
find fault.
WHO SHOULD INVESTIGATE AN ACCIDENT
Ideally, an investigation would be conducted by someone or a group of

people who are experienced in accident investigation techniques,
knowledgeable in legal or organizational requirements and knowledgeable in
the work processes, procedures for that particular situation.
Members of the investigation team can include:
• employees with knowledge of the work
• supervisor of the area or work
• safety officer
• health and safety committee
• union representative, if applicable
• employees with experience in investigations
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• "outside" experts
• representative from local government or police
STEPS IN CONDUCTING ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

Steps in accident investigation
• Report the incident occurrence to a designated person within the

organization.
• Provide first aid and medical care to injured person(s) and prevent further
injuries or damage.
• Secure the scene; make sure it is safe for investigators to do their job.
• Investigate the incident, collect data, and interview witnesses.
• Analyze the data, and identify the root causes.
• Report the findings and recommendations.
• Develop a plan for corrective action.
• Implement the plan.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the corrective action.
Data to be collected during an investigation
• Physical evidence: Sketches and photograph, broken equipment, debris,

and samples of materials involved, safety devices used…
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• Documents: safety data sheets, equipment manuals, health and safety

committee minutes, inspection reports, company policies, maintenance
reports, past incident reports, safe-work procedures, and training reports.
• Witness accounts: witnesses are those who were present during the event,
those who heard what happened or saw the area prior to the event, or
others with info about involved individuals, equipment, or circumstances.
Because witnesses may be under severe emotional stress or afraid to be

completely open for fear of recrimination, investigator should have knowledge
in proper techniques in interviewing witnesses.
Interviewing witnesses:
• put the witness, at ease
• emphasize the real reason for the investigation, to determine what

happened and why
• Ask open-ended questions that cannot be answered by simply "yes" or "no"
• let the witness talk, listen
• Get written statements
• close on a positive note
What to consider during the investigation:
• Task,
• Materials and Machines,
• Environment,
• People, and
• Management
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Environment: Personnel:
▪ Weather conditions ▪ Experience
▪ Housekeeping ▪ Training
▪ Temperature ▪ Health condition
▪ Noise ▪ Physical fitness
▪ Lighting ▪ Stress
Management:
▪ Safety rules and procedures
▪ Communication
▪ Supervision
▪ Equipment Maintenance
program
Recommendation:
One of the most important steps in an investigation is to come up with a set of

well-considered recommendations designed to prevent recurrences of similar
incidents.
Recommendations should:
• be specific
• be constructive
• identify root causes
• identify contributing factors
INVESTIGATION REPORT
Investigation report should include all relevant details, including photographs

and diagrams. It should be identified clearly where evidence is based on
certain facts, witness accounts, or on the team’s assumptions.
Findings and recommendations must be communicated with workers,

supervisors and management. Information should be presented 'in context' so
everyone understands how the incident occurred and the actions needed to
put in place to prevent it from happening again
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WHAT TYPE OF ACCIDENT TO BE REPORTED

As required by Rule 1050 Notification and Keeping of Records of Accident and
or Occupational Illness the following need to be reported to the Department
of Labor and Employment Office.
• All work accidents or occupational illnesses in places of employment,

resulting in disabling condition or dangerous occurrence as defined in
1053.2 shall be reported by the employer to the Regional Labor Office or
duly authorized representative in duplicate and a copy furnished the
employee or his duly authorized representative using form DOLE/BWC/HSD-
IP-6. The formal report shall be submitted by the employer on or before the
20th day of the month following the date of occurrence of the accident or
when the illness, is established and an investigation report in the prescribed
form shall be submitted by the Regional Office or duly authorized
representative on or before the 30th day of the same month. In case of
temporary total disability where the injured or ill employee has not reported
back to duty on the closing date of reporting, an estimate of the probable
days of disability shall be made and entered in the report and corrected
after the return of the injured. In all computations, this estimate shall be
used. After the return of the injured, the corrected days of absence shall
be used.
• Where the accident or fitness results in death or permanent total disability,

the employer, in addition to the written report required under sub-
paragraph (1) above, shall initially notify the Regional Labor Office or duly
authorized representative within twenty four (24) hours after occurrence
using the fastest available means of communication.
• All deaths and permanent total disabilities shall be investigated by the

Regional Office or duly authorized representative within forty eight (48)
hours after receipt of the initial report of the employer, prepared in
duplicate using the prescribed form DOLE/ BWC/OHSD-IP-6a.
• Any dangerous occurrence as specified in sub-paragraph (2) hereunder,

which may or may not cause serious bodily harm to workers employed or
seriously damage the premises of employment shall be investigated and
reported by the employer upon occurrence to the Regional Labor Office
or duly authorized representative having jurisdiction in duplicate using the
prescribed form DOLE/BWC/HSD-IP-6.
• The following are dangerous occurrences, which shall be investigated and

reported:
▪ Explosion of boilers used for heating or power.
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▪ Explosion of a receiver or storage container, with pressure greater than

atmospheric, of any gas or gases (including air) or any liquid resulting
from the compression of such gases or liquid.
▪ Bursting of a revolving wheel, grinder stone or grinding wheel operated

by mechanical power.
▪ Collapse of a crane, derrick, winch, hoist or other appliances used in

raising or lowering persons or goods or any part thereof, the overturning
of a crane, except the breakage of chain or rope sling.
▪ Explosion or fire causing damage to the structure of any room or place

in which persons are employed or to any machine contained therein
resulting in the complete suspension of ordinary work in such room or
place, or stoppage of machinery or plant for not less than twenty four
(24) hours, and
▪ Electrical short circuit or failure of electrical machinery, plant, or

apparatus attended by explosion or fire causing structural damage
thereto and involving its stoppage and misuse for not less than 24 hours.
DOCUMENTATION AND RECORD KEEPING

• The employer shall maintain and keep an accident or illness record which
shall be open at all times for inspection to authorized personnel containing
the following minimum data:
▪ Date of accident or illness;
▪ Name of injured or ill employee, sex and age;
▪ Occupation of injured or ill employee at the time of accident or illness;
▪ Assigned causes of accident or illness;
▪ Extent and nature of disability;
▪ Period of disability (actual and/or charged);
▪ Whether accident involved damaged to materials, equipment or

machinery, kind and extent of damage, including estimated or actual
cost; and
▪ Record of initial notice and/or report to the Regional Labor Office or

authorized representative.
• (2) The employer shall accomplish an Annual Work Accident/Illness

Exposure Data Report in duplicate using the prescribed form
DOLE/BWC/HSD-IP-6b, which shall be submitted to the Bureau copy
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furnished the Regional Labor Office or duly authorized representative

having jurisdiction on or before the 30th day of the month following the end
of each calendar year.
MEASURES INJURY/ILLNESSES EXPERIENCE

• Disabling Injury /Illnesses Frequency Rates -The disabling injury/illness
frequency rate is based upon the total number of deaths, permanent total,
permanent partial, and temporary total disabilities which occur during the
period covered by the rate. The rate relates those injuries/illnesses to the
employee-hours worked during the period and expresses the number of
such injuries/illnesses in terms of a million-man-hour unit by the use of the
formula:
Disabling No. of Disabling Injury/Illness x 1,000,000

Injury/Illness =
Frequency Rate (FR) Employees-hours of exposure
The frequency rate shall be rounded to the nearest two decimal places.
• Disabling Injury / Illness Severity Rate – The disabling injury / illness severity
rate is based on the total of all scheduled charges for all deaths,
permanent total and permanent partial disabilities, plus the total actual
days of the disabilities of all temporary total disabilities which occur during
the period covered by the rate. The rate relates these days to the total
employee-hours worked during the period and expresses the loss in terms
of million man-hour unit by the use of the formula.
total days lost x 1,000,000

Disabling Injury / Illness
=
Severity Rate (SR)
Employees-hours of exposure
The severity rate shall be rounded to the nearest whole number.
• Average Days Charged per Disabling Injury – The average days charged
per disabling injury/illness expresses the relationship between the total days
charged and the number of disabling injuries/Illness.
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The average may be calculated by the use of the formula:
Average days Total Days Lost

charged per Disabling =
injury/ illness total number of disabling injuries/illnesses
or
Average days charge injury severity rate

per Disabling =
injury/illness injury/illness frequency rate
• Death resulting from accident shall be assigned at time charge of 6,000

days.
• Where an employee suffers from both permanent partial disability and a

temporary total disability in one accident, the greater days lost shall be
used and shall determine the injury classification.
• The charge for any permanent partial disability other than those identified
in the schedule of time charges shall be a percentage of 6,000 days as
determined by the physician authorized by the employer to treat the injury
or illness.
• The charge for a temporary total disability shall be the total number of
calendar days of disability resulting from the injury or fitness
• Permanent Partial disability either traumatic or surgical, resulting from work

accident shall be assigned the time charge as provided in Table 6 on Time
Charges. These charges shall be used whether the actual number of days
lost is greater or less than the scheduled charges or even if no actual days
are lost at all.
Source:
http://www.bwc.dole.gov.ph/images/Downloads/OSH-Standards-Amended-1989.pdf
https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1960/1960.29
https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/investig.html
Canadian Centre for Occupational Safety and Health (CCOSH) Incident Investigation
196 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

WORKSHOP 06: ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

WORK AT HEIGHT FATALITY CASE STUDY
At 12 in the afternoon on 5th day of December 2019 Nurse Maria Smith received
a phone call from the ABC Construction Site requesting an ambulance back-
up. Over the phone the Supervisor reported that a newly hired timekeeper fell
from 10m height scaffold.
Nurse Maria Smith and other ERT member rushed at the worksite and seen John
Doe unconsciously lying with his back on top of scaffold materials with his
hardhat next to him and without a safety harness.
John Doe, 21 years old, Filipino and an expectant father, from Longfield
Batangas City was hired as a timekeeper by ABC a month before his accident.
He was declared dead on arrival by Holy Hospital. As per Holy Hospital the
cause of John Doe death is due to severe trauma of internal organ and
excessive bleeding suffers from a multiple injury at the back and head.
During Nurse Smith investigation of the incident, she found out that John Doe
has not undergone any Safety Orientation yet as the previous Safety Officer
resigned from the job. Peter Nohaw who is the Site Engineer of the company
was recently appointed as Safety Officer has not gone to any Safety Training
for Safety Officer. He was informed that John Doe started his work last month
and HR is asking him to schedule a Safety Orientation for him. Peter Nohaw
instructed HR to send John Doe to meet him at site for his orientation.
The Supervisor mentioned to Nurse Smith that as he seen John at site he

instructed John Doe 10 minutes before lunch break to do a bit of housekeeping
at scaffold area as Mr. Neverto Doitagain, the ABC Manager will be visiting the
site to check the construction progress. Supervisor is not aware that John Doe
is new at site and not work in scaffold. After instructing John Doe what to do at
site, Supervisor left the area leaving John Doe unsupervised. John Doe wanting
to impress the Supervisor climb the 10m scaffold without the safety harness.
Scaffold that is under construction was not tagged and barricaded and there
is no barrier or safety gate installed at openings.
Under ABC policy, all activity prior to proceed must have a Risk Assessment,
Scaffold must be inspected and tagged prior to use and a safety harness must
be worn prior to working at height which John Doe are not familiar with.
During working at scaffold John Doe noticed an opening at the scaffold. Since
he was in a hurry to finish the work at lunch time, he ignored the opening. John
Doe was focused in doing his work with his back on the opening. As he stepped
back his foot that taken a back, stepped on the opening causing him to lose
his balance and fell through the scaffold, landed himself with his back on the
pile of scaffold fitting on the ground.
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A worker passing by witnessed his fall and immediately went to John’s rescue.
The witness immediately called his Supervisor and reported the accident.
As per Safety record the company has a total of 150 employees working on 2
shifts with 10 hours a day and 6 days a week working schedule. For the past
months ABC able to maintain their safe hours without any recordable or lost
time accident.
This is an hour and a half (1.5) activity
On the first part of the Workshop, we will be using the Appendices – Workers
Accident/ Illness Report (IP-6) on this activity.
Using the above case study, fill in the required information in Appendices –
Workers Accident/ Illness Report (IP-6).
Facilitator will give you Ten (5) minutes to go over with the case study and 20
minutes to work on your own in filling the form.
Do not worry about your answers… we will discuss about it as we progress.
We encourage you to use a pencil so you may change your answer, as

necessary.
Once the investigation is completed, the group will have 10 minutes discussions
of the form then proceed to the second part of the Workshop which is the FR
and SR computation.
Using the given formula under Module 3, please provide your computation of
SR and FR. You may want to check with your notes as to how the computation
will be completed.
Though we encourage you to do the activity on your own without the aid of
the facilitator, the latter is open to any queries you may have while working on
this activity.
Another 10 minutes will be given for the discussions of SR and FR to verify your
understanding of this matter. Once all satisfied, we will proceed for the 3rd part
of the activity which is getting the Root Cause and Contributing Factor.
On this part, you will be working with the facilitator in using the SCAT chart.
The last part of the workshop will continue on our next Module where we will
be incorporating the use of Risk Assessment in verifying the risk priority on this
case study.
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MODULE 4: INTEGRATING
ACTIVITY – SAFETY INSPECTION
GENERAL OBJECTIVES:
• Discuss the high value of giving attention to occupational safety, health

and environment issues and concerns;
• Identify safety and health hazards in an actual workplace situation; and
• Determine prevention or control measures appropriate to the hazards

identified.
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WORKSHOP 07: SAFETY CASES

This is a three and a half (3.5) hours activity.
Using what we learn so far in the first 3 Modules, facilitator will be either showing
you some video of a real accident happen at site or work through a case
study.
Based on the video/case study, please identify safety and health hazards
you’d noted on the video.
Then conduct a complete HIRAC using the Hazard Identification Template a

full risk assessment using the video that you just watched.
Facilitator will be playing the video twice or will be providing you the copy of
the case study so you get a good grasp of the event and help you in
identifying properly the safety and health hazards..
activity.

TEMPLATE.

Remember: This exercise aims to help you get familiarized with the HIRAC
Template likewise to establish your judgement pertaining to the worksite
hazards. Do not worry about the result of your assessment as there is no wrong
assessment, though we want you to be more keen in judging the situations.
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MODULE 5 – COMMUNICATING
OSH
Communication must be an OSH management priority. Management must be

engaged on communicating with workers on shop floor.
Awareness and worker participation in OSH contribute to a better safety and

health environment. In fact, besides the role of a strong management
(employers) commitment, a high level of workers’ involvement and
participation is also crucial for successfully implementing an OSH programme.
Employers need to consult workers and/ or their representatives and allow

them to take part in discussions on all questions regarding OSH at work. The
actions resulting from such participation may focus, for instance, on adapting
the work to the individual, especially on what regards the design of
workplaces, the choice of work equipment or of working and production
methods. Workers contribution can be immensely helpful on finding solutions,
namely for modifying inadequate working conditions (e.g., monotonous work,
working at a predetermined work-rate) and reducing their effect on health.
To increase an early awareness of OSH it has been suggested that OSH issues
should be integrated into education and communicated to the organizations.
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GENERAL OBJECTIVES:
• Gain an insight on how to better their skills as a trainer in communicating

with their people by providing them basic information on how to
Conduct Safety Training.
• Have a better understanding of the toolbox talk and learn good tips in
respect to its delivery.
• Explain the roles of safety officers in the conduct of OSH trainings;
• Enumerate and discuss the stages of the training cycle;
• Discuss basic presentation and facilitating skills; and
• Prepare a training plan for their company.
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TRAINING OF TRAINERS
The Safety Officer Qualification was discussed in Module 1 under Roles of
Safety Officers. For detailed information please refer to DO 198-18, Section 14
– Safety Officers.
A Competent person is someone who has broad knowledge of worksite safety

and health issues, who is capable of identifying existing and predictable
worksite hazards, and who has management approval to control the hazards.
A Qualified person is someone who, through training and professional

experience, has demonstrated the ability to resolve problems relating to a
specific task or process.
Both skills are required for being a Safety Trainer.
ROLE OF OSH TRAINER
OSH trainers are primarily change agents
Leader Media Specialist
Evaluator Needs Analyst
Group Facilitator Program Administrator
Individual Development Program Designer
Counselor Strategist
Instructional Writer Task Analyst
Instructor Theoretician
Manager of Training and Transfer Agent

Development
Marketer
Instructors should be deemed competent on the basis of:
• previous documented experience in their area of instruction,
• successful completion of a "train-the-trainer" program specific to the topics

they will teach
• Instructors should be required to maintain professional competency by:
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• participating in continuing education or professional development

programs
• by completing successfully an annual refresher course
BASIC SKILLS OF TRAINER
• Trainer criteria shall include subject matter expertise and training delivery
skills:
• Trainers shall have an appropriate level of technical knowledge, skills, or

abilities in the subjects they teach.
• Trainers shall be competent in delivery techniques and methods

appropriate to adult learning.
• Trainers shall maintain their training skills by participating in continuing

education, development programs, or experience related to their subject
matter expertise & delivery skills.
• The trainer shall apply adult learning principles appropriate to the target
audience and the learning objectives.
PRESENTATION MATERIALS AND DELIVERY TECHNIQUES
Teaching Strengths Limitations Objectives

methods achieved
Lecture Presents factual Experts may not Knowledge

material in direct and always be good
logical manner. teachers.
Contains experiences Audience is passive.
which inspire. Learning difficult to
Stimulates thinking to gauge.
open a discussion.For Needs clear
large audiences. introduction and
summary.
Worksheets Allow people to think for Can be used only for Knowledge
and themselves without short period of time. Attitudes/
questionnair being influenced by Handout requires emotions
es others in discussion. preparation time.
Individual thoughts can Requires literacy.
then be shared in small
or large groups.
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Brainstormin Listening exercise that Can become Knowledge

g allows creative thinking unfocused. Attitudes/
for new ideas. Needs to be limited to emotions
Encourages full 10 to 15 minutes.
participation because
all ideas equally
recorded.
planning Can be used to quickly Requires planning and Knowledge

deck catalogue information. creation of multiple
Allows students to learn planning decks.
a procedure by
ordering its component
parts.
Group planning
experience.
Risk Group can createvisual Requires workers from Knowledge

mapping map of hazards, same or similar Skills/ social
controls, and plans for workplace. action
action. May require outside
Useful as follow-up tool. research.
Audio-visual Entertaining way of Too many issues often Knowledge

materials teaching content and presented at one / skills
(films, slide raising issues. time.
shows, etc.) Keeps audience’s Too passive if not
attention. combined with
Effective for large discussion.
groups.
Audio- Develops analytic skills. Discussion may not Social

visuals as Allows for exploration of have full participation. action
triggers solutions. Attitudes/
emotions
Case studies Develops analytic and People may not see Social
as triggers problem-solving skills. relevance to own action
Allows for exploration of situation. Attitudes/
solutions. Cases and tasks for emotions
Allows students to apply small groups must be Skills
new knowledge and clearly defined to be
skills. effective.
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Role playing Introduces problem- People may be too Social

session situation dramatically. self-conscious. action
(trigger) Develops analytic skills. Not appropriate for Attitudes/
Provides opportunity for large groups. emotions
people to assume roles Skills
of others.
Allows for exploration of
solutions.
Report back Allows for large group Can be repetitive if Social

session discussion of role plays, each small group says action skills
case studies, and small the same thing. Information
group exercise. Gives Instructors need to
people a chance to prepare focused
reflect on experience. questions to avoid
repetitiveness.
Prioritizing Ensures participation by Requires a large wall Social

and students. Provides or blackboard for action
planning experience in analyzing posting. Posting Skills
activity and prioritizing activity should
problems. Allows for proceed at a lively
active discussion and pace to be effective.
debate.
Hands-on Provides classroom Requires sufficient Behaviors

practice practice of learned time, appropriate Skills
behavior. physical space, and
equipment.
HOW TO CONDUCT TRAINING
• Thank the audience for coming
• Establish your credibility
• Present the agenda
• Set out any expectations from the audience
• Discuss the schedule for breaks
• Give a time frame for your presentation
• Tell the audience what you hope they will learn
• Do not come across as arrogant and having all the answers.
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• Once you've gained attention, transition
WHAT NEED TO ESTABLISH BEFORE THE TRAINING?
• Voice – loud enough to be heard by the person in last row
• Dress – presentable and comfortable and in accordance to the training

you are giving
• Pace – enough for participants to absorb what you are trying to say
• Attitude – controlled and composed – remember! You are only human
• Position – stand smartly; move around
• Expertise – talked within your subject expertise; learn your presentation
• Control – do not panic!
WHAT NEED TO ESTABLISH DURING THE TRAINING?
• Asking questions
The two basic types of questions trainer use during a presentation:
▪ Open-ended questions/requests - why, how, describe…
▪ Closed-ended questions - is, are, can, were…
• Listening to Questions
▪ Listen to your audience’s questions and comments first before thinking

of your response.
▪ welcome difficult questions
▪ to build rapport, say, "That’s a good question
▪ make direct eye contact with the person
▪ focus on the person when they are asking the question
▪ move towards the person
▪ repeat the question
▪ rephrase the question
• Answering Questions
▪ Respond initially to the person who asked the question
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▪ Then shift eye contact to the broad audience
▪ Answer the question clearly and briefly
▪ Hold your ground and don’t back down
▪ If you don’t know the answer, say so
▪ Conclude by transitioning attention back to the person who asked the

question
▪ If appropriate, ask, "Did I answer the question for you?" or "Does that
help?“
• Handling Problem Situation
Problem situations have something to do with the level of participation of

individual learners:
▪ when learners participate too much or too little.
▪ Too much participation
▪ Too little participation
• Hostility
There are important considerations when handling problem situations:
▪ Eliminate or reduce the problem behavior. Resolve the problem to the

extent necessary.
▪ Maintain the self-esteem of the learner causing the disruption.
▪ Avoid further disruptions. Make sure the learning environment is relaxed

and conducive to learning.
▪ Remain emotionally neutral.
▪ Identify possible strategies you or other trainers have used before in the
a similar situation.
▪ Evaluate alternative strategies against the considerations above.
▪ Select the strategy that best satisfies the criteria for the situation.
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WHAT NEED TO ESTABLISH AFTER THE TRAINING?
• Documenting Training
Strong documentation includes:
▪ The name of trainee(s) and trainer(s).
▪ The Date of training.
▪ A description of the Subject(s) being trained
▪ Certification - a place for trainee and trainer signatures.
▪ A trainee statement of understanding and intent to comply
▪ A trainee statement that he/she was provided opportunity to ask

questions and practice.
▪ A trainer statement that trainee all questions were answered and

opportunity to practice was provided.
▪ A trainer statement that measurement (testing) of knowledge and skills

was conducted and that trainees met or exceeded required levels of
performance
• An Evaluation of Training program
▪ Evaluates how the training has impacted the quality (efficiency,

effectiveness) of a job.
▪ Determine how training has improved the bottom-line profitability: the

return on the investment (ROI) of the company.
QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN CONDUCTING PROGRAM EVALUATION
• How much did accident rates decrease?
• How much did productivity increase?
• What reduction did we get in turnover and scrap rate?
• How much has training improved work life?
• What effective is safety committee training?
• How much has have costs been reduced?
• What tangible benefits have we received?
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IMPROVING THE TRAINING PROGRAM
• Plan – What need to improve – use your evaluation
• Do – discuss the improvement to HSC and implement the improvement
• Check – Evaluate the effectivity of the improvement
• Act – Monitor the outcome
SOURCE:
ILO Encyclopedia of Occupational Health and Safety

Geigle Communication, LLC
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
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TOOLBOX MEETING
DEFINITION - WHAT DOES TOOLBOX TALK MEAN?
A toolbox talk is an informal safety meeting that is part of an organization's

overall safety program.
Toolbox meetings are generally conducted at the job site prior to the
commencement of a job or work shift. A toolbox talk covers special topics on
safety aspects related to the specific job. Meetings are normally short in
duration and cover topics such as workplace hazards and safe work practices.
Toolbox talks are generally considered a very effective method for refreshing
workers' knowledge in between training sessions, cover last-minute safety
checks, and exchange information with the experienced workers.
Toolbox talks are sometimes referred to as toolbox meetings, tailgate meetings,

or safety briefings.
The salient features of a toolbox talk are as follows:
• Should be scheduled at the beginning of the work shift (although a similar

debriefing can take place at the end of a shift, especially following a near
miss or a newly identified hazard or risk)
• Meeting should be done at the job site
• Lasts approximately 10 to 15 minutes
• Discussion and review of the previous meetings
• Discussion of the current tasks to be done
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• Discussion of the safety issues including environment, hazards; use of

personnel protective equipment, first aid, and medical support; and
emergency procedures
• Worker participation
• There may be review and recapitulation, sometimes with a quiz or test
Toolbox talks have a number of beneficial effects, including:
• Promotes safety awareness, encourages employee involvement in the

safety program
• Introduces workers to new safety rules, equipment, preventive practices

and motivates workers to follow standard operating procedures
• Can be customized to deal specifically with the hazards the workers will be
facing during their shift
• Provides vital information to the workers on accident causes, types, and

preventive actions
• Emphasizes planning, preparation, supervision, and documentation
• Helps when reviewing new laws or industry standards, company policies,

and procedures
• Encourages workers to discuss their experiences that help to review safety

procedures in future
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OSH COMMITTEE MEETING

is a group of employees and management that plans and develops polices
in all matters pertaining to safety and health in the workplace.
Type No. of Composition

workers
Chairman Member Secretary
A 401 up - Manager or - 2 dept. heads Safety Officer

authorized
- 4 workers (union
representative
member)
must be COO
- company physician
B 201-400 - Manager or - 1 supervisor Safety Officer

authorized
- physician or nurse
representative
must be COO - 3 workers
C 100– - Manager or - 1 foreman

200 authorized
- 3 workers Safety Officer
representative
- Nurse
D <100 - Manager - 1 foreman
- 3 workers Safety Officer
- Nurse or first airder
Duties of Safety and Health Committee
• Plans and develops accident prevention program.
• Directs the accident prevention efforts.
• Conducts safety meetings at least once a month
• Reviews reports of inspection, accident investigations and

implementation of program.
• Submits reports to the manager on its meetings and activities.
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• Provides necessary assistance to government inspecting

authorities.
• Initiates and supervises safety trainings for employees
• Develops and maintains a disaster contingency plan.
REPORTORIAL REQUIREMENTS
OSH RULE REPORT/FORM WHERE TO FILE WHEN TO FILE
Rule 1040 Report of Safety 2 copies, to - Within one (1)

Organization – submitted to month after the
Health and (DOLE/BWC/IP-5) concerned RO organization
Safety copy furnished
Committee Minutes of the the Bureau - At least on
Meeting – No form quarterly basis
needed
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WORKSHOP 08: COMMUNICATING OSH

To gauge your knowledge, capability, and capacity as a Safety Trainer we will
ask you to provide a 5 minutes Toolbox Presentation with the topic that will be
provided by the facilitator.
To give you time to prepare the topic will be given to you 3 days before the
date of the presentation.
Facilitator will provide feedback regarding your delivery and presentation of

your given topic.
The actual TBT delivery will be included on the Final computation of your
markings in passing this course so you may want to give your best on the day
of your presentation.
We welcome any questions on this workshop should there be any.
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MODULE 6 – RESPONSES TO OSH

ISSUES AND CONCERN
GENERAL OBJECTIVES:
• Identify the different type of Emergencies and basic preparations for

emergency situations
• Learn the elements of Emergency Preparedness Plan which may guide

participants to develop their own Emergency Preparedness Plan.
• Create a good level of understanding in emergency preparation for

common emergencies which they can use to properly manage their own
emergencies
• Have a basic knowledge in Fire Code requirements for Fire Brigade

Organization that can enable them to adopt the concept in creating their
own fire brigade team.
• Discuss the employee’s compensation programs, entitlement and benefits
• Explain the government OSH regulations and other responses to existing

and potential OSH hazards;
• Discuss the various strategies for OSH Administration in the Philippines;
• Identify the different OSH reportorial requirements and areas for

compliance to the OSH Standards.
• Identify the elements of the DOLE prescribed OSH program;
• Explain the roles, commitment and participation of various levels of the

organization in implementing the OSH program; and
• Review how to fill out the DOLE reportorial requirements correctly.
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MODULE 6.1 - WORKPLACE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Emergencies can create a variety of hazards for workers in the impacted area.
Preparing before an emergency incident plays a vital role in ensuring that
employers and workers have the necessary equipment, know where to go,
and know how to keep themselves safe when an emergency occurs.
DIFFERENT TYPE OF EMERGENCIES

Man-made emergencies
• events caused by man’s negligence in handling his technology.
• Chemical leak/Spill
• Structure Collapse
• Industrial/Community fire
• Construction Cave-In
• Major Transportation Accident
• Public Demonstration/civil disturbances
Natural emergencies
• events caused by forces of nature
• Drought
• Flood
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• Volcanic Eruption
• Earthquake
• Thunderstorm
• Tornadoes
• Hurricanes
ELEMENTS OF AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN

• Emergency Prevention
The practice designed to prevent accidents and emergencies from

occurring
Procedure:
▪ Fire Prevention
▪ Safety and Health Review
▪ Inspection
• Emergency Preparedness
Encompasses all activities that are necessary to prepare people and

organization to respond to emergencies and disasters
Procedure:
▪ Personnel Training
▪ Drill and Exercises
▪ Supplies and Equipment
▪ Protection and Records
▪ Mutual Aid
• Emergency Response
Follows preparedness and involves life saving and protection activities that
are implemented during an emergency.
Procedure:
▪ Detection, Alert and Warning
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▪ Direction and Control
▪ Communications
▪ Emergency Shutdown procedure
▪ Facility Evacuation
▪ Security Consideration
▪ Public relations and emergency information
▪ Coordination between facility and off site agencies
• Emergency Recovery
Embodies all activities necessary to bring the organization back to normal

or routing operations.
Procedure:
▪ Incident Investigation
▪ Damage Assessment
▪ Clean Up and restoration
▪ Business Interruption
▪ Claims Procedure
• Review Hazards
▪ Probability of Hazards
▪ Types of Hazards posed
▪ Number of people or things exposed to the hazards and its adverse

consequences
• Evaluate Resources
▪ Facilities
▪ Equipment
▪ Supplies
▪ Staff Expertise
▪ Staff Training
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• Develop Emergency Plan and Procedure
▪ Blueprint for emergency procedure
▪ Used for training new employee
▪ Refresher training for employees and managers
▪ Reference tool under emergency circumstances
• Integrate with Community Plan
Community official should be involved in the company emergency

planning process and that the company be involved in the local planning
• Conduct Training
▪ Hazardous Material Characteristics
▪ Evacuation procedure
▪ Emergency reporting procedure
▪ Fire Fighting and Fire extinguisher use
▪ Leak/emergency warning sign
▪ Personal protective equipment
▪ Preventive maintenance
▪ Spill Response
▪ First Aid
• Educate the Public
▪ The public will learn of the facilities/company’s effort to ensure safety.
▪ Protect the public during emergencies
• Conduct Drills and Exercise
▪ Reveal weaknesses in the plans and procedure
▪ Identify deficiencies in resources
▪ Improve level of coordination among personnel, departments and

agencies
▪ Gain public recognition and confidence
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▪ Improve the proficiency and confidences of personnel
▪ Clarify individual role and responsibility
▪ Increase the government’s and community’s cooperation with the

company
▪ Enhance over-all emergency response capabilities
• External Factor (Emergency Management Program)
▪ Employee Health and Safety
▪ Public Pressure
▪ Insurance
▪ Government Regulations
▪ Liability
▪ Media
BASIC PREPARATION FOR COMMON EMERGENCIES

When developing your emergency action plan, it is a good idea to look at a
wide variety of potential emergencies that could occur in your workplace. It
should be tailored to your worksite and include information about all
potential sources of emergencies. Developing an emergency action plan
means you should do a hazard assessment to determine what, if any,
physical or chemical hazards in your workplaces could cause an emergency.
If you have more than one worksite, each site should have an emergency
action plan.
Communication
It is necessary to assign a command centre to serve as reporting area in case

of emergencies, information dissemination to all including emergency
personnel and visitors of the organization
• External
▪ Telephone (private and public)
▪ Paging System
• Internal
▪ Intercom
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▪ Two way Radio
▪ Personal Contact
▪ Warning System (Alarm/ Lights)
General Emergencies
• Warning from Outside Agencies
▪ Warning of severe weather
▪ Volcanic eruption or other emergencies which can be foretold by

government or private agencies to the communication emergency
manager
• Warning from Within
▪ Communication Manager
▪ Appointed Post Commander of the ERT
▪ Office Warden
• Shelter
▪ Personnel and visitors will immediately proceed to the safe area as

designated by the Shelter Manager
General Emergencies
• Education and Training
▪ Personal and Personnel Survival
▪ Drills hall be held at least quarterly or more often if deemed necessary
o Opportune
o Inopportune
▪ Familiarity with evacuation route/plan
• Special Duties
▪ Each department head takes notice of personnel’s attendance
▪ Check restroom, vacant room to ensure everyone obeys and are aware
of the warning
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▪ Maintenance personnel to shut off the energy sources and report for
further assignment
• Employees
▪ Do not take time to get coats or other belongings when alarm sounded
▪ Certain employees to be designated by Supervisor in closing the

windows, doors, turning off lights and other duties
▪ Employees will proceed to nearest exits and evacuate the building ion
orderly manner to muster point
Things to consider:
o How do we report emergencies & get assistance?
o What does the alarm sound like?
o What are the primary & secondary exits?
o Where do we meet?
o Who accounts for us?
o How do we report missing persons?
• General Emergency Action
▪ If in doubt, Emergency evacuation procedure shall be activated and

the area evacuated
▪ All employees and visitor to designated muster point
▪ In event of emergency evacuation:
▪ Remain calm and place operational plant in a safe state
▪ Follow instruction of the On Site EMT
▪ Walk to the emergency muster point by the safest route, do not run
▪ Try to maintain contact with another person
▪ Be accounted
▪ Remain at the muster point until all clear signal given by the chief
warden or incident controller
▪ Do not smoke while on muster point.
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▪ Only authorized personnel may give comment to media
• General Action in Natural Disaster
▪ Sandbags serve as adequate short-term flood barrier
▪ Move record and secure equipment – placing it off the ground to

prevent damage due to flooding
▪ Pump and Emergency power – for draining of water on area affected

by flooding
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PANDEMIC (such as COVID-19) EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN
Organization should develop a COVID 19 preparedness and response plan.

The plan should consider and address the level(s) of risk associated with various
worksites and job tasks workers perform at those sites. Such considerations may
include:
• Where, how, and to what sources of SARS-CoV-2 might workers be
exposed, including:
▪ The general public, customers, and co-workers; and
▪ Sick individuals or those at particularly high risk of infection (e.g.,

international travelers who have visited locations with widespread
sustained (ongoing) COVID-19 transmission, healthcare workers who
have had unprotected exposures to people known to have, or
suspected of having, COVID-19).
• Non-occupational risk factors at home and in community settings.
• Workers’ individual risk factors (e.g., older age; presence of chronic

medical conditions, including immunocompromising conditions;
pregnancy).
• Controls necessary to address those risks.
Plans should also consider and address the other steps that employers can
take to reduce the risk of worker exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in their workplace.
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FIRE CODE REQUIREMENT FOR A FIRE BRIGADE ORGANIZATION/

DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT TEAM
• All business establishments that can accommodate at least fifty (50)
persons shall, in addition to the requirements set forth under Section 7 of
this Code for the grant of Fire Safety Inspection Certificate (FSIC), establish
and maintain an organization of fire brigade to deal with fire and other
related emergencies. The head of the company, through its duly
designated safety officer shall evaluate the potential magnitude of a fire
emergency within the company, and the availability of firefighting
assistance from the BFP to determine the nature of the organization to be
established.
• For buildings having various occupancies, the Building Administrator

and/or owner shall initiate the organization of a fire brigade in the premises
irrespective of the number of occupants.
• COMPOSITION
The organization of company fire brigades shall consist of the Fire Brigade
Chief, which shall be designated by the head of the company, and shall
be assisted by selected personnel. In companies where more persons are
available, they must be organized into teams to function as a fire brigade
established according to its needs. The organization shall be such that a
fire brigade is on duty or on call at all times
• DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A FIRE BRIGADE CHIEF
▪ He/She shall be responsible for the development of fire prevention

programs and plans of action for the company or organization to
address possible fire situation in the plant or community, subject to the
approval of the company or establishment head or fire prevention
officer;
▪ He/She shall initiate the procurement of necessary firefighting

equipment and supplies for use of the brigades;
▪ He/She shall conduct periodic evaluation of all equipment available

for firefighting and be responsible for setting in motion necessary
procedures for replacing missing equipment or correction of
inoperative equipment;
▪ He/She shall also bring to the immediate attention of the company or

establishment head, or his/her fire prevention officer, any situation that
would likely reduce the effectiveness of firefighting operations;
▪ He/She shall ensure that the brigades are suitably staffed, conduct
periodic review of the fire brigade roster and prepare
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recommendations on the need for additional members to be selected,

appointed and made available to beef up the team;
▪ He/She shall prepare training programs for the members of the fire
brigade and supervise its implementation; and
▪ In his/her absence, the Deputy Fire Brigade Chief shall assume and
perform the duties and responsibilities of the Fire Brigade Chief.
• QUALIFICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE COMPANY FIRE BRIGADE
Members of the fire brigade shall consist of persons who have met
qualifications appropriate for the fire brigade work. For establishments,
members must be taken from the roster of its own workforce. The head of
the company shall identify the persons who are fit to perform fire operation
activities and further assign them to specific fire suppression positions.
• AVAILABILITY OF PERSONNEL
To qualify as a member of a fire brigade, individuals must be available to

respond to fire alarms and attend required training programs. A pre-
arranged schedule for availability must be established to prevent conflict
of duties and to cover absences such as regular off-duty periods, vacations
and sickness
SOURCES:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/managing/emergency.htm
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Emergency Procedure
RA 9514 Fire Code of the Philippines the Revised Edition 2019
www.OSHA.Gov
234 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

MODULE 6.2 - EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION PROGRAM
The Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP) is a government program

designed to provide a compensation package to public and private
employees or their dependents in the event of work-related sickness, injury, or
death.
COVERAGE
• Private sector workers who are compulsory members of the Social Security
System (SSS) and sea-based Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
• Government sector employees who are members of the Government

service Insurance System (GSIS), including members of the Armed Forces of
the Philippines, elective government officials who are receiving regular
salary and all casual, emergency, temporary and substitute or contractual
employees
Coverage in the program starts on the first day of employment.
COMPENSABLE DISEASES
For an occupational disease and the resulting disability or death to be
compensable, all of the following conditions must be satisfied:
• the employee’s work and/or the working conditions must involve risk/s that
caused the development of the illness;
• the disease was contracted as a result of the employee’s exposure to

described risks;
235 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

• the disease was contracted within a period of exposure and under such
factors necessary to contract it; and
• there was no deliberate act on the part of the employee to disregard the
safety measures or ignore established warning or precaution.
COMPENSABILITY OF INJURIES
For the injury and the resulting disability or death to be compensable, the injury
must be the result of an accident arising out of and in the course of
employment.
The injury or the resulting disability or death sustained by reason of employment

are compensable regardless of the place where the incident occurred, if it
can be proven that, at the time of the contingency, the employee was acting
within the scope of employment and performing an act reasonably necessary
or incidental to it.
EXCEPTING CIRCUMSTANCES
No compensation shall be allowed to the employee or his/her dependents in

cases when the sickness, injury, disability, or death was occasioned by any of
the following:
• Intoxication: being under the influence of liquor or prohibited drugs
• Notorious negligence: a deliberate act of the employee to disregard his

own safety or ignore established warning or precaution.
• Willful intent to injure oneself or another: a deliberate intent on the part

of the employee to inflict injuries on himself or another.
ECP BENEFITS
The benefits are the following:
• Loss-of-income benefits;
• Medical services, appliances and supplies;
• Carers’ allowance;
• Rehabilitation services;
• Death benefits;
• Funeral benefits
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REQUIREMENTS IN AVAILING ECP BENEFITS

Fill up prescribed forms and attach supporting documents such as:
• Proof of job description
• Medical/hospital records
• Incident/accident report
• EC logbook
SOURCES:
• http://ecc.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Employers_Guide_on_ECP.pdf
Employers’ guide on Employees’ Compensation Program
• http://ecc.gov.ph/frequently-asked-questions/
DOLE Employees’ Compensation Comission, Frequently Asked Questions
237 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

MODULE 6.3 - OSH LEGISLATION
PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The OHS standard was formulated in 1978 under Article 168 of the Labor Code
of the Philippines. The objective is to protect every working man against the
dangers of injury, sickness or death through safe and healthful working
conditions. The Standards applies to all place of employment except the
Mining industry which is covered under other Standards. Establishment
engaged in land, sea and air transportation are not covered except their
garages, dry docks, port hangars, maintenance and repair shops.
ENFORCING AUTHORITY:
The OHS Standards is enforced by the Department of Labor and Employment

(DOLE) through its 14 Regional Labor Office and District offices located in
different part of the country.
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COMPONENT OF AN OSH ADMINISTRATION FRAMEWORK IN THE

PHILIPPINES
1903 1908 1933 1945
development of OSH in the Bureau of Labor was created. Bureau of Labor was named Commonwealth Act No. 696
Philippines Department of Labor on Dec. was approved to include
8, 1933. safety in the installation and
operation of boilers and
pressure vessels.
Workmen’s Compensation Act Commonwealth Act No. 104

Employer’s Liability Act was No. 3428 was passed providing was passed. First legislation
instituted requiring employers payment of damages by the directly enjoining management
to compensate workers who employer for illnesses, in to ensure the promotion of OSH
were injured while performing addition to injury or death due in the workplace. Known as the Philippines became a member
their job to employment First Industrial Safety Law of ILO
1908 1927 1936 1948
passed
Act)
ion
BWC dy
proposed OSHS
training.
of OSHS
The DOLE is the lead agency of the government in charge in the administration
and enforcement of laws, policies, and programs on occupational safety and
health.
Legal basis: Presidential Decree No. 442, Art. 165 LABOR CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES
• LCP, Article 165
• DOLE shall be solely responsible for the administration and enforcement of OSH
laws, regulations and standards in all establishments and workplaces wherever they
may be located.
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• Authority of Local Government:
The Secretary may authorize local government units to assume responsibility for
technical safety inspection within their respective jurisdiction where they have
adequate facilities and personnel and subject to national standardsprescribed
by this Department.
• Technical Safety Inspection covers the following:
Safety determination of mechanical equipment such as boilers, pressure

vessels, electrical installations, internal combustion engines, elevators, hoisting
equipment and other mechanical equipment.
Article XIII Section 3 of Phil. Constitution
• The state shall afford full protection to labor, .... .
• They shall be entitled to security of tenure, humane conditions of work, and a

living wage.
Labor Code
Law: P.D. 442, Book IV, Titles I and II
Title : Labor Code of the Philippines.
Year Passed 1974
Implementing Agency: DOLE
Content: Revised and consolidated labor and social

laws to afford full protection to labor, promote
employment and human resources development and
ensure industrial peace based on social justice.
Occupational Safety and Health
Law (Origin): Rules and Regulations Implementing

Art. 162, Book IV, Title I, P.D. 442
Title: Occupational Safety and Health Standards

(OSHS)
Year Passed: 1978
Relevant Provision/s : Rule 1000 to Rule 1990 (30 Rules)
Implementing Agency: DOLE
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KEY PROVISIONS OF THE OSH STANDARDS AND OTHER DOLE

ISSUANCES
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS ACT
Safety and health should be primary concerns in any workplace. The viability
of an economy rests on the productivity of its workers. Productivity entails an
environment that nurtures workers and ensures their safety. Poor conditions can
result to illness, injury, and death.
Book IV of the Labor Code of the Philippines outlines the rules governing health,
safety and social welfare benefits. It also sets guidelines on fines and penalties.
Chapters I and II of Title I specifically addresses medical and dental services,
as well as occupational safety and health (OSH). Most of the responsibility of
setting standards is in the hands of the Secretary of Labor and Employment.
The Labor Code has a provision on research and training to promote OSH. In
this regard, Executive Order No. 37 was issued in 1987, creating the
Occupational Safety and Health Center as a research and training unit to
develop OSH policies that are effective, responsive, and sustainable.
The OSH provisions of the Labor Code can be seen as tilted in favor of defining
the different work-related injuries or casualties and assigning corresponding
benefits for workers and responsibilities for employers. The institutionalization of
an OSH program appears to be in need of details. Thus, to effectively promote
the welfare of workers, a comprehensive OSH policy is needed. This would
minimize work-related casualties and develop a safety- and health-oriented
workplace for the benefit of both employers and workers.
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OSH REPORTORIAL REQUIREMENTS
OSH RULE REPORT/FORM WHEN TO FILE WHERE AND HOW

TO REPORT
Rule 1040 Report of Safety Within one (1) 2 copies, to

Organization – month after the submitted to
Health and (DOLE/BWC/IP- organization concerned RO
Safety 5) copy furnished
Committee the Bureau
Rule 1040 Minutes of the At least on 2 copies, to

Meeting – No quarterly basis submitted to
Health and form needed concerned RO
Safety copy furnished
Committee the Bureau
Rule 1050 Work Accident On or before the 2 copies, to be

Illness Report 20th day of the submitted to
Notification (WAIR) - month following concerned RO
and Keeping of DOLE/BWC/IP-6) the date of copy furnished
Accidents WAIR occurrence of the Bureau
and/or the accident
Occupational
Illnesses
Annual Exposure On or before

Data Report Jan. 20 of the
(AEDR) - following year
(DOLE/BWC/IP-
6b)
Fatal or Within 24 hours

Permanent Total
Disability
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Rule 1960 Annual Medical On or before the 2 copies

Report - last day ofMarch submitted to
Occupational DOLE/BW/OH- of the year concerned RO
Health Services 47A following copy furnished
the covered the Bureau
AMR period
COMPLIANCE TO OSH STANDARD

Promulgated for the guidance and compliance of all concerned.
• Referred to as “Standards”
• A set of mandatory OSH standards which codifies all safety orders being enforced
prior to its promulgation.
• It contains administrative requirements, general safety and health rules, technical

safety regulations, and other measures to eliminate or reduce OSH hazards in the
workplace.
Based on Articles 168-171 of the Labor Code of the Philippines
• Enforce mandatory OSH Standards in all workplace, institute new, and update
existing programs to ensure safe and healthful working conditions in all places of
employment
• Conduct continuing studies and research to develop innovative methods,

techniques and approaches in dealing with OSH problems
• Develop and implement training programs to increase the number and

competency of personnel in the field of occupational safety an industrial health.
• Solely responsible for the administration and enforcement of OSH laws, regulations
and standards in all establishments and workplaces wherever they may be located
The Rules the Regulations
1000 General Provisions
• Protect every workingman against the dangers of injury, sickness or death through
safe and healthful working conditions
• Apply to all places of employment except shall apply to all places of employment
except land, sea and air transportation and safety in Mines
• DOLE shall administer and enforce the provisions of this Standards
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• Every employer shall give to the Secretary or his duly authorized representative
access to its premises and records
• Every establishment or place of employment shall be inspected at least once a

year
• The enforcement officer shall determine reasonable periods of compliance with

recommendations
Duties of Employers
• Furnish safe and healthful working conditions
• Give job safety instruction
• Comply with OSHS
• Use approved safety devices
Duties of Workers
• Cooperate with management
• Report unsafe condition
• Use all safe devices
▪ Other Persons
• Comply with the provisions of this Standards and all regulations of the employer
OSHS 30 Rules and Regulations
• 1010 Other Safety Rules
• 1020 Registration
• 1030 Training & Accreditation
• 1040 Health & Safety Committee
• 1050 Notification & Keeping of Occupational Illnesses & Injuries
• 1060 Premises of Establishments
• 1070 Environmental Control
• 1080 Personal Protective Equipment
• 1090 Hazardous Materials
• 1100 Gas & Electric Welding & Cutting Operations
• 1120 Hazardous Work Processes
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• 1140 Explosives
• 1150 Materials Handling & Storage
• 1160 Boiler
• 1170 Unfired Pressure Vessels
• 1180 Internal Combustion Engine*
• 1200 Machine Guarding
• 1210 Electrical Safety
• 1220 Elevators & Related Equipment
• 1230 Identification of Piping System
• 1240 Power Piping Lines
• 1410 Construction Safety
• 1420 Logging
• 1940 Fire Protection & Control
• 1950 Pesticides & Fertilizers
• 1960 OH Services
• 1970 Fees
• 1980 Authority of LG
• 1990 Final Provisions
RA 11058, DO-198, OTHER ISSUANCES

RA 11058 and it’s IRR (DO 198 SERIES OF 2018), RULE 1960
• Coverage
All private establishments where work is being undertaken including

establishments located inside special economic zones and other
investment promotion agencies (e.g. Philippine Economic Zone [PEZA],
Clark Development Corporation [CDC])
Utilities engaged in air, sea and land transportation
Exemption — Public Sector (national government agencies, government-

owned and controlled corporations with original charters, government
245 BOSH 2020_REV. 3/09/16/2021

financial institutions, state universities and colleges and local government

units)
• Duties and Responsibilities
Employer’s Duties:
▪ Provide a safe and healthy workplace through the following, among

others:
▪ Capacity building of all workers including mandatory trainings;
▪ Provision of information on OSH;
▪ Use of devices/equipment with approved industry standards;
▪ Compliance with all the requirements of the OSH Standards;
▪ Provide appropriate DOLE tested and approved PPEs FREE of charge to

the workers.
Workers’ Rights:
▪ To know the different types of hazards in the workplace;
▪ Be provided with training, education and orientation;
▪ To refuse unsafe work without threat or reprisal from the employer in

cases of imminent danger. Affected workers may be temporarily
assigned to other work areas;
▪ To report accidents and dangerous occurrences to DOLE-ROs and

other government agencies in the most convenient way; Workers shall
be free from retaliation for reporting any accident.
• Workplace Classification based on Risk
Based on the level of risks brought about by the nature of activities/business

processes in the establishment; determined by the company safety officer.
Low Risk
Workplace refers to those with less exposure to safety and health hazards,
having low level of danger, with no or less probability to cause an accident,
harm, injury or illness.
Medium Risk
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Workplace refers to those having moderate exposure to safety and health

hazards and with probability of an accident, injury or illness if no preventive
or control measures are in place.
High Risk
Workplace refers to those wherein presence of hazards affects not only

workers but persons outside establishment; with high level of exposure to
safety and health hazards; probability of major accident is likely to occur.
• OSH Program
Covered workplaces through the Health and Safety Committee (HSC),

shall develop and implement a suitable OSH Program following the DOLE-
prescribed format.
OSH Program shall be submitted and considered approved upon

stamped-received by concerned DOLE-Regional Office or Field Office.
Pre-approved program shall be validated during inspection and may be
modified by DOLE as necessary, based on existing laws, rules and
regulations.
The HSC shall review and evaluate the OSH Program at least once a year
or as necessary. A revised copy of the program shall be submitted to DOLE.
A suitable Construction Safety and Health Program (CHSP) specific for

each construction project shall be submitted to concerned DOLE-Regional
Office or Field Office for its approval prior to start of the project.
The total cost of implementing OSH Programs shall be an integral part of

the company’s operations cost
• OSH Personnel Complement
All covered workplaces shall have qualified OSH personnel:
▪ First Aider
▪ Safety Officer
▪ Nurses
▪ Dentist
▪ Physician
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[Number and type of OSH personnel are based on the number of

employees and the correct determination by the Safety Officer of his/her
workplace classification]
*Refer to Table of OSH Personnel on Sec. 14 & Sec. 15 of D.O. 198-18
• Safety and Health Training Requirements
All OSH personnel shall undergo the prescribed mandatory trainings from
DOLE-accredited Safety Training Organizations or its recognized training
institutions.
▪ All workers shall undergo the mandatory 8-hour OSH seminar as

prescribed by DOLE. This training may be conducted by the company
safety officer in a staggered manner.
▪ Workers performing critical occupations shall undergo the mandatory

competency assessment and certification by TESDA.
▪ Workers’ OSH seminars and trainings/orientations required by the

employer or by other regulations in the performance of their task shall be
undertaken at no cost to the worker and considered as compensable
working time.
• Worker’s welfare facilities
All workers shall have FREE access and use of the following welfare facilities:
▪ Adequate supply of safe drinking water
▪ Adequate sanitary and washing facilities
▪ Suitable living accommodation as may be applicable such as in

construction, shipping, fishing and night workers
▪ Separate sanitary, washing and sleeping quarters for all genders, as may
be applicable
▪ Lactation Station
▪ Ramps, railings and the like
▪ Medical Facilities (treatment room/clinic)
▪ Other workers’ welfare facilities as may be prescribed by the OSH

Standards and other issuances
• Joint and Solidary Liabilities
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The employer, project owner, contractor or subcontractor and any person

who manages, controls or supervises the work being undertaken shall be
jointly and solidarity liable for compliance with the Occupational Safety
and Health Standards and corresponding penalties for violations.
• Incentives
Incentives may be given to qualified employers and workers in recognition

of their efforts in ensuring compliance with the OSH standards.
Incentives shall be given in the form of training, additional protective

equipment, technical guidance, recognition awards and the like
• Inter Government Coordination and Cooperation
A Joint Coordinating Committee shall be established to effectively

implement the Law and its IRR.
The Committee shall develop mechanisms for harmonizing each Agency’s

mandates/policies/guidelines related to OSH, with reference to the Law.
DOLE to collaboratively work with DENR, DOE, DoTR, DA, DPWH, DTI, DILG-
LGUs, DOH, DICT, PEZA and other government agencies.
• Penalties and Violations
Willful failure or refusal to comply with OSH Standards or compliance orders

shall be penalized with not more than P100, 000 daily until full compliance;
reckoned from the date of issuance of Notice of Results or Compliance
Order.
Repeated violation of the same prohibited act shall be penalized of the

corresponding fine plus 50% for every instance of repeat violation
When the violation exposes the worker to death, serious injury or serious
illness, the imposable penalty shall be P100,000
Additional P100,000 fine for refusal to access the workplace, refusal to

provide or allow access to records, obstruct conduct of investigation,
misrepresentation and making retaliatory measures such as termination,
refusal to pay, reducing wages and benefits or discriminates any worker
who has given information relative to inspection.
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• Enforcement and Effectivity
Enforcement is through the DOLE-Regional Offices having jurisdiction over

the workplace.
D.O. 183-17 shall govern the procedure in the implementation of DOLE D.O.
198-18
OSH Law IRR, DOLE D.O. 198-18 effectivity: 25 January 2019.
RULE 1960 OH SERVICES
• Emergency Hospital – An employer need not put up an emergency

hospital or dental clinic if there is a hospital or dental clinic which is not
more than five(5) kilometers away in urban areas and 25 minutes travel in
rural areas provided contracts are entered into with the said hospital or
dental clinic and that the employer provides transportation facilities.
• PHYSICIAN/DENTIST shall be subject to call at any time in other shifts during

emergencies.
• Health Program – The physician engaged by the employer, in addition to

providing medical services in cases of emergency, must also perform the
following:
250 BOSH 2020_REV. 3/09/16/2021

▪ Conduct pre-employment medical examination, free of charge, for the

proper selection of workers
▪ Conduct free of charge annual physical examination of the workers
▪ Collaborate with safety and technical personnel in the selection and

placement of workers, including investigation of work related accidents
due to exposure to health hazards
▪ Develop and implement a comprehensive health program for the

employees
SOURCE:
http://bwc.dole.gov.ph/images/Downloads/LaborCodeofthePhilippines2017.pdf
Labor Code of the Philippines, pages 57-58
http://www.oshc.dole.gov.ph/images/Files/OSH%20Standards%202017.pdf
Occupational Ssfety and Health Standards of the Philippines
251 BOSH 2020_REV. 3/09/16/2021

MODULE 6.4 - OHS PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
“Occupational Health and Safety Program” refers to planned activities, aimed,

prevent, eliminate, reduce, or control occupational risks and hazards.
COMPONENT OF OSH PROGRAM
The OSH program should include:
• Hazard and Risk Prevention and Control to reduce the extent of

exposure to hazards and to decrease the likelihood for those hazards to
cause illness or injury.
• Capability building for members of the Safety and Health Committee to

undertake risk management activities through information, training, and
work environment safety and health interventions.
• Referral and Access to Medical and Welfare Services addressing the

physical, ergonomic and psychological aspects of the work
environment as well as the health and safety needs of the workers.
Roles and Responsibilities of Employer
• Formulate and implement a suitable OSH program based on its policy and
in accordance with the OSH Standards and other related OSH issuances.
• Organize a safety and health committee whose function is to develop and

oversee the implementation of OSH program.
• Provide the applicable number of safety and health personnel such as

safety officer, occupational health nurse, occupational health physician
and qualified first-aid staff and the required training for each category.
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Roles and Responsibilities of Workers
The workers are enjoined to take an active role in education and training, in
developing and implementing joint continuing programs and information
campaigns on safety and health.
Roles and Responsibilities of Practitioners in Occupational Safety and Health
• Develop, implement and promote occupational safety and health

programs in the workplace.
• Advise and assist the employer in complying with the provisions of the
Standards, especially in the submission of the reporting requirements.
• Perform at least a quarterly appraisal/assessment of the implementation of

occupational safety and health programs in the workplace.
• Prepare an annual report of safety and health programs of establishments.
• Be present during the scheduled safety inspections by authorized

government agents and as requested during regular health and safety
committee meetings.
Health and Safety Committee
In every place of employment, a health and safety committee shall be

organized within sixty (60) days after this Standards takes effect and for new
establishments with one month from the date the business starts operating. In
both cases, the Committee shall reorganize every January of the following
year.
Types and Composition of Health and Safety Committee
Type Total workers Chairman Members Secretary

Over 400 The manager or - 2 department The safety
his authorized head officer
A representative -4 workers (must
who must be a be union
top operating members if
official organized)
-The company
physician
200 to 400 The manager or - 1 supervisor The safety
his authorized -3 workers (must officer
representative be union
B who must be a members if
top operating organized)
official
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-The company
physician or
company nurse
100 to 200 The manager or - 1 foreman The safety
his authorized -3 workers (must officer
C representative be union
members if
organized)
- The nurse
Less than 100 Manager - 1 foreman The part-time
D -3 workers (must safety officer
be union
members if
organized)
- The nurse / first
aider
Joint The chairman of - 2 supervisors Appointed by
committee: 2 the from the Chairman
or more establishments 2 different (in high rise, the
E establishment committee establishment Secretary shall
in one - 2 workers from be the building
building 2 administrator)
different
establishment
(must be union
members if
organized)
Duties of the Health and Safety Committee
• Plans and develops accident prevention programs for establishment.
• Directs the accident prevention efforts of the establishment in accordance

with the safety programs, safety performance, and government
regulations.
• Conducts safety meeting at least once a month.
• Reviews reports of inspection, accident investigations and implementation

of program.
• Submits reports to the manager on its meetings and activities.
• Provides necessary assistance to the government inspecting authorities in

the proper conduct of their activities.
• Initiates and supervises safety training for the employees
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• Develops and maintains disaster contingency plan and organizes such

emergency service units as may be necessary
Duties of the Safety Officer
The principal function of the Safety Officer is to act as the employer`s principal
assistant and consultant in the application of programs to remove the hazards
from the workplace and to correct unsafe work practices. For this purpose, the
Safety Man has the following duties:
• Serves as the Secretary to the Health and Safety Committee. As such he

shall:
a. Prepare minutes of meetings
b. Report status of recommendation made
c. Notify members of the meetings
d. Submit to the employer a report of the activities of the committee,

including recommendation made
• Acts in an advisory capacity on all matters pertaining to health and safety

for the guidance of the employer and the workers
• Conducts investigation of accidents as member of the Health and Safety

Committee and submits his separate report analysis of accidents to the
employer
• Coordinates all health and safety training programs for the employees and
the employer
• Conducts health and safety inspection as member of the committee
• Maintains or help in the maintenance of an efficient accident record

system and coordinates actions taken by supervisors to eliminate accident
causes
• Provides assistance to government agencies in conducting safety and

health inspection, accident investigation or any other related program.
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WORKSHOP 09: COMMUNICATING OSH

This last workshop on this training that is why we want to know your plans on
how you may want to move forward in terms of your OSH Program.
In the Re-entry plan can you provide a basic plan as to what controls you will
be using or needing to work with your OSH Program and ensure compliance
to the requirements of the OSH Act.
We will need your OSH policy to complete this activity. From your OSH Policy
can you verify which part of the program you may want to focus your priorities.
For those who do not have a Safety Policy, can you identify the key areas
where you want your OSH policy to focus.
We just want a bulleted form like description of your plans, full details of your
OSH plans will be your main focus after this training to ensure full compliance
with the law.
Lastly, to end our engagement, we will work through with you in filling in the
reportorial requirements forms, so you may get familiarized on the information
you required to comply with the submission of those documents.
You may use the Appendices – Annual Medical Report and Annual Exposure
Data Report on this last workshop.
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APPENDICES:
• CAN YOU FIND THE HAZARD PHOTO – MANUFACTURING AREA
▪ HIRAC FORM
▪ RISK MATRIX
▪ CAN YOU FIND THE HAZARD PHOTO – CONSTRUCTION AREA
▪ CAN YOU FIND THE HAZARD PHOTO – OFFICE
▪ EMPLOYERS WORKPLACE ACCIDENT/ILLNESS REPORT (IP-6)
▪ ANNUAL MEDICAL REPORT
▪ ANNUAL WORK ACCIDENT/INLLNESS EXPOSURE DATA REPORT
▪ RE-ENTRY/ OSH PROGRAM
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267

1. HAZARD IDENTIFICATION 2. RISK ANALYSIS/ EVALUATION 3. RISK CONTROL
WORK PROPOSED DUE

NO HAZARD POSSIBLE EXISTING RISK PROBA SEVERI
RISK CONTROL DATE/
ACTIVITY EFFECTS CONTROL (IF ANY) BILITY TY
MEASURES STATUS
SAFETY HAZARDS
1.
2.
3.
4.
HEALTH HAZARDS
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1.
2.
3.
4.
RISK MATRIX – EVALUATE THE RISK
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270

WORK PROPOSED DUE

RISK CONTROL DATE/
MEASURES STATUS
SAFETY HAZARDS
1.
2.
3.
4.
HEALTH HAZARDS
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1.
2.
3.
4.
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272

WORK PROPOSED DUE

RISK CONTROL DATE/
MEASURES STATUS
SAFETY HAZARDS
1.
2.
3.
4.
HEALTH HAZARDS
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1.
2.
3.
4.
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279
RE-ENTRY FORM
Name Re-Entry Program / ESH Program Location Date
Problem Action Plan Accountability Target Output

Time
Identify / Engineering Control

Describe
Administrative Control
Classify:
BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020
Physical
Chemical
Personal Protective Equipment
Biological
Ergonomic
Mechanical
Electrical
COVID 19 PREVENTIVE
MEASURES
DOLE Interim Guidelines on Workplace Prevention and Control of COVID-
19 and its Supplemental Guidelines)
WHAT IS COVID 19?

 Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses known to cause illness ranging from common
cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Sever
Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
 A novel or new coronavirus is called nCoV
 Coronaviruses also cause disease in a wide variety of animal species.
 SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans in China in 2002 and MERS-CoV
from dromedary camels to human in Saudi Arabia
 Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans
 A spillover event is when a virus that are circulating in an animal species is found to have
been transmitted to human(s)
 This novel Coronavirus or CoViD-19 was first discovered in China in late 2019 and was
known to spread all over the world. The origin on this virus is yet unknown.
THE PEOPLE AT RISK FOR INFECTION FROM

NCOV
 People in close contact with animals (i.e., live animal market workers)
 Family members or healthcare workers who are caring for a person infected by a new
coronavirus
THE SIGN AND SYMPTOMS

Infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can cause illness ranging from
mild to severe and, in some cases, can be fatal. Symptoms typically include fever, cough, and
shortness of breath. Some people infected with the virus have reported experiencing other non-
respiratory symptoms. Other people, referred to as asymptomatic cases, have experienced no
symptoms at all.
According to the CDC, symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14
days after exposure.
280 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

MODE OF TRANSMISSION
Although the first human cases of COVID-19 likely resulted from exposure to infected animals,
infected people can spread SARS-CoV-2 to other people. The virus is thought to spread mainly
from person to-person, including:
 Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) for
prolonged period of time such as when caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a health
care waiting area or room with a person with the new corona virus
 Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These
droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled
into the lungs.
 It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has
SARS-CoV-2 on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this
is not thought to be the primary way the virus spreads.
People are thought to be most contagious when they are most symptomatic (i.e., experiencing
fever, cough, and/or shortness of breath). Some spread might be possible before people show
symptoms; there have been reports of this type of asymptomatic transmission with this new
coronavirus, but this is also not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
VULNERABLE GROUP
AS per CDC, COVID-19 is a new disease and there is limited information regarding risk factors
for severe disease. Based on currently available information and clinical expertise, older adults
and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions might be at higher
risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
Based on what we know now, those at high-risk for severe illness from COVID-19 are:
 People 65 years and older
 People who live in a nursing home or long-term care facility
 People of all ages with underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well controlled,
including:
 People with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma
 People who have serious heart conditions
 People who are immunocompromised
Many conditions can cause a person to be immunocompromised, including cancer treatment,

smoking, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled HIV or
281 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune weakening medications
 People with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 40 or higher)
 People with diabetes
 People with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis
 People with liver disease
DTI AND DOLE INTERIM GUIDELINES ON

WORKPLACE PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF
COVID-19
Objective
DOLE issued the guidelines to assist private institutions that are allowed to operate during the
Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) and General Community Quarantine (GCQ), in
developing the minimum health protocols and standards in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
DEFINITION
 Pursuant to DOH AO 2020-0013: 1. Shift from classifying individuals as Patients Under
Investigation (PUI) and Persons Under Monitoring (PUM) to using case definitions to
classify cases into Suspect, Probable, and Confirmed COVID-19 cases. 2. Establish a
standard for and system of case detection, investigation, laboratory confirmation, and
notification.
On January 28, the Philippines started classifying coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases
as either Patients under Investigation (PUIs) or Persons under Monitoring (PUMs). However, due
to apparent local or community transmission of the virus and the surge in cases, the Department
of Health (DOH) has decided to shift from classifying individuals as PUIs or PUMs to using case
definitions following guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO).
PUM
Person who may have been exposed to the virus but shows no symptoms — is no longer included
in the new classification, as residents are assumed to have been exposed due to local transmission.
PUI (MILD, SEVERE OR CRITICAL)

Person who was not tested or awaiting test results is now classified as Suspect, while a PUI (mild,
severe or critical) with inconclusive test results is considered a Probable case. A COVID Positive
case is now referred to as Confirmed.
SUSPECT CASE
A. Individuals with influenza-like illness (ILI). Symptoms include fever of at least 38°C and
cough or sore throat, AND either of the following: (i) a history of travel to or residence in an area
that reported local transmission of COVID-19 during the 14 days prior to symptom onset, OR (ii)
282 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

with contact to a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 during the 14 days prior to symptom
onset.
B. Individuals with sudden respiratory infection and severe symptoms such as shortness of breath,
difficulty of breathing or severe pneumonia with unknown cause, and requires hospitalization
C. Individuals with fever or cough or shortness of breath or other respiratory signs or symptoms
and under any of the following conditions: (i) aged 60 years and above, (ii) with a comorbidity,
(iii) assessed as having high-risk pregnancy, or (iv) a health worker.
PROBABLE CASE
A. Suspect case whom testing for COVID-19 is inconclusive
B. Suspect case who tested positive for COVID-19 but whose test was not conducted in a
national or subnational reference laboratory, or an officially accredited laboratory
CONFIRMED CASE
Any individual who was laboratory-confirmed for COVID-19 through RT-PCR in a national or
subnational reference laboratory, or a DOH-certified laboratory testing facility
CONTACT TRACING
Criteria for Close Contact Tracing
• Without full PPE on any of the following:

• less than 1 meter interaction
• more than 15 minutes interaction
• living with the same household
• OF A DOCUMENTED RT-PCR COVID 19 POSITIVE PATIENT
Note: Rapid Antibody Test is never endorsed nor it is included by the WHO, DOH and Unified
Medical Societies as a critera for clinical decision and return to work
CONTACT TRACING
Rapid Antibody Test (RATs) i
• not endorsed on any medical or government guidelines
• not endorsed by any medical society and DOH expects it would no longer be used after Mecq
• there is a unified approach among medical groups recommending complete eradication of
rapid antibody test in th Philippines
RT-PCR testing – remains to be the gold standard in COVID 19

RT-PCR pool testing – newly developed screening tool for COVID 19
283 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

CLEARANCE
Pursuant to DOH AO 2020-0220
Clearance from COVID 19 does not require a repeat swab test. Final clearance can be provided
and it is certified by a licensed medical doctor and it is not depended on COVID 19 test.
A license medical doctor’s clinical assessment and judgement supersedes any test.
DISINFECTION
• If the area where the suspect case is working is enclosed, only that are would be disinfected.
• If the area where the suspect case is open, extend the are of disinfection up to two meters from
his working position using 1:100 sodium hypochlorite solution, wall to wall surface
disinfection, workers assigned to disinfect that area would wear full prescribed PPE. After 24
hours from disinfection, that area can be used again for work.
• Misting and foot disinfection was never endorsed
• Periodic disinfection of surfaces every 2 hours
• Artificial UV light still has pending studies
• Sunlight UV light kills SarsCov2 virus in seconds
EXPERIMENTAL TREATMENT
Medications and supplemenets with presumptive positive evidence/promising positive results
against Covid 19:
• Azithromycin
• Melatonin
• Virgin Coconut Oil
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin E
• Prednisone/Dexamethasone
284 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

VACCINE
Major countries are on the race to develop a Covid 19 vaccine, there are companies now on Stage
3.
285 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

DTI AND DOLE SUPPLEMENTAL GUIDELINES

ON WORKPLACE PREVENTION AND CONTROL
OF COVID-19
WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH

Employers are required to implement all necessary workplace safety and health programs,
including the following COVID-related programs, at no cost to the employees?
A. Increasing Physical and Mental Resilience
1. Employers shall provide their employees with psychosocial support, especially those
presenting mental health concerns.
2. Employers shall likewise promote work-life balance, especially in these trying times
through proper scheduling of activities and workforce rotation.
3. Company policies on prevention and control of COVID-19 should be aligned with the
existing minimum public health standards and guidelines issued by the DOH and other
regulatory agencies.
B. Reduced transmission of COVID-19
The following are the minimum public health standards to be complied with in all workplaces:
a) Masks
i. Face masks must be worn at all times.
ii. Medical grade masks are highly encouraged and should be properly disposed of after
use.
iii. Masks with vents should not be used.
iv. Cloth masks, with additional filter such as tissue paper or similar material, may be
used as long as they are clean and washed daily. The filter should be changed daily
or after every sneezing or coughing episode, and should be properly disposed of after
use. Hands should be washed/disinfected before replacing the filters.
v. Frequent mask handling and manipulation should be avoided.
b) Face shields
i. Face shields shall cover the entire face (completely cover the sides and length of the
face). If possible, face shields should extend to the ears and below the chin.
ii. Visor-type and masks should always be worn together when interacting with
colleagues, clients and/or visitors.
iii. Face shileds may be removed according to the demands of the work or when the
occupational safety and health of the employees so requires.
c) Physical Distancing
i. Physical distancing of at least one (1) meter or two (2) meters when possible, shall
be observed at all times. This must be practiced in combinations with the wearing of
masks and face shields.
d) Frequent Disinfection
286 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

i. Frequent handwashing with soap and water or the application of alcohol-based

disinfectants shall be mandatory in all workplaces and is encouraged to be practiced
at home.
ii. The following disinfecting/washing resources, supplies/materials should be made
available to employees and clients/visitors:
a. hand washing stations
b. soap and sanitizers
c. hand drying equipment or supplies (e.g. single use paper towel)
iii. Display of signages/visual cus and reminders to practice proper handwashing and
other hygiene behaviors among employees is mandatory. These include:
a. Hand washing with soap and water, or use of hand disinfectants with alcohol-
based sanitizers specifically, but not limited to, the following instances:
i. After using the bathroom
ii. Before and after taking off their face mask and/or face shield
iii. After touching frequently-touched surfaces and objects (e.g. stair
railings, elevator controls, door knobs)
iv. Before and after touching their face
b. Advising employees to conduct surface disinfection in their work stations
before the start of the shift, intermittently during shift and at the end of the
shift.
c. Discouraging sharing of personal items between employees to prevent
possible transmission
d. Advising
i. Before and after handling food or eating
SHUTTLE SERVICES
• Should be consistend with IATF Resolution 69:
• Large private establishments with total assets above P 100,000,000 located inside special
economic zones or other areas under Investment are REQUIRED to provide shuttle services
to their employees. In case, they cannot financially sustain this provision, they can adopt
alternative work arrangements, vouchers for TNVS, cost sharing or other alternative
arrangements
• Employers may contract the services of public utility vehicles to subsidize public transport
operations.
MOST AT RISK EMPLOYEES (MARP) AND 18-21

YEARS OF AGE
Maybe allowed to work for 8 hours provided they are certified to be fit to work by an OH
physician and or government physician WITH OH TRAINING UNDER RULE 1967 OF
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS
Still, whenever applicable and possible, they are still advised to have work from home
arrangement.
287 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

DESIGNATION OF ISOLATION AREA

• Isolation a rea of 1 room every 200 employees shall be based on the average number of
employees actually reporting to work per shift.
• Isolation areas maybe outside of establishments provided that they are within control of the
employer, the facility is readily available when necessary and a temporary holding facility is
setup within the immediate vicinity of the workplace/building.
• Establishments may also make arrangements with nearby treatment and monitoring facilities
or Barangay Local Government Unit.
CLOSURE AND DISINFECTION OF

WORKPLACES
• Companies are encouraged to establish their company policies on temporary closure,
disinfection and contact tracing. Proactive disinfection is strongly encouraged.
• Granular lockdown may be allowed provided that a company policy/OSH program ensures
safe entry of employees.
• Shorter lockdown period is allowed provided that the safety of employees is ensured under
company policy/OSH program and a certificate of return to work from specialists is secured.
• AC units may be set according to nature of operations. Malls and shopping centers may set it
at 24 degrees centigrade.
• The bottomline is that the OSH committee of the company especially the OH team analyzes
the situation based on company processes and needs and decides on what to do.
• DOLE DTI recognizes that the OSH committee of each company knows the company more
than anyone and hence they should decide on what to do based on company processes.
ASSISTANCE AND REPORTING

DTI and DOLE shall extend assistance and technical support to all workplaces, employers and
workers in complying with the Guidelines.
The employer shall provide the DOLE through its Regional Office, copy furnished the DOH,
monthly reporting of illness, diseases and injuries utilizing the DOLE Work Accident/Illness
Report Form (WAIR).
REDUCE CONTACT
1. Most-at-risk population (MARP) for COVID-19 in the workplace (e.g. senior citizens,
pregnant women, individuals with underlying health conditions) and those below 21 years old,
shall continue to observe work-from-home arrangements. When needed to occasionally report to
work, they may be allowed to, provided a certificate of fit to work is secured from the OSH
personnel and must stay in the workplace only for a specified number of hours. They shall limit
physical contact inside the premises.
2. Restriction of mass gatherings:
a. Depending on the risk classification of the workplace locality, as defined by IATF’s
risk severity grading, Employers shall follow the restriction on mass gatherings, (i.e only
10% of seating capacity for meeting rooms in high/moderate-risk areas (e.g. confined
288 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020
spaces) and a maximum of 50% seating capacity for low-risk areas (e.g. open areas)).
b. Videoconferencing shall always be used for meetings needing large attendance of
employees and/or for meetings lasting longer than 15 minutes.
c. The safety officer, which refers to any employee or officer of the company trained by
the DOLE and tasked by the employer to implement an occupational safety and health
program, and ensure that it is in accordance with the provisions of OSH standards, will
determine the maximum number of employees allowed to stay at any given time in areas
where they usually converge during breaks, or before/after work shifts (e.g. canteens,
locker rooms, changing rooms, lounges, rest rooms or comfort rooms). The safety officer
shall ensure that minimum public health standards are followed at all times.
3. Employers shall adopt staggered meal schedules to further restrict contact among its
employees. Eating alone in the workstation is highly encouraged. Dining in canteens may be
allowed provided that employees shall strictly comply with the physical distancing of at least one
(1) meter and shall be prohibited from talking with each other. Employers are required to provide
signages, physical barriers, and such other means to ensure compliance with these protocols.
To ensure compliance with the physical distancing requirements, employers may set up makeshift
dining areas to complement canteens in the workplace.
a. Masks should be immediately worn after eating.
b. Use of communal items such as, but not limited to, dipping sauces and condiments,
utensil dispensers, and straw dispensers shall be prohibited.
c. Serving of buffet meals and other similar set-ups shall be prohibited.
4. Employers shall, as much as practicable, minimize the duration of customer transactions to
less than 15 minutes.
REDUCE DURATION OF INFECTION

1. Detection.
All employees, upon entering the building premises/workplaces, shall be required to accomplish
the Health Declaration Form, or any digital iteration thereof. The security staff or other
responsible personnel shall immediately screen the accomplished form and perform a temperature
check.
a. If “Yes” to any item is answered or if with a T> 37.5 degrees Celsius, the employee
shall be denied entry and referred to the workplace isolation area for further evaluation
by the Safety Officer.
b. If “No” to all items are answered and temperature is <37.5 degrees Celsius, the
employee shall be permitted entry.
c. The security staff or other responsible personnel on duty shall immediately give the
accomplished health declaration form to the company Human Resources (HR) for
appropriate action and storage.
d. Should an online health declaration form be used, the form should be electronically
submitted to HR.
e. The Health Declaration Form shall be handled and processed in accordance with the
Data Privacy Act and related issuances to ensure that –
i. Data collected should only include such necessary data proportional to the
purpose of contract tracing;
ii. The processing of personal data shall be transparent and that the data subjects
shall be apprised of the reasons for such collection;
iii. Reasonable and appropriate security measures and safeguards shall be
implemented to protect the personal data collected;
iv. The personal data collected shall be considered highly confidential; and
v. The personal data shall be stored only for a limited period and shall be disposed
of properly after thirty (30) days from date of accomplishment.
289 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020
2. Employers shall direct symptomatic individuals through appropriate health system entry points
such as the primary care facility (e.g. Barangay Health Center, Infirmaries, Private Clinics /
hospitals) or telehealth consultation. Referral networks shall be established.
3. Employers may contact the DOH through its hotline 1555 for guidance on the handling and
referring symptomatic employees.
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH COMMITTEES (OSH COMMITTEES)

A. Employers shall establish OSH Committees in accordance with Republic Act No. 11058, its
IRR, and DOLE Department Order No. 198, Series of 2018 which took effect on 25 January
2019.
B. The OSH Committee and/or safety officer of the workplace shall oversee enforcement and
monitoring of the minimum public health standards for COVID-19 prevention in the workplace
and this JMC.
C. Monitoring by the OSH Committees shall include evaluation and analysis of the company’s
implementation of the minimum health standards and protocols to immediately address the spread
of COVID-19 in the workplace, if any, and recommend and implement appropriate preventive
measures. Health surveillance may be conducted to determine the cause/s of the
spread/transmission of the virus in the workplace.
D. For 2 or more private establishments housed under the same building, a joint OSH Committee
shall also be established in accordance with DOLE Department Order No. 198, Series of 2018.
They may share resources for a successful implementation of a comprehensive OSH Program,
including a COVID-19 Prevention and Control Program.
SAMPLE PROTOCOL FOR SCREENING

EMPLOYEES AND VISITORS
290 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

HEALTH CHECKLIST
291 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

REFERENCES:
1. Dole Occupational Health and Safety Standard (As Amended, 1989)
2. www.DOLE.gov.ph
3. RA 9514 Fire Code of the Philippines Revised Edition 2019
4. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3071.pdf
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Job Hazard Analysis
OSHA 3017 (2002 Revised)
5. http://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/managing/emergency.htm
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Emergency Procedure
6. https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/noisehearingconservation/evaluation.html
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Occupational Noise
Exposure
7. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/3120.html
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Control of Hazardous
Energy Lockout/Tagout OSHA 3120 (2002 Revised)
8. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3151.pdf
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Personal Protective
Equipment OSHA 3151
9. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/Mach_SafeGuard/chapt1.html
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Machine Safeguarding
10. http://www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/introduction.htm
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Introduction to Human factors
11. http://www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/topics/08communications.pdf
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Human Factors Briefing Note No. 8 Safety-
Critical Communications
12. http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/lwit/assets/downloads/communications-
toolbox-talks.pdf
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Leadership and worker involvement toolkit.
Communication skills for safety briefings and toolbox talks.
13. http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg345.pdf
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Health and safety training A brief guide
INDG345 (rev1)
14. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA2236/osha2236.html
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Materials Handling and
Storage
15. http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/prevention/effectiv.html
Canadian Centre for Occupational Safety and Health (CCOSH) Effective
Workplace Inspections
16. https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/investig.html
Canadian Centre for Occupational Safety and Health (CCOSH) Incident
Investigation
292 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

IMPORTANT NOTES:
293 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

294 BOSH 2020_REV. 2/1/6/2020

BASIC OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
0 BOSH 2020/REV.2/1/6/2020

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1 BOSH 2020_REV.

ROLE OF SAFETY OFFICERS 18

INTRODUCTION TO HAZARD IDENTIFICATION RISK ASSESSMENT AND CONTROL

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAFETY AND HEALTH HAZARDS? 26

UNSAFE ACT AND UNSAFE CONDITION 28

MODULE 2 - WORKPLACE RISK ASSESSMENT 32

IMPROPER HANDLING OF MATERIAL 51

CLASSIFICATION OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH HAZARDS 63

HEALTH HAZARD IDENTIFICATION 83

GLOBALLY HARMONIZED SYSTEM OF CLASSIFICATION AND LABELLING OF

MODULE 2.2.A - WORKPLACE ENVIROMENT MEASUREMENT 98

PURPOSE OF WORK ENVIROMENT MEASUREMENT (WEM) 102

EVALUATION OF HEALTH HAZARDS 103

MEDICAL SCREENING AND MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE 107

PURPOSE OF MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE 109

2 BOSH 2020_REV. 3/09/16/2021

STEPS IN DEVELOPING A MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE PLAN 111

MODULE 2.2.C- WORKPLACE RISK ASSESSMENT 117

RISK MATRIX 120

WORKPLACE CLASSIFICATION BASED ON RISK 124

CONTROL OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES 139

MODULE 3: ACCIDENT CAUSATION: RISKY WORKPLACE AND RISKY WORKERS –

DOCUMENTATION AND RECORD KEEPING 194

MODULE 4: INTEGRATING ACTIVITY – SAFETY INSPECTION 199

OSH COMMITTEE MEETING 213

MODULE 6 – RESPONSES TO OSH ISSUES AND CONCERN 216

DIFFERENT TYPE OF EMERGENCIES 217

ELEMENTS OF AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN 218

FIRE CODE REQUIREMENT FOR A FIRE BRIGADE ORGANIZATION/ DISASTER RISK

COMPENSABLE DISEASES 235

COMPENSABILITY OF INJURIES 236

3 BOSH 2020_REV. 3/09/16/2021

REQUIREMENTS IN AVAILING ECP BENEFITS 237

MODULE 6.3 - OSH LEGISLATION 238

OSH REPORTORIAL REQUIREMENTS 242

RA 11058, DO-198, OTHER ISSUANCES 245

4 BOSH 2020_REV. 3/09/16/2021

Trainers in T-Shirts (TNT), along with its other internationally-accredited

GENERAL COURSE OBJECTIVES:

This Module will help participants to:

• Create an understanding of the BOSH Course and the importance of safety

• Recognized work hazards assessed the risks and recommend control

5 BOSH 2020_REV. 3/09/16/2021

OUTLINE OF BOSH COURSE:

By the end of this course, PARTICIPANTS should be able to:

• Develop awareness on the current Philippine Statistics on accidents/injuries

• Learn the Roles of Safety Officers in the OSH implementation

• Create an Understanding of the causes of accidents, recognized

• Know the reporting requirements of the Department of Labor and

• Create an understanding of OSH Committee and its functions and

• Prepare a toolbox talk topic and conduct a 5 minutes TBT to determine

• Gain basic knowledge of different workplace emergencies and identify

• Gain knowledge about the employee compensation program and

• Identify and describe the components of a health and safety program

These objectives can be accomplished by understanding OSH, why it is

6 BOSH 2020_REV. 3/09/16/2021

WHAT IS OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (OSH)?

Occupational safety deals with understanding the causes of accidents at work

Occupational health is a broad concept which explains how the different

Industrial hygiene discusses the identification, evaluation, and control of

“In its broadest sense, OSH aims at:

• the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical,

• the prevention of adverse health effects of the working conditions