Labor to DoLE: Check workplaces thoroughly

A big labor group has called on the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) to intensify its inspection of workplaces to ensure that health standards are observed.

“Workers’ health and safety is vital in keeping our economy alive despite the nationwide health and economic crisis caused by Covid-19 pandemic,” said Gerard Seno, national executive vice president of the Associated Labor Unions.

Aside from routine disinfection of offices, enterprises and business establishments, employees should be provided with companypaid face masks, gloves, alcohol and soap, and other personal protective equipment, Seno said.

The group appealed to employers to consider giving hazard pay to employees exposed to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) while performing their jobs.

Sen. Emmanuel Joel Villanueva, chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resource Development, agreed that the Labor department should intensify its inspection of workplaces to ensure that occupational safety and health (OSH) standards are being followed.

Compliance with OSH standards, the lawmaker pointed out, could help control infection and protect workers in industries allowed to resume operations.

“Disease surveillance remains the only option we have so far to prevent the spread of the virus, but given the upward trend of cases, it shows we are failing to do contact tracing efficiently,” said Villanueva.

“At the very least, DoLE must monitor the compliance of workplaces on OSH regulations in light of the pandemic, especially whether they practice social [or physical] distancing and other safety measures, to minimize the risk of workers being infected.”

Depending on the industry or sector, employers can only allow in workplaces 50 percent of their manpower at most and implement alternative work arrangements in the interim such as telecommuting, among others.

“With the help of DoLE, we hope that employers consider adopting workfrom-home policies in their organizations given the new normal. Such work arrangement helps maintain productivity while reducing the likelihood of our workers from getting sick of Covid-19,” said Villanueva, author of Republic Act 11165, the work-fromhome law.