BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on third and final reading a proposed ordinance mandating all construction companies and contractors doing business in the city to provide an independent safety officer in their construction sites to ensure the safety of all its workers.
The ordinance authored by Councilors Leandro B. Yangot, Jr., Michael Lawana and Maria Mylen Victoria G. Yaranon state the proposed measure aims to elevate the quality and competitiveness of the local construction industry by promoting the development and improvement of the industry and to promote good practices in the construction business on matters of occupational safety and health, project management, supervision and other areas conducive to improving construction quality.
The ordinance stipulated the provisions of the measure will apply to all construction activities, including demolition, whether owned by the private or government sectors and within the jurisdiction of the local government.
The ordinance added the employer or contractor shall employ at least one independent construction safety officer possessing the necessary qualifications and competencies on the construction site depending on the number of works and that the employer may determine all matters relating to the remuneration of its employees and other terms and conditions to their appointment or employment subject to the protection afforded by the country’s labor laws, rules and regulations.
According to the ordinance, the minimum number of required safety and health officers shall be 1 part-time safety officer for 1-50 workers employed in hazardous project sites; 1 full-time safety officer for 1-50 workers in highly hazardous project sites; 1 fulltime safety officer for 51-200 workers in hazardous sites; 1 full-time and 1 part-time safety officer for 51-200 workers in highly hazardous sites; 1 full-time and 1 part-time safety officer for 201-250 workers employed in hazardous project sites; 2 full-time and 1 part-time safety officers for 201-250 workers employed in highly hazardous project sites; 2 full-time safety officers for 251-500 workers employed in hazardous project areas 2 full-time and 1 part-time safety officers for 251-500 workers employed in highly hazardous sites.
The ordinance emphasized there will be additional 1 full-time safety officer to be hired by the construction companies for every 500 additional workers or a fraction of the same, especially in hazardous project areas and there will also be 1 additional full-time safety officer to be hired by construction companies for every additional 250 workers or a fraction of the same in highly hazardous project sites.
Within 15 days after any construction operation have commenced, the ordinance claimed the contractors will be mandated to inform the City Building and Architecture Office (CBAO) in a form specified by the latter on their compliance to the provisions of the measure.
Under the provisions of the ordinance, any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with the said requirement will be liable to be imposed the sanctions specifically a fine of P5,000 for every violation or imprisonment of 6 months or both at the discretion of the court without prejudice to the filing of administrative, civil or criminal charges against the identified violators. By Dexter A. See