ITOGON, Benguet – The Itogon Suyoc Resources, Inc. (ISRI) was recently conferred by the Cordillera office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-CAR) the coveted Safety Seal certificate after having been found to be compliant with the prescribed minimum public health standards to ensure the health and safety of its employees and the people transacting business in the mine site.
Last week, the regional director of the Cordillera office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-CAR) Nathaniel Lacambra sent a notice of approval to ISRI for its compliance to the guidelines governing the issuance of the company’s Safety Seal certificate pursuant to DOLE-DOH-DILG-Dot-DTI Joint Memorandum Circular No. 21-01.
The DOLE-CAR advised the mining company to properly display the issued Safety Seal certificate at the mine site’s main entrance.
The ISRI’s Safety Seal certificate was issued by DOLE-CAR based on the conduct of inspection and validation of the company’s compliance with minimum public health standards and other requirements of the Safety Seal certificate program of the concerned government agencies.
However, Lacambra stated that the Safety Seal certificate issued to the company shall be surrendered to the DOLE-Car upon expiry or in the event that the same will be revoked.
LSRI president Luis R. Sarmiento stated that the company’s compliance to the guidelines of the Safety Seal certificate as mandated by the inter-agency task force for the management of infectious diseases is part of its adherence to the practice of responsible mining for the overall safety of its workers and the people living in its host and neighboring communities.
Under this joint memorandum, the issuing authorities of the Safety Seal for information technology and business process management establishments and for dental clinics shall be the DOLE and local government units, respectively.
Further, designated safety officers shall be in charge of the enforcement of minimum public health standards in their respective establishments and workplaces.
On the other hand, designated safety officers who have not undertaken the required training and qualification as provided under DOLE Department Order No. 198, series of 2018 or the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act (RA) No. 11058 and that they shall comply with the training requirement which may be availed for free at DOLE or at any DOLE accredited training organizations.
The said circular mandates establishments to promote the proper disposal of the face masks through signages in designated facilities for disposal of used face masks and infectious waste.
Moreover, proprietors of air conditioned indoor establishments and works places are highly encouraged to procure carbon dioxide detectors to better monitor adequacy of ventilation. The level of the carbon dioxide must be below 1,000 parts per million at all times inside their establishments. Once the level exceeds 1,000 parts per million, establishments shall implement corrective measures such as reducing the number of persons inside or opening closed doors and windows until carbon dioxide is lowered to the acceptable threshold.
