LEGAZPI CITY — The Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) office in Bicol is set to launch its “Zero Accident and Bi-Safe-Patrol” campaign that aims to instill safety consciousness among workers and promote accident-free workplaces, especially at the barangay level within the region.
The barangay holds a vital role in the construction industry here and it is but proper that the safety of workers and health in the workplace are assured, DOLE Regional Director Rovelinda dela Rosa told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview Friday.
The campaign will start with a motorcade on Monday from Peñaranda Park here and will be followed by its launch and orientation at the Bicol University College of Science.
“We are expecting more than 200 participants in the campaign, mostly coming from the barangay levels and construction companies,” dela Rosa said.
The Zero Accident Program (ZAP) is a safety program of DOLE, the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC), and the Bureau of Working Condition’s (BWC) Occupational Safety Standards (OSS).
The OSHC is the national authority for research and training on matters pertaining to safety and health at work. It provides the expertise and intervention mechanism to improve workplace conditions in the Philippines.
It is mandated to protect workers through the preventive approach to reduce or eliminate occupational accidents and illnesses and promote workers’ welfare through the effective implementation of programs that would enhance productivity and subsequently contribute to national economic development efforts.
The BWC, on the other hand, is a staff bureau of the DOLE that primarily performs policy and program development and advisory functions for the department in the administration and enforcement of laws relating to working conditions.
The campaign is aimed at stirring public awareness on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), especially in construction sites, dela Rosa explained.
It is expected to help decrease the number of accidents in the construction industry, she added. (Connie Destura/PNA)
