WHAT IS SAFETY?

Safetyisthestateofbeing"safe"
theconditionofbeingprotected
fromharmorothernon-desirable
outcomes.Safetycanalsorefer
to
thecontrolofrecognizedhazards
inordertoachieveanacceptable
levelofrisk.

OCCUPATIONAL
SAFETY AND

Progress of OSH Legislations in the Philippines

1903-DevelopmentofOSH(OccupationalSafety
andHealth)inthePhilippines
1908-EmployersLiabilityActwasinstituted
requiringemployerstocompensateworkers
who
wereinjuredwhileperformingtheirjob
1908BureauofLaborwascreated.
1927-WorkmensCompensationActNo.3428
waspassedprovidingpaymentofdamages
bytheemployerforillnesses,inadditionto
injuryordeathduetoemployment

1933-BureauofLaborwasnamedDepartmentof
LaboronDec.8,1933.

1936- CommonwealthActNo.104waspassed.First
legislationdirectlyenjoiningmanagementto ensurethe
promotionofOSHintheworkplace.
Knownasthe
First Industrial Safety Law
1945-CommonwealthActNo.696wasapprovedto
includesafetyintheinstallationandoperation of
boilersandpressurevessels.
1948-PhilippinesbecameamemberofILO
(InternationalLaborOrganization)
1954-EnactmentofRANo.1054(FreeEmergency
Medical&DentalTreatmentAct)
1957BureauofLaborStandardswascreated.
1959-SOPI(SafetyOrganizationofthePhilippines)was
organized

1967-ProclamationNo.115-Awasissueddeclaringtheyear&
everyyearthereafterasSAFETY & ACCIDENT
PREVENTION YEAR
January -GeneralOrientation
February-AirTransportation
March -FirePrevention
April

-VacationHazards

May

-LandTransportation

June

-SeaTransportation

July

-Schools

August -Farms
September-HealthandSanitation
October -Industry&Commerce
November-Mines
December-HolidayHazards&Homes

1977-Tripartitebodywascreatedtostudythe
proposedOSHS(OccupationalSafetyand Health
Standard)
1978-OSHSwasapproved.NatlTripartite

Committeewascreatedtocontinuestudythe
improvementoftheOSHS
1982BLS(BureauofLaborStandards)renamedas
BWC(BureauofWorkingConditions)
1984-Tripartiteconsultationwasheldtoamend
OSHSRule1410(ConstructionSafety).

1988- OSHC(OccupationalSafetyAndHealthCenter)
wascreatedpursuanttoEO307.Firstin Southeast
Asia
1989- FirstmajorrevisionofOSHS
1996-Tripartiteconsultationworkshopheldto discussthe
amendmentsofRule1030
1998-DO13wasissued.TripartiteCouncilon OSHin
ConstructionIndustrywascreated.
1998-PassedMCNo.02seriesof1998-Guidelinesfor
ClassifyingHazardousandNon-Hazardous
Workplaces
1999 - ASPPI(AssociationofSafetyPractitionersofthe
Philippines,Inc.)wasorganized.1stGen.Assembly
ConventionofDOLEAccreditedSafetyProfessionals
held

&
was

2000-MCNo.01s2000-GuidelinesfortheConductofWEA
(WorkplaceEnvironmentAssessment)
-MCNo.02s2000-GuidelinesintheApplicationof
WorkplaceComponentofRA8504knownas
Phil.AIDSPrevention&ControlActof1998
2001-ApprovedAmendmentstoRules1030,1160,1170,
1180oftheOSHS
20021stmeeting/gatheringofDOLE-BWCAccredited
SafetyTraining&TestingOrganizations
-Department Order (DO) 53-03, s 2003
Implementationof aDrug-FreeWorkplacePolicies
and
ProceduresforthePrivateSector.
2003-OrganizationofATOPInc.forOSH.Renamedas
ASHTOPInc.in2004.
2004DepartmentOrder(DO)57-04,s2004(NewLabor
StandardsEnforcementFramework)was issued.

ILO - International Labor Organization

R.A. - Republic Act
SOPI - Safety Organization of the Philippines
Tripartite - Representatives of the trade union
organisations, the employers and the
government
OSHS - Occupational Safety and Health
Standard
BLS - Bureau of Labor Standards
BWC - Bureau of Working Conditions
OSHC - Occupational Safety And Health
Center
E.O. Executive Order
D.O. Department Order
ASPPI - Association of Safety Practitioners of
the Philippines, Inc.