CTU construction work still on hold

CEBU, Philippines — Address the unsafe workplace issues and comply with the labor requirements.

Lawyer Alvin Villamor, regional director of the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas, gave these conditions for the labor department to lift its work stoppage order on the construction work of the Cebu Technological University-Main Campus’ administrative building.

DOLE issued recently a work stoppage order against CTU and its contractor, PLD Construction, after a construction worker died.

Antonio Allanec, 50, a native of Dumanjug town, died after he fell from the third floor of the building on June 27.

“We found out that while working on the ongoing demolition of CTU’s administrative building, Antonio fell from the third floor to the ground after a corrugated bar got hold of his clothes while attempting to move some debris,” said Villamor.

DOLE discovered several deficiencies following its occupational safety and health investigation (OSHI).

According to DOLE, the contractor lacks DOLE-approved construction safety and health program; construction safety trained officers;  Philippine Red Cross-trained first aider;  personal protective equipment; standby emergency vehicle;  methodology/procedure in doing demolition works; demolition permit issued by the local building official;  incident report using the DOLE-prescribed form; and safety orientation among workers.

DOLE-7 Information Officer Luchel Taniza said though the contractor has partially corrected the violations noted.

But the contractor failed to submit a demolition permit and no proof was attached as to the safety orientation among workers, she said.

Taniza added that the submitted DOLE-approved construction safety and health program is still subject for verification.

She said DOLE-7 will not lift its work stoppage order until all its conditions are met.

“We will only lift the work stoppage order once all noted unsafe practices exposing the workers to imminent danger shall have been addressed and all requirements complied,”  she said.

Lawyer Roy Buenafe, DOLE-7 assistant director, who presided over the June 29 mandatory conference with the concerned stakeholders, called on contractors and establishment owners to comply with safety and health standards in the workplace.

“Safety can never be compromised. It is never negotiable. Until all safety requirements are not religiously observed, then this office could not also lift the stoppage order we issued earlier,” he said. (FREEMAN)