OSHC remains ISO certified, provides services to 100-K workers in 2016
MANILA, Dec. 30 (PNA) — The Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) remains steadfast in its mandate to protect workers against accidents and illnesses at the workplace and to promote workers’ welfare, its chief has said.
“After undergoing surveillance audit for recertification of our systems by the TUV Rheinland, the pioneering international certification body in the Philippines, OSHC has maintained its ISO 9001:2008 certification. It was our last surveillance audit and we will be transitioning to ISO 9001:2015 by next year,” the center’s executive director, Maria Teresita Cucueco, said after reporting to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III that the center has maintained its ISO 9001:2008 certification.
The OSHC is an attached agency of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
The second surveillance audit was conducted last Dec. 22 and with no non-conformities, the OSHC remains ISO certified for five major processes: in-house Basic Occupational Safety and Health (BOSH) training, information dissemination, occupational safety and health audit, conduct of work environment measurement, and biological monitoring for heavy metals. These also include support processes, such as human resource, purchasing, billing, repair and maintenance of IT equipment, security, and general services.
For its efforts in maintaining its ISO certification, the OSHC was recognized by the Government Quality Management Committee (GQMC), chaired by Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, for adopting the ISO Quality Management System Standards, particularly in front-line services.
Cucueco also noted that in 2016, the OSHC provided occupational safety and health (OSH) services to 106,620 Filipino workers.
These include 36,527 workers from 14,681 companies who participated in the mandatory and specialized occupational safety and health trainings throughout the country; 69,203 workers from 193 companies who benefited from the Work Environment Measurement (WEM); 827 workers from 15 companies who benefited from blood testing for heavy metals, biologic monitoring and medical examinations; and 40 consultants and 23 safety training organizations who were accredited.
As the national authority for research and training on safety and health at work, OSHC conducts research on the national OSH profile of the Philippines, compensable diseases in the Philippines, OSH for young workers in the construction industry, OSH conditions of self-employed workers in Metro Manila, working conditions in the movie and TV industry, and work-related injuries and diseases among Filipino seafarers. (PNA)
CVL/PR-DOLE/RSM
