Republic Act No. 11058, or the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Act, requires all workplaces to have a Safety Officer who will oversee the overall management of its safety and health programs, in coordination with Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Committee of the establishment. The number and qualifications of Safety Officers will depend on the total number of workers and equipment; the size of the work area, and other criteria as may be prescribed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
One becomes a Safety Officer by taking up a course related to OSH. A Safety Officer has four ranks or categories, and one climbs a level higher as he or she gains actual OSH experience and takes up more related training courses.
Photo credit: Facebook/OSHC
The Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC), an attached agency of the DOLE, offers training programs related to OSH, aside from conducting occupational health examinations, work environment measurement (WEM), and testing of personal protective equipment.
The following are the core courses required for all Safety Officers:
Basic Occupational Safety and Health Training
A mandatory training course for Safety Officer, it aims to equip participants with the necessary knowledge and skills on identifying safety, health, and environmental hazards; determining appropriate control measures, and developing and implementing OSH policies and programs. An almost similar course is
The Construction Safety and Health Training is the core OSH training required for Safety Officers in the construction industry.
Construction Safety
This is a one-day seminar that discusses the general safety and health measures needed in construction sites.
Meanwhile, there are other training courses that OSHC offers:
Photo credit: Facebook/OSHC
Basic
- Appreciation Course on OSH
- Appreciation Course for a Drug-Free Workplace
Intermediate
- Crane Safety (In-Plant)
- Forklift Safety (In-Plant)
- Training on Managing Emerging Health Issues in the Workplace
Advanced
- Seminar on the Safe Use of Chemicals at Work
- Training on Industrial Ventilation
- Work Environment Measurement Training Workshop
- Training on Assessment Teams for a Drug-Free Workplace
- Training or the Work-Relatedness of Diseases
- Training on Ergonomics in the Workplace
- Scaffold Safety Training (Installation and Dismantling)
- Training of Trainers on OSH
For more information about these training courses, please visit the OSHC website at www.oshc.dole.gov.ph.
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