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(NAR) VOL.8 NO. 2 / APRIL - JUNE 1997

[ DOLE DEPARTMENT ORDER NO. 07, S. 1997, May 14, 1997 ]

PRESCRIBING GUIDELINES FOR THE WORK ACCIDENT AND RELATED LABOR EXIGENCIES RESPONSE TEAM (WORK-ALERT)

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In the interest of the service and, to ensure prompt response to major accidents or industrial disasters earlier enunciated in the Department Order No. 23, s. 1996, creating the Work Accident and related Labor Exigencies Response Team or Work-ALERT, the following guidelines are hereby prescribed.

SECTION 1.       All incident or occurrence is considered a major accident or industrial disaster when it results:

1.1.      in the death of at least one worker (regardless of the time intervening between injury and death), or in serious injuries resulting in at least permanent total disabilities; or

1.2.      in dangerous occurrences as defined under Rule 1053.02 of the Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHS), namely:

1.2.1. explosion of boilers used for heating or power;

1.2.2. explosion of receiver or storage container, with pressure greater than atmospheric, of any gas or gases (including air) or any liquid resulting from the compression of such gases or liquid;

1.2.3. bursting of a revolving wheel, grinderstone or grinding wheel operated by mechanical power;

1.2.4. collapse of crane, derrick winch, hoist or other appliances used in raising or lowering persons or goods or any part thereof, the over-turning of a crane, except the breakage of chain or rope sling;

1.2.5. explosion or fire causing damage to the structure of any room or place in which persons are employed or to any machine contained therein resulting in the complete suspension of ordinary work in such room or place or stoppage of machinery or plant for not less than twenty four (24) hours, and;

1.2.6. electrical short circuit or failure of electrical machinery, plant or apparatus, attended by explosion or fire causing structural damage thereto and involving its stoppage and misuse for not less than 24 hours.

SECTION 2.       The Regional Offices (ROs), through their respective Labor Standards Enforcement Divisions (LSEDs), shall investigate any fact, condition or matter relative to a major accident or industrial disaster within 24 hours upon receipt of the initial report of the said incident/occurrence.

In case of unavailability of the Regional Director and the Assistant Regional Director of the Regional Office with jurisdiction over the place of the reported accident or disaster, the head of the LSED is hereby authorized to respond immediately and promptly to the report. As such, the investigating team (IT) shall be given priority in the use of the necessary transportation, communication and other facilities available at the time of the report.

SECTION 3.       An initial report of investigation using a Bureau of Working Conditions (BWC)-prescribed form shall be submitted to the Office of the Undersecretary for Workers' Protection and Welfare, copy furnished the Office of Assistant Secretary for Regional Operations and BWC, within 24 hours after the conduct of the initial investigation.  A full and more comprehensive report (Form IP-6a) shall be submitted to the same offices, on or before the end of the month following the month of occurrence of the accident or disaster.

The BWC shall evaluate the final investigation report and shall provide feedback and/or supplementary recommendations when necessary.

SECTION 4.       Each Regional Office shall create a primary investigating team (IT) which will be automatically dispatched or mobilized to the accident/disaster site upon receipt of a report of a major accident or industrial disaster.  The list of IT members shall be provided to the BWC for reference purposes. The RO shall inform the Bureau in case of changes in the composition of the investigating team (IT).

SECTION 5.       The investigating team (IT) is enjoined to exert all the necessary efforts to document/record/retrieve all available information at the accident/disaster site to pinpoint reliably, the causes of the incident/occurrence.  Afterwards the team shall recommend appropriate measures to prevent the recurrence of the accident/disaster of the same type/magnitude.

Where and when necessary, they shall make use of the basic measuring instruments and safety equipment in the conduct of said investigation, particularly in hazardous and high-risk establishments or workplaces. Result of said measurements and tests conducted shall form part of the investigation report and RO records.

SECTION 6.       The Regional Offices shall see to it that continuous reliable communication facilities and adequate alert systems necessary for speedy transmission and reception of messages are in place; and where such are inadequate, shall allocate the necessary budget for their procurement and maintenance.

SECTION 7.       The Regional Offices shall integrate Work ALERT in its present information dissemination activities and labor education programs to ensure the widest possible level of awareness of the DOLE's publics.

SECTION 8.       Technical and other Assistance from DOLE Central Offices.

8.1.      When necessary, additional expertise or special assistance may be requested from the BWC, the Occupational Safety and Health Center, the Employees Compensation Commission or any other DOLE office or agency. All data gathered, conclusions and recommendations by the staff of these offices shall form part of the final investigation report.

8.2.      The BWC, the OSHC and the ECC shall provide the Regional Offices and the Information Publication Service with basic advocacy/information materials which are related to Work-ALERT.

SECTION 9.       The BWC shall continuously monitor major accident trends all over the country so as to develop and implement policies, training activities and other programs on these trends, and on other relevant Work-ALERT topics/areas.

SECTION 10.    The concerned DOLE offices shall exert all necessary efforts to ensure upgrading and/or acquisition of transportation, communication and other facilities or equipment that will enhance the performance and effectiveness of Work ALERT.

For strict compliance by all concerned.

Adopted: 14 May 1997

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