Iloilo City.  The Department of Labor and Employment Region 6 issued anew another Work Stoppage Order (WSO), this time to a frozen food maker located in Brgy. Mansaya, Bo. Obrero, Lapuz, Iloilo City as it intensifies the enforcement of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards in the Region.

The Order stemmed from the result of inspection conducted at the work site by the two labor inspectors on the day of the fatal accident after they learned of such information from the media reports.

Based on their reports, the fatal accident last June 22 happened in the mixing area of the said establishment when the worker’s right arm was caught by the paddles of the meat machine mixer and drowned his head in the mound of processed meat.

Other violations uncovered during the inspection include the non-reporting to the DOLE office within 24 hours such accident and non-compliance with other OSH standards like the designation of trained safety officer and non-registration of establishment to DOLE, among others.

DOLE Region 6 Director Cyril L. Ticao disclosed that this is the fourth time that the Region has issued WSO this 2019 due to fatal accidents which occurred in the workplaces and non-submission of reportorial requirements as prescribed by the OSH standards, among others.

“Non-reporting of such accident within 24 hours to the DOLE office is a violation of Sec. 29, Chap. VI of the DOLE Department Order No. 198-18, or the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 11058 which carries a penalty of Php30,000 per day. This is over and above other penalties applicable to the violations uncovered during the course inspection,” Ticao said.

“If the violation exposes the worker to death, serious injury and serious illness, the penalty is P100,000,” he added.

The other three WSOs were issued to a real estate developer and a mall in Mandurriao, Iloilo City on January 29 and March 25, respectively, and to a sugar central in Sagay City, Negros Occidental on May 21. Their violations include exposing the workers to death which carries a penalty of P100,000,  non-submission of report to DOLE within 24 hours, and other violations on OSH standards.

To lift the Work Stoppage Order (WSO), the management has to abate the imminent danger to the workers at the work site by installing immediately the necessary device/s that could help prevent further accident and pay the corresponding penalties as a result of the violations committed.