Engaging Company Nurses on Safety and Compensation

A total of (35) company nurses from various organizations attended the (1) day seminar entitled, “Seminar in Occupational Safety & Health and Employees Compensation for Company Nurses” this June 3, 2016, at the Conference Room, DOLE-Region 6, Swan Rose Building, Commission Civil, Jaro, Iloilo City. The activity was organized by the Employees Compensation Commission (ECC) in collaboration with the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office 6.

On behalf of the Regional Director, Ma. Agnes N. Capigon, Technical Support Services Division (TSSD) Chief of DOLE-RO6, welcomed the participants. She expressed that each of us, nurse or not, should be active advocates of safety and health. Where we work, it is our social responsibility to help each other in the implementation of OSH.

Topics facilitated were the following

• Prevention (Unsafe/Unhealthy Acts & Conditions in the Workplace)
• Compensation (Employers’ Responsibilities: Records, Reports, and Penal Provisions
• Rehabilitation (Katulong at Gabay sa Manggagawang may Kapansanan)
• Rule 1960: Occupational Health Services
• Good housekeeping (5S)

Mr. Melveen Melocoton, administrative officer of OSHC-REU6, introduced the OSHC, its mandate, programs, and services. Also, he discussed the basics on accident causation and facilitated a workshop on the identification and enumeration of unsafe/unhealthy acts and conditions in the workplace. In addition, he also discussed the standards on general occupational health services where he emphasized the qualifications of an occupational health nurse and his duties and responsibilities in the workplace. Lastly, the participants familiarized themselves on the annual medical report template.

Mr. Stephene Barredo, Information Officer of ECC-REU6, introduced the ECC, its mandate, programs, and services. Also, he explained the provisions of the employees compensation program and its processes.

Atty. Ma. Ailyne Valaquio, Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board (RTWPB)-6 representative, discussed the fundamentals of good housekeeping and the 5S approach.

The (1) day seminar, in collaboration with DOLE, OSHC, and ECC, was the first of its kind in the region that was customized for occupational health nurses for them to be capacitated with the basic knowledge on the ECP’s prevention, compensation and rehabilitation components, with focus on the employer’s responsibilities, occupational health services, and legislations.