Kick Start of Construction Safety and Health Training in Bacolod

OIC-Regional Director Cyril L. Ticao
giving his welcome address.

A total of 48 participants attended the DOLE-mandated construction safety and health training for CY2017. It was conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) in cooperation with the Department of Labor and Employment - Negros Island Region (DOLE-NIR), and the Safety Organization of Negros Occidental, Incorporated (SONO, Inc.) last February 20-24, at the Sugar Workers Development Center, Cottage Rd., Bacolod City.

DOLE-NIR OIC-Regional Director Cyril L. Ticao, welcomed the participants and thanked the facilitators for their full support in the capacity building of safety officers in the region. "Don't take the training for granted. We will assist you in very step of the way to keep our workers safe and healthy. You will be the contact of DOLE in partnership for the promotion of the welfare, protection, and promotion of the people," he said.

Participants having their workshop.

OSHC-REU6 Administrative Officer, Melveen Melocoton, restated that the training is a basic requirement towards a career in occupational safety and health for safety officers. Afterward, the participants should do their best to acquire the credentials required to level up in becoming DOLE-accredited OSH practitioners and later on as OSH consultants.

"We will enhance our collaboration with the DOLE-NIR and the SONO, Inc. to further schedule more training in the region. One of them is the ergonomics training which will be conducted by the OSHC on Mar. 1-2, at Bacolod Pavillon Hotel," he added.

Site visit activity

During the training, the participants visited (2) on-going construction sites from Almana Construction Development Corporation and J. Santos Construction Inc. to provide an actual situation of unsafe conditions, hazards and good points on OSH by each contractor. Then, the consolidated report on assessments and recommendations will be given to the contractors to serve as free safety and health audit of their projects.

With the training of more competent safety officers in the region, the attainment of a healthy, well-protected working population in the region is at hand.//MM