DOLE orders inspection on ongoing infra projects to secure workers’ safety
By Niña Jonalyn B. Gambe-Diamante
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Caraga deployed 24 labor inspectors from different parts of the region to conduct a region-wide audit of high-rise construction projects, beginning with Butuan City from June 8 to 12. The move followed the directive of DOLE Secretary Francis Tolentino after the collapse of a nine‑storey building in Central Luzon that trapped several workers.
The inspection in Butuan City covered 49 buildings, both under construction and existing, to ensure strict compliance with occupational safety and health (OSH) standards to protect workers from workplace hazards.
“This is all part of the mandate of Secretary Francis Tolentino, to ensure that workers’ safety must be paramount in our considerations as we conduct our labor inspections,” said DOLE Caraga Regional Director Jason P. Balais.
Among the minimum criteria checked by inspectors were worker training on occupational safety, compliance with the wearing of complete safety gear or personal protective equipment (PPE), and the designation and presence of safety officers and first-aiders—all mandated under Republic Act No. 11058. Inspectors also reviewed compliance with labor laws, including minimum wage and mandatory benefits.
The audit comes in the wake of the recent magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Mindanao, which caused the collapse of several establishments and heightened public concern over workplace safety.
Balais reiterated another provision of RA 11058, which grants workers the right to refuse unsafe work: “An employee can actually refuse work if an imminent danger has been established in the workplace, protecting them from possible repercussions, whether from their employer. Under the same law, the safety officers themselves are even empowered to declare a work stoppage order if, upon their assessment, the workplace is no longer safe for the workers.”
By the end of the audit, and after labor inspectors conducted their respective exit conferences and informed building administrators of the violations found during the audit, instructing them to comply with OSH standards and labor laws to avoid corresponding penalties. These establishments will be subject to another round of inspection to ensure corrective measures have been implemented, reinforcing DOLE Caraga’s commitment to preventing tragedies and safeguarding workers’ welfare.
DOLE Caraga also encouraged affected personnel and concerned citizens to file complaints through its official communication channels:
* Email: caraga@dole.gov.ph
* Hotline: (085) 225 3229, (085) 817-2358
* Facebook Page: DOLE Caraga
* Visit DOLE Caraga’s Regional and Provincial Offices
As inspections continue across the region, DOLE Caraga emphasized that vigilance and cooperation between employers, workers, and authorities remain vital. “The primordial concern of establishments should always be the safety and health of their workers,” Balais stressed, underscoring the agency’s commitment to preventing occupational tragedies and ensuring safe workplaces. (NJGD, PIA Caraga)
