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Department Order 13
Guidelines Governing Occupational
Safety and Health in The
Construction Industry
1

Occupational Safety, Health &

Environment Management in
Construction

DO 13 Guidelines Governing Occupational Safety

and Health in The Construction Industry
2

Objectives
 To ensure the protection and welfare of workers employed in the
construction industry
 • To ensure protection and welfare of the general public within and around
the immediate vicinity of any construction worksite as well as the
promotion of harmonious employer-employee relationships
 • To take into consideration industry practices and applicable gov’t.
requirements

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Section 1 Definition of Terms

 Construction SH Committee - the general SH committee for a
construction project site that shall be the overall coordinator in
implementing OSH program
 Construction SH Officer - any employee/worker trained
and, in addition to the regular duties and responsibilities,
tasked by his employer to implement OSH programs in
accordance with the provisions of the OSH Standards
 Construction SH Program - a set of detailed rules to
cover the processes and practices that shall be utilized in
a specific construction site in conformity with the OSHS
including the personnel responsible and the penalties for
violation thereof.

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Section 1 Definition of Terms

 Construction SH Program - a set of detailed rules to
cover the processes and practices that shall be utilized in
a specific construction site in conformity with the OSHS
including the personnel responsible and the penalties for
violation thereof.
 Emergency Health Provider - any person or
organization who is certified or recognized by DOH and
who can provide the same or equivalent emergency health
services as an emergency h0spital, including emergency
treatment of workers on site, emergency transport and care
of injured workers to the nearest hospital, with adequate
personnel, supplies and facilities for the complete immediate
treatment of injuries or illnesses.

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Section 2 Jurisdiction
The DOLE, through the Secretary of Labor and
Employment, has the exclusive jurisdiction in the
preparation of Occupational Safety and Health
Standards (OSHS) for the Construction Industry
including its very enforcement, as provided for by
law.

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Section 3 Delegation of Authority and Accreditation

The authority to enforce mandatory occupational safety
and health standards in the construction industry may be
delegated in part by the Secretary of Labor and
Employment,
under the following conditions:
a. Chartered Cities and Municipalities
b. Private Safety Organizations
c. Accreditation of safety organizations and practitioners
shall be in accordance with Rule 1030 of the OSHS

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Section 4 Coverage
 The guidelines shall apply to all operations and
undertakings in construction activities, including
demolition, whether owned by the private or the
government sector

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Section 5: Construction Safety and Health Program

Before the start of the actual construction, the construction project
manager shall prepare and submit to DOLE Regional Office a
comprehensive construction safety and health program.

Construction Safety and Health Programs

• Safety and Health Committee
• Safety Policies
• Penalties and Sanction
• Orientation, Instruction and Training
• Waste Disposal

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Construction SH Programs
• Executed and verified by the construction project
manager or project manager
• Shall be submitted to Regional Offices for approval
or modification
• cost shall be integrated into the project cost,
provided it shall be a separate pay item.

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 Section 6: Personal Protective Equipment
All employers must provide personal
protective equipment for all
employees needing such equipment.
All other persons entering the
construction site must wear the
necessary protective equipment. The
equivalent cost for the provision of
PPE shall be an integral part of the
project cost.
Personal Protective Equipment
For Specialty Construction Workers
For all other persons authorized or allowed within the construction site
Free of charge

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 Section 6: Personal Protective Equipment

Personal protective equipment are variety of devices
and garments designed to serve as a barrier between
workers and workplace hazards.

Head Protection Eye & Face Protection

Hearing Protection Respiratory Protection
Hand & Arm Protection Foot Protection
Torso Protection Fall Protection

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Head Protection
Occupational Head Hazards & Effects
HAZARDS EFFECTS
Impact from falling objects Perforation/fracture of the
skull
Bump against rigid
stationary objects
Penetration by sharp object
Contact with live electrical Electrical shock
conductors
Fire hazard Burns

Section 6: Personal Protective Equipment

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Head Protection
 Hard Hat or Safety Helmet- A rigid device that is worn to
provide head protection from falling materials and which is held
in place by a suitable suspension.

 Characteristics of Hard Hats

HARD HAT must be able to absorb the shock of the blow from
falling objects and be able to resist penetration from sharp
objects.

Hard hats vary as to electrical resistant capability.

Additional characteristics of a hard hat is its ability for low

water absorption and slow flammability rate of the shell.

Section 6: Personal Protective Equipment

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Eye & Face Protection
Eye and face protective equipment shall be required where there is a
reasonable probability of injury that can be prevented by such
equipment.
Occupational Eye and Face Hazards
1. Large flying particles and fragments from
operations such as caulking, chiseling, metal
working and riveting.
2. Dust, fumes, mists, and small particles from
woodworking, light grinding, sanding, metal
working, spot welding, scaling, and paint
spraying.
3. Vapors and liquids from solvents and paints.
4. Intense heat and radiation from furnace
tending, electric welding, and oxyacetylene
welding and cutting.

Section 6: Personal Protective Equipment

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Effects of Occupational Eye and Face Hazards

Effects
 1. Permanent loss of vision Eye and Face Protection
1. Safety Spectacles
 2. Temporary loss of vision 2. Eye Goggles
 3. Inflamed eyes 3. Face Shields
 4. Skin Burns
 5. Lacerations
 6. Fractures
 7. Broken Teeth

Section 6: Personal Protective Equipment

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Hearing Protection
 You should wear a hearing protection device whenever
you are exposed to noise that is 85 - 90 decibels or
greater for an 8-hour period of time.
Types of Hearing Protectors
Earplugs
Hearing protectors placed inside the ear to block out
noise.
To work effectively, they should fit snugly into the ear
canal.
Earmuffs
A device composed of a headband with two cushioned ear
cups that form a seal around the outer ear, covering it
completely and blocking out the noise.

Section 6: Personal Protective Equipment

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RESPIRATORY HAZARDS
 Acids/Mists, Solvents/Vapors , Gases / Smoke,
Dusts/Particulates, Heavy Metals/Fumes

FILTRATION RESPIRATORS
Mechanical Respirators screen out dust and some
form of mist. Such Filters need to be replaced at
frequent intervals.
CHEMICAL CARTRIDGE remove contaminants
by passing the tainted air through material that
traps the harmful portions. There are specific
cartridges for specific contaminants.
AIR-SUPPLYING EQUIPMENT Self-Contained
Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) Supply air from an air
tank is strapped at the person’s back.

Section 6: Personal Protective Equipment

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Hand and Arm Hazards Common Hand & Arm Injury •

• Burns
• 1. Temperature extremes
• Bruises
• 2. Chemical exposures and splashes
• Abrasions
• 3. Sharp objects
• Cuts
• 4. Fire
• Punctures
• 5. Abrasive materials
• Fractures
• 6. Live Electrical Conductors
• Amputations
• Electrocution

Section 6: Personal Protective Equipment

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Different kinds of gloves

Metal-meshed Leather gloves Vinyl & neoprene Rubber gloves Welder’s gloves
gloves resist shield your hands gloves protect protect you when protect your
sharp edges and from rough your hands working around hands from heat
prevent cuts surfaces and heat against toxic electricity and flames
chemicals

Latex disposable Lead-lined gloves are Cotton gloves help grasp slippery
gloves are used to used to protect your objects and protect
protect your hands hands from radiation against slivers, dirt,, moderate
from germs and bacteria sources. heat or cold.
Section 6: Personal Protective Equipment

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Foot and Leg Protection
Hazards:
Falling or rolling objects
Sharp objects
Live Electrical conductors
Hot surfaces
Wet, slippery surfaces
Common Foot and Leg Injury Hazards:
Falling or rolling objects
Sharp objects
Live Electrical conductors
Hot surfaces
Wet, slippery surfaces

Section 6: Personal Protective Equipment

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 Section 7: Safety Personnel

A means of coordination was established wherein the main or
general contractor shall have over-all management and
coordination of all safety and health officers/personnel
working within the construction site. All full-time safety and
health personnel must be accredited by DOLE.
Safety Personnel
•General constructor must provide for a full-time general
construction safety and health officer
• Additional construction SH Officer depending on the number
of workers
• Subcontractor’s safety officer

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Safety Personnel Requirement

Safety Personnel Safety Personnel
1 – 50 1 Part-time Safety Man
51 – 200 1 Full-time Safety Man
201 – 250 1 Full-time & 1 Part-time Safety
Man
251 - 500 2 Full-time Safety Man
Every additional 500 1 Additional full-time safety man
or fraction thereof

1 Safetyman for every 10 units of heavy equipment

Section 7: Safety Personnel

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Section 8: Emergency Occupational Health

Personnel and Facilities
The construction project owner or his duly authorized
representative shall provide competent emergency
health personnel within the worksite duly
complemented by adequate medical supplies,
equipment and facilities

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Section 9: Construction Safety Signages

Mandatory provision of safety and warning signs are reiterated
not only for the protection of workers, but also the public in
general. Signs should conform with the standard requirements
of the OSHS
  Usage of PPE
  Falling/ falling objects
  Explosives and flammable substances
  Tripping or slipping hazards
  Toxic or irritant airborne contaminants/substances
  Electrical facility
  Dangerous moving parts of machines
  Fire alarms/ fire fighting
  Instructional signs/ Update of man-hours lost

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Standard Color of Signs for Safety Instructions and

Warnings in Building Premises
Safety Red – Fire Protection and Danger
– To call attention to fire protection equipment apparatus and
facilities
• Fire extinguishers
• Sprinkler piping
– To identify Danger, Stop signals
Yellow – Caution
– To designate caution
• Handrails, guardrails or top and bottom threads of stairways
where caution is needed

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Standard Color of Signs for Safety Instructions and

Warnings in Building Premises
Green – designating safety
– Location of first-aid equipment
– Location of safety devices
– Safety bulletin boards and
safety scoreboards
Precaution Signs

Section 9: Construction Safety Signages

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Section 10: Safety on Construction Heavy Equipment

• Pre-Construction
– Operators tested and certified by TESDA
– Heavy equipment tested and certified by DOLE or its recognized
organizations
• During Construction
– Mobilization or transport of heavy equipment
– Standard procedure in erection and dismantling
– Routine inspection.
CONCERNED PERSONNEL
• Equipment Operator
• Workers on foot
• Spotters
• Management people and supervisors
• Other construction site personnel.

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FEW LISTED CONSTRUCTION HEAVY EQUIPMENT?

HEAVY EQUIPMENT – WHAT DO THEY DO?

Compactor or Roller - Smoothes and compacts the road with a heavy
roller.
Bulldozer - Moves dirt, stones, or other materials.
Concrete Mixer Mixes water, sand, gravel, and cement to
make concrete.
Crane -Lifts heavy things
Tower Crane -Lifts beams, pipes, batches of concrete
or other materials to high places
Mobile Crane -Crane that moves on wheels Excavator or Digger

Section 10: Safety on Construction Heavy Equipment

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BLIND SPOTS
• Small heavy mobile equipment have small blind spots and heavy mobile
equipment have large blind spots, both can cause serious injury or death
• The taller and wider the machine, the bigger the blind spot area
• Operators, spotters and workers on foot need to be aware were the blind
spots are.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF WORKERS ON FOOT

• Wearing of high visibility vests or equivalent and other appropriate

PPE’s.
• Keep a safe distance from heavy equipments
• Know the equipment’s blind spots. Never assume that the equipment
operator sees you
• Never ride on the steps or drawbars of any equipment.
• Watch out for swinging parts.

Section 10: Safety on Construction Heavy Equipment

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SPOTTER RESPONSIBILITIES
•Wearing of high visibility vests or equivalent and other appropriate PPE’s.
• Spotters should use clearly understood hand signals or traffic control devices ,
(i.e. signs, etc.)
• Spotters should know operator visibility limitations, always remain visible to the
operator and be sure eye contact is made before any signals are given.

EQUIPMENT OPERATORRESPONSIBILITIES
• Maintain a safe operating speed.
• Operate within the equipment’s rated capacity.
• Report any abnormalities, defects and unsafe condition. Take Machine “Out of
Service”, if it is unsafe to operate
• Do Not Attempt Repairs or Maintenance that You Do Not Understand
• Never get on or off moving equipment. Park in a safe place, apply parking brakes,
turn off engine and remove the key before dismounting.
• Turn the engine off before refueling

Section 10: Safety on Construction Heavy Equipment

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KEY ELEMENTS IN HEAVY HAZARD PREVENTION AND

EQUIPMENT SAFETY PROGRAM
• Management Commitment
• Employee Involvement
• Pre-construction Work-Site Analysis
• Hazard Prevention and Controls
• Equipment Maintenance
• Employee Awareness Training
• Periodically Review Policies and
Procedures
CONTROLS
• Application of Engineering &
Administrative Controls and use of PPE’s.
– Install perimeter fencing and enclosures
– Install/post signs
– Install temporary barricades around
hazards
– Spotters (with appropriate PPE) provided
for in-the-blind, backing machines and/or
equipment
– Choosing and using the appropriate type
of equipment.

Section 10: Safety on Construction Heavy Equipment

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Section 11: Construction Safety and Health Committee

a) Project Manager or his representative as the chairperson
b) General Construction Safety and Health Officer;
c) Construction Safety and Health Officers;
d) Safety representatives from each subcontractor,

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Section 11: Construction Safety and Health Committee

Duties

 Direct accident prevention efforts in accordance with rules/program

 Conducts toolbox meetings everyday
 Review inspections and accident investigation reports
 Prepare and submit to DOLE minutes of committee meetings,
work accidents and illnesses, and other reporting
requirements
 Assist government inspectors
 Initiate/ supervise safety and health training for employees
 Develop and maintain a disaster contingency plan

Section 11: Construction Safety and Health Committee

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Section 12: Safety and Health Information

A detailed safety and health information system is included in the
guidelines. These include orientation, instructions, and training for
workers; means of conveying safety related information to all workers
and specialized instructions and trainings for specialty workers and
operators
General Safety and Health Measures
 Basic rights and duties of workers
 Emergency procedures
 Good housekeeping
 Welfare and first-aid facilities
 Care and use of PPE
 Personal hygiene and health protection
 Safety and health rules and regulations
Daily tool box meetings

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Toolbox Meeting
a 10-15 minute on-the-job safety and health
awareness meeting focusing usually on the
current activities of the group to keep everybody
informed and alert on work-related accidents
and illnesses and their causes
Benefits of a TBM
 It contributes to the training and education of workers
 It prevents the recurrence of previous accidents
 It is a proven technique in inculcating safe work habit
How to Conduct TBM
 Prepare the workers  Precautions needed
 Define the job -- hazards present
 Procedure & responsibility -- safety & health reminders
Section 12: Safety and Health Information

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Toolbox Meeting
Schedule
When:
 Everyday before the start of work
Where:
 Preferably at the specific site of the activity
Who:
 All workers in the site must attend their specific TBM

Tool Box Meeting

•Reminders on what and how to do
•Be done before the start of the days workshift or start of new activity
• Should be presided by the supervisor or leadman
Workers should participate actively

Section 12: Safety and Health Information

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Section 13: Construction Safety and Health Training

All safety personnel assigned within the construction site are
required to undergo the basic construction safety training
course prescribed by the Bureau of Working Conditions.
Continuing training (minimum of 16 hours per year) for all
full-time safety
personnel shall also be a responsibility of each constructor.

Safety and Health Training

Basic Construction Safety and Health Training (BOSH)
Continuing Training
(minimum of 16 hours per year)

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Specialized instruction and training

  Operation of construction equipment
  Erection or dismantling of scaffolds
  Excavation works
  Handling of explosives
  Workers engaged in pile-driving
  Compressed air, cofferdams, and caissons
  Erection of steel structural frames and tall chimneys
  Handling hazardous substance and materials
  Rigging and signaling

Section 13: Construction Safety and Health Training

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Section 14: Construction Safety and Health Reports

The monthly submission of summary reports to
DOLE is required. The summary reports shall include
safety committee meeting agreements, accident
investigation reports, and hazard assessments with
corresponding remedial action/measures required.

Notification of major accidents to DOLE

within 24 hour

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Section 15: Construction Workers Skills

A Skills certificate shall be required for construction
related occupations which have been classified as
“Critical Occupations” by TESDA.
An occupational shall be considered as critical
When it may affect and endanger people’s lives and limbs
When it involves the handling of hazardous tools, equipment,
supplies
 When it requires a relatively long period of education and
training
When the performance of the job may compromise the safety,
health and environment concerns within the immediate vicinity
of the construction site.

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and Health in The Construction Industry
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Section 16 : Workers’ Welfare Facilities

The employer shall provide for adequate supply of safe
drinking water, adequate sanitary and washing facilities in
order to ensure humane conditions of work.
Section 17: Cost of Construction Safety and Health Program
The total cost of the Construction Safety and Health Program shall
be a mandatory integral part of the construction project. It shall be
treated as a separate pay item and reflected in the project’s bid
tender documents.

DO 13 Guidelines Governing Occupational Safety

and Health in The Construction Industry
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Section 20: Effectivity

The Guidelines shall be immediately effective, that is,
days after publication in newspapers of general
circulation, as provided in Article 5 of the Labor Code.

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