HEALTH AND SAFETY

Introduction
According to the statement from the joint ILO/WHO Committee on Occupational
Health, "Occupational health should aim at: the promotion and maintenance of the highest
degree of physical, mental and social wellbeing of workers in all occupations; the prevention
amongst workers of departures from health caused by their working conditions; the
protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health;
the placing and maintenance of the worker in an occupational environment adapted to his
physiological and psychological capabilities; and, to summarize, the adaptation of work to
man and of each man to his job."
This shows how much more there is to health and safety in the workplace than
simply preventing people from getting ill and having accidents. In other words, health and
safety in the workplace is about promoting positive wellbeing as well as preventing injury
and illness.

Health and Safety

 Health and safety of a workplace is important for each employee.
 Duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
 It is the key factor for all industries to promote the wellness of both employees and
employers.
 Looking after Health and safety makes good business sense.
 Protect the health and safety of employees and the public as well as the
environment from hazards.

Basic Standards

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards refers to a set of rules issued by DOLE
which mandates the adoption and use of appropriate practices, means, methods,
operations or processes, and working conditions reasonably necessary to ensure safe and
healthful employment.

Considered a landmark in Philippine labour legislation, the OSHS was formulated in

1978 through a tripartite consultative process consistent with the DOLE 's mandate to
safeguard the workers' social and economic well-being as well as their physical health.

Basic comforts- As a basic requirement in any workplace there must be clean, working
toilets. As an employer you must also provide a supply of mains or bottled drinking water.
Everything should be done to make your staff comfortable at work, and this includes the
regular cleaning of work areas. Waste must be removed regularly and there must be
sufficient space and ventilation for people to work comfortably. The minimum
recommended amount of space for each employee is at least 11 cubic meters of working
space.

Put up notices and signs

The minimum requirements are:

- Display the poster Health and Safety law: what you should know, or give each
member of staff the leaflet Your Health and safety – a guide for workers this
contains the same information.
- Display a no smoking sign on the entrance to your premises, and ensure
employees know the penalties for failing to comply.
- Display your certificate of employers’ liability insurance.
- You may have to put up notices or signs warning of specific threats or
hazards such as moving vehicles or pipework containing dangerous
substances.

First aid- You must provide appropriate first aid equipment and facilities. The very
minimum you must provide under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1991 is a
suitably stocked first aid box.

 Fire- Every business must conduct a fire risk assessment and check it meets all
necessary fire safety standards.All equipment used by employees has to be suitable
and safe under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
(PUWER).

 Equipment- All equipment used by employees has to be suitable and safe under the
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). From hammers
to ladders, to photocopiers and cars, all equipment must be suitable for its intended
use, maintained in a safe condition and be accompanies by protective devices
makings and warnings if necessary. Only those how have received proper training
and instruction can use the equipment.

 Accidents and incidents at work- By law you must keep specific records of
accidents or dangerous incidents. The records must be kept at work for at least
three years. They can be kept as copies of report forms, detailed on a computer, as a
written log or using the statutory Accident Book (B1510).
  Recording accidents and incidents- You must keep this information at your usual
place of business for at least three years.

This includes:

- the date and time of the accident or dangerous occurrence

- if the accident happened to someone at work, their full name and occupation
- if the accident happened to someone not at work, the details of the injured
person, including full name and status, eg "customer" or "visitor"
- the nature of the injury
- the place where the accident or dangerous occurrence happened
- a brief description of the circumstances in which the accident or dangerous
occurrence happened
- the date and method by which the incident was first reported to the
enforcing authorities
- If you choose to report the incident by telephone or through online reporting,
the Health & Safety

 Working from home- Even if you work from home you must still carry out a risk
assessment and follow health and safety regulations. If your workers work from
home, they should have similar levels of protection as those in your workplace. This
includes the rules on use of equipment, computers, break times etc., and you must
check their equipment is properly maintained.

COVID PROTOCOLS AND RESTRICTIONS

With an increasing number of cases spreading to various territories and confirmed

human-to-human transmission, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak as a
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) last January 30, 2020.

The Department of Health issues interim guidelines for all employers, and workers
both public and private on the necessary precautions to prevent, contain and mitigate the
possible transmission of Covid-19 in workplace.

A. General Preventive Measures

1. Personal protection and hygiene: The practice of personal cleanliness and hygiene at all
times of every individual in the community is vital to containing the spread of diseases and
protecting the whole community.
The following practices should be observed to halt the spread of 2019-nCoV ARD from
infected individuals:

a) Respiratory etiquette:
1. Cough and sneeze into tissue or into shirt sleeve if tissue is not available. Dispose
used tissues properly and disinfect hands immediately after a cough or sneeze.
2. Avoid touching the eyes, nose, and mouth to prevent viral infection through mucosal
surfaces
3. The use face masks, which provides a physical barrier from the 2019-nCoV ARD
viruses by blocking large-particle respiratory droplets propelled by coughing or
sneezing, is ONLY recommended for:
 Persons caring for the sick
 Healthcare workers attending to patients with respiratory
infection/symptoms (cough, colds)
 Persons with respiratory infection/symptoms
2. Social distancing measures:

a) Whenever possible, keep a distance of at least 3 feet or 1 meter away from other
people to reduce the possibility of person-to-person transmission. This distance
should be observed even as to apparently healthy persons without symptoms.

b) Offer telecommuting and replace in-person meetings in the workplace with video
or telephone conferences.
c) Postpone, or cancel mass gathering.

3. Environmental measures:
a) Clean frequently-touched surfaces and objects, including tables, doorknobs, toys,
desks, and computer keyboards
b) Maintaining the environment clean, especially common-use areas and those with
touchpoints such as elevators, railings, staircases, light switches, and the like.
c) Make dispensers with alcohol-based hand rub available in public areas.

4. Food and Safety Measures

a. Avoid consumption of raw and undercooked animal products.
b. When visiting live animal markets, wet markets or animal product markets:
1. Practice general hygiene measures, including regular hand washing with
soap and potable water after touching animals and animal products
2. Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with hands
3. Avoid contact with (a) sick animals or spoiled animal products (b) other
animals possibly living in the market (e.g., stray cats and dogs, rodents,
 birds, bats) and (c) potentially contaminated animal waste or fluids on the
soil or structures of shops and market facilities
c. Do not slaughter sick animals for consumption. Bury or destroy dead animals and
avoid contact with their body fluids without protective clothes.

Management of Symptomatic
In the event that a worker is suspected of having Covid-19, the employer shall:
1. Provide the worker with a face mask to prevent the risk of spreading the infection
2. Immediately isolate the worker in a separate well-ventilated room in the workplace,
away from others
3. Refer the worker to the company healthcare provider if there is any or to the
nearest hospital for evaluation and proper management if the history, signs and
symptoms are consistent with Covid-19
4. Decontaminate the work area with appropriate disinfectant (e.g. chlorine, bleaching
solution and 1:100 phenol based disinfectant.
Notification Referral and Reporting
1. The Occupational Safety and Health Officer of the workplace/Organization/
company shall report (a) symptomatics (b) asymptomatics with travel history to
places with reported Covid-19 cases and (c) asymptomatic with history of exposure
to the Municipal Health Officer (MHO) or City Health Officer (CHO) for verification
and initial investigation.
2. The MHO/CHO should then report to the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit
(RESU) using the Event-Based Surveillance System (ESR) system of the
Epidemiology Bureau (EB) of DOH.

PAL AND QATAR AIRWAYS EXAMPLES OF HEALTH AND SAFETY: THE NEW NORMAL

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES
POINT OF BOOKING:
- Thermal scanning in all offices.
- Social Distancing
- Transparent Courier Barriers
- Face mask and gloves for Service Personnel
- No Mask No Entry Policy

AIRPORT:
- Social Distancing
- thermal scans at entry points
- Sanitizers are available at designated areas.
 - Face masks and face shields for Airport staff and Passengers.
Mabuhay Lounge
All Domestic and International Mabuhay Lounges are temporarily unavailable due to strict
health and safety protocols. Philippine Airlines will keep passengers updated on any
development regarding lounge services.

Inside the Aircraft

- Rigorous cabin cleaning and disinfection.
-All contact surfaces are wiped down using stronger cleaning agents.
- HEPA filters are maintained regularly.

During the Flight

Onboard Service:
- full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Cabin Crews.
- Cabin Crews practice a simplified inflight service approach that minimizes frequent
contact.
MEALS:
- Strict Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) procedure in serving meals.
- Meals and snacks will continue to be in sanitized containers or secure packaging.

Seating: Seat Distancing will be observed depending on space availability.

QATAR AIRWAYS:
CHECK IN AND BOARDING:
-Check in online to reduce interactions at the airport.
- Checked baggage only
- Wear facemask
- Avoid travel if you are unwell
- ensure 1.5-meter social distancing during check in and boarding process

ON BOARD
- PPE for Cabin Crews (PPE suits, gloves, protective glasses and gloves)
- Wash hands frequently and apply hand sanitizer.
- Ultraviolet Cleaning Technology to treat aircraft seats, surfaces and cabins.
- SERVICE EQUIPMENT is washed with detergents and demineralized fresh water at
temperatures that kill pathogenic bacteria.
- All headsets are sanitized, refurbished and hygienically packed every flight.
- All aircraft are disinfected after every flight.
- HEPA air filtration system
- Bedding and Linen are washed, dried and pressed at temperatures up to 100 degrees
centigrade after every flight.
- Newspapers and Magazines are kept sanitized
- Protective kits will be distributed to all passengers on board.

At Hamad International Airport:

- THERMAL SCREENING: All arrivals and departures Passengers will be screened for COVID
19 symptoms.
- Regular Sanitation every 15 minutes, in addition to fully autonomous roaming mobile
disinfectant robot.
- Baggage Disinfection
- physical distancing (1.5-meter distance)
- all travelers are required to wear face mask in HIA.

PAL VS. QATAR AIRWAYS

- BASED ON RESEARCH, QATAR HAS MORE ADVANTAGE THAN PHILIPPINE
AIRLINES.
- QATAR IS MORE PRECISED WITH THEIR SAFETY & HEALTH PROTOCOLS.
- BOTH AIRLINES PRIORITIZES THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF WORKERS, CABIN
CREWS AND THE PASSENGERS AS WELL.

IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY AND HEALTH

Safety in the workplace has a significant impact on many businesses. It is essential
for each and every employee in the industry because all the workers desire to work in a safe
and protected atmosphere. Health and safety are the key factor for all the industries in order
to promote the wellness of both employees and employers. It is a duty and moral
responsibility of the company to look after the employee’s protection.

A company operating with a strong health and safety culture can:

 Employee retention
- Employees appreciate safe working environments as this is a sign that
their employer cares about their wellbeing. Therefore, employees who feel safe at
work are also more loyal to their employers and stay longer within their
 organizations. On the other hand, those who don’t feel safe or have experienced
workplace accidents, are much more likely to search for new employers. 
 Boost employee morale and productivity
- Productive employees can produce more output in less time, reducing operational
costs for a company. Eliminating workplace hazards enables employees to stay
invested in their work and do their best. An employee who is concerned about
being hurt isn't able to devote full attention to daily work tasks. This creates
loyalty and increases team morale, which has a direct correlation to productivity.
 Reduce risks, ultimately lessening the likelihood of incidents
- Health and safety procedures in the workplace reduce the employee illnesses and
injuries greatly. 
 Increased efficiency and quality
- Workplace safety promotes the wellness of employees and employers alike. Better
safety equates to better health. Healthier employees do tasks more efficiently and
they are happier in general.

 Avoid reputational damage and liability

- Good safety programs can improve the public’s perception of the business. If
Companies that don’t invest in workplace safety quickly develop a reputation of an
unsafe employer which has a big impact on employer branding and talent
attraction efforts. Moreover, the company's customers, competitors and the
general public often perceive such companies as unprofessional. As a consequence,
fewer employees apply for jobs, and the most skilled workers often search for jobs
elsewhere. 

Health and safety are the key factor for all the industries in order to promote the
wellness of both employees and employers. Rather than being an expense, health and safety
procedures should be considered an investment as the results are just as important as any
other measurable business objective.
A safe work environment is a feature of good companies throughout the world. All
employees want assurance of their safety and protection.
 Workplace safety is a very important issue. Employers should ensure that their
employees are working in a safe environment.
Management systems and business owners are responsible for promoting
workplace safety. Employers should encourage employees to adopt safe practices and use
safety equipment. They should promote safety policies and safety programs.