2

OCCUPATIONAL
HEALTH AND
SAFETY (RULE
II)

CHAPTER OUTLINE:

Chapter 2 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY (RULE II)

 Occupational Health and Safety – Rule II

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the Occupational Health and Safety – Rule II
2. State the Article and Sections under Occupational Health and Safety –
Rule II
Basic Occupational Health and Safety

RULE II

Occupational Health and Safety

SECTION 1. General statement on coverage. — (a) This Rule shall apply to all establishments,
workplaces, and other undertakings, including agricultural enterprises, whether operated for profit or
not, except to: (1) those engaged in land, sea and air transportation: Provided, That their dry docks,
garages, hangars, maintenance and repair shops and offices shall be covered by this Rule and (2)
residential places exclusively devoted to dwelling purposes.

(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, all establishments, workplaces and undertakings located in
all chartered cities as well as ordinary municipalities shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the
Department of Labor and Employment in respect to the administration and enforcement of safety and
health standards.
(c) Chartered cities may be allowed to assume responsibility for technical safety inspection by the
Secretary of Labor and Employment upon compliance with such standards and guidelines as he may
promulgate. As used herein, technical safety inspection includes inspection for purposes of safety
determination of boilers, pressure vessels, internal combustion engines, elevators (passenger and
freight), dumbwaiters, escalators, and electrical installation in all workplaces.

SECTION 2. General occupational health and safety standards. — Every employer covered by
this Rule shall keep and maintain his workplace free from work hazards that are causing or likely to
cause physical harm to the workers or damages to property. Subject to the approval of the Secretary
of Labor and Employment, the Bureau of Working Conditions shall, from time to time, issue guidelines
for compliance with general occupational health and safety standards.

SECTION 3. Occupational Health and Safety Code; effectivity of existing standards.

(a) Within six (6) months from the date of effectivity of this Rule, the Bureau of Working Conditions
shall prepare and adopt an Occupational Health and Safety Code, subject to the approval of the
Secretary of Labor and Employment.
(b) Until the final adoption and approval of an Occupational Health and Safety Code as provided
herein, existing safety orders issued by the Department of Labor and Employment shall remain
effective and enforceable and shall apply in full force and effect to all employers covered by this Rule.

SECTION 4. Work condition not covered by standards. — Any specific standards applicable to a
condition, practice, means, method, operation or process shall also apply to other similar work
situations for which no specific standards have been established.

SECTION 5. Training of personnel in safety and health. — Every employer shall take steps to train
a sufficient number of his supervisors or technical personnel in occupational safety and health. An
employer may observe the following guidelines in the training of his personnel:
(a) In every non-hazardous establishment or workplace having from fifty (50) to four hundred (400)
workers each shift, at least one of the supervisors or technical personnel shall be trained in
occupational health and safety and shall be assigned as part-time safety man. Such safety man shall
be the secretary of the safety committee.

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Basic Occupational Health and Safety

(b) In every non-hazardous establishment or workplace having over four hundred (400) workers per
shift, at least two of its supervisors shall be trained and a full-time safety man shall be provided.
(c) In every hazardous establishment or workplace having from twenty (20) to two hundred (200)
workers each shift, at least one of it supervisors or technical man shall be trained who shall work as
part-time safety man. He shall be appointed as secretary of the safety committee therein.
(d) In every hazardous establishment or workplace having over two hundred (200) workers each shift,
at least two of its supervisors or technical personnel shall be trained and one of them shall be
appointed full-time safety man and secretary of the safety committee therein.
(e) The employment of a full-time safety man not be required where the employer enters into a written
contract with a qualified consulting organization which shall develop and carry out his safety and
health activities; Provided, That the consultant shall conduct plant visits at least four (4) hours a week
and is subject to call anytime to conduct accident investigations and is available during scheduled
inspections or surveys by the Secretary of Labor and Employment or his authorized representatives.
The provisions of this Section shall be made mandatory upon orders of the Secretary of Labor and
Employment as soon as he is satisfied that adequate facilities on training in occupational safety and
health are available in the Department of Labor and Employment and other public or private entities
duly accredited by the Secretary of Labor and Employment.

SECTION 6. General duties of workers. — (a) Every worker shall cooperate with the employer in
carrying out the provisions of this Rule. He shall report to his supervisors any work hazard that he
may discover in his workplace, without prejudice to the right of the worker to report the matter to the
Regional Office concerned.
(b) Every worker shall make proper use of all safeguards and safety devices furnished in accordance
with the provisions of this Rule for his protection and the protection of others and shall follow all
instructions made by the employer in compliance with the provisions of this Rule.

SECTION 7. Duties of other persons. — Any person, including builders or contractors, who visits,
builds, innovates or installs devices in establishments or workplaces shall comply with the provisions
of this Rule and all regulations issued by the employer in compliance with the provisions of this Rule
and other subsequent issuances of the Secretary of Labor and Employment.

SECTION 8. Administration and enforcement. — (a) Every employer shall give to the Secretary of
Labor and Employment or his duly authorized representative access to its premises and records at
any time of the day and night when there is work being undertaken therein for the purpose of
determining compliance with the provisions of this Rule.
(b) Every establishment or workplace shall be inspected at least once a year to determine compliance
with the provisions of this Rule. Special inspection visits, however, may be authorized by the Regional
Office to investigate accidents, conduct surveys requested by the Bureau of Working Conditions,
follow-up inspection, recommendations or to conduct investigations or inspections upon request of an
employer, worker or a labor union in the establishment.

SECTION 9. Research. — (a) The Bureau of Working Conditions, on the basis of experiments,
studies, and any other information available to it, shall develop criteria dealing with toxic materials
and other harmful substances and conditions which will establish safe exposure levels for various
periods of employment. Such studies and researches may be requested by the Secretary of Labor
and Employment through grants, contracts or as priority projects in the programs of nationally
recognized research organizations.

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(b) The Bureau of Working Conditions shall conduct continuing studies and surveys of workplaces to
study new problems in occupational safety and health including those created by new technology as
well as the motivational and behavioral factors involved therein. The employer shall provide all the
necessary assistance and facilities to carry out these activities.

SECTION 10. Training. — (a) The Bureau of Working Conditions shall conduct continuing programs
to increase the competence of occupational health and safety personnel and to keep them informed
of the latest trends, practices and technology in accidental prevention.
(b) The Bureau of Working Conditions shall conduct continuing programs of safety personnel in all
establishments or workplaces, and for this purpose every employer shall in accordance with Section 7
hereof take such steps as may be necessary for the participation in such programs of at least two of
his supervisors or technical personnel for every two hundred (200) workers per shift; Provided, That
in establishments with less than two hundred (200) workers, at least one shall be assigned to
participate in the training program.
(c) The training may be conducted by the Bureau or any other organization or group of persons
accredited by the Secretary of Labor and Employment.
(d) Every training program shall include information on the importance and proper use of adequate
safety and health equipment, and government policies and programs in occupational health and
safety.

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Basic Occupational Health and Safety

REFERENCES
Books/Reference

1. Effective Safety Management System

Videolinks:

(554) OHS | Occupational Health and Safety Issues| Hazards in the Workplace| Workplace Safety Topics, osha - YouTube

(554) Workplace health and safety - hospitality - YouTube

(554) Lesson 2: Occupational Health and Safety - YouTube

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