NARRATIVE REPORT ABOUT LEGAL ASPECT OF SAFETY AND HEALTH
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being
and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Safety is a condition of
being safe from causing hurt or injury. In this world, we created a working
environment in which everything is inevitable. Accidents still occur fact most
the result of ill- considered actions or working practices. So safe work is one
of the fundamental rights of the workers in which health and safety
procedures are important for the both employees and employers because
human loss is immeasurable and intolerable.
As time goes by, noticing such immeasurable accidents and injuries
Occupational Safety and Health administration (OSHA) was created. In year
1970 there is no national laws for safety and health hazards so the congress
decided to pass the law and established OSHA. OSHA is a national public
health agency dedicated to the basic proposition that no worker should
have to choose between their life and their job. OSHA's mission is to ensure
that employees work in a safe and healthful environment by setting and
enforcing standards, and by providing training, outreach, education and
assistance. OSHA proposed lots of safety precautions and laws. One of it was
the OSH Act of 1970, an act that assure safe and healthful working
conditions for working men and women they authorize enforcement of the
standards developed under the act, assisting and encouraging the states in
their efforts to assure safe and healthful working conditions, providing for
research, information, education, and training in the field of occupational
safety and health, and for other purposes.
As included in the OSH Act of 1970, they enacted new agencies that
will analyse and do actions in healthful conditions, hears appeals of its
enforcement actions, and provide scientific and technical support to OSHA.
According to OSHA based on positive experience they proposed a program
that will prevent injury and illness. As a result, the workplace environment
improved, a fewer cases of injuries and fatalities, reduce the extent and
severity of work-related injuries and illnesses, improve the employee morale
and productivity; and having a financial benefit in case accidents happen.
OSHA proposed standards that will promote safety hazards and minimize
accidents by conducting risk assessment and cost- benefit analysis. They also
establish violations of the standard in order to have a basis and rightful
punishment if being violated.
To avoid abuses and will strengthen compliance with occupational
safety and health standards the Department of Labor and Employment in
the Republic of the Philippines order to implement rules and regulations
under the Republic Act 11058. An act that requires employers to comply
with occupational safety and health standards including informing workers
on all types of hazards in the workplace and having the right to refuse
unsafe work, as well as providing facilities and personal protective
equipment for the workers, among others. With this law, Philippines comes
closer in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of United Nations that
protect the labour rights and promote safe and secure working
environments for all workers. It also boosts the implementation of the
World Health Organization supported Occupational Health and Safety Sector
Plan under the National Environmental Health Action Plan (2017-2022).
“You always have the right to refuse unsafe work” in that quotation it
merely states that everybody has the right and freedom to choose and to
decide but take into considerations. Safety should not be about safety alone
it is also about living and learning. It was not only about memorizing section
of acts and laws. It is about what we put in priority. Priority in learning,
priority in living, and priority in relationship. Because once you understand
your priorities then you will understand the true heart of safety and health.
