Progress of OSH Legislations in the Philippines
1974 | PD 442 (Labor Code of the Philippines) was passed.
1903 | Development of Occupational Safety & Health in the Philippines
1908 | Employer’s Liability Act was instituted requiring employers to
compensate workers who were injured while performing their job
1908 | Bureau of Labor was created.
1927 | Workmen’s Compensation Act No. 3428 was passed providing payment
of damages by the employer for illnesses, in addition to injury or death
due to employment
1933 | Bureau of Labor was named Department of Labor on Dec. 8, 1933.
1936 | Commonwealth Act No. 104 was passed. First legislation directly
enjoining management to ensure the promotion of OSH in the
workplace. Known as the First Industrial Safety Law
1945 | Commonwealth Act No. 696 was approved to include safety in the
installation and operation of boilers and pressure vessels.
1948 | Philippines became a member of ILO (International Labour Organization)
1954 | Enactment of RA No. 1054 (Free Emergency Medical & Dental Treatment
Act)
1957 | BLS (Bureau of Labor Standards) was created.
1959 | SOPI (Safety Organization of the Philippines, Inc.) was organized.
1967 | Proclamation No. 115-A was issued declaring the year & every year
thereafter as SAFETY & ACCIDENT PREVENTION YEAR
January - General Orientation
February - Air Transportation
March - Fire Prevention
April - Vacation Hazards
May - Land Transportation
June - Sea Transportation
July - Schools
August - Farms
September - Health and Sanitation
October - Industry & Commerce
November - Mines
December - Holiday Hazards & Homes
1975 | BLS started the program on accreditation of STOs to conduct OSH
training.
1977 | Tripartite body was created to study the proposed OSHS
1978 | OSHS was approved. Nat’l Tripartite Committee was created to continue
study the improvement of the OSHS
1982 | BLS renamed as BWC (Bureau of Working Conditions)
1984 | Tripartite consultation was held to amend OSHS Rule 1410 (Construction
Safety).
1988 | OSHC was created pursuant to EO 307. First in Southeast Asia
1989 | First major revision of OSHS
1996 | Tripartite consultation workshop held to discuss the amendments of
Rule 1030
1998 | DO 13 was issued. Tripartite Council on OSH in Construction Industry was
created.
1998 | Passed MC No. 02 series of
1998 | Guidelines for Classifying Hazardous and Non-Hazardous Workplaces
1999 | ASPPI (Association of Safety Practitioners of the Philippines, Inc.) was
organized. First Gen. Assembly & Convention of DOLE Accredited Safety
Professionals was held
2000 | Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 01 s2000- Guidelines for the Conduct of
WEA (Workplace Environment Assessment)
2000 | MC No. 02 s2000-Guidelines in the Application of Workplace Component
of RA 8504 known as “Phil. AIDS Prevention & Control Act of 1998”
2001 | Approved Amendments to Rules 1030, 1160, 1170, 1180 of the OSHS
2002 | 1st meeting/gathering of DOLE-BWC Accredited Safety Training & Testing
Organizations
DO 53-03, s 2003 Implementation of a Drug-Free Workplace Policies and
Procedures for the Private Sector.
2003 | Organization of ATOP Inc. for OSH. Renamed as ASHTOP (Association of
Safety and Health Training Organizations of the Philippines, Inc.) in
2004.
2004 | Department Order (DO) 57-04, s 2004 (New Labor Standards
Enforcement Framework) was issued.