NAMRIA NEWSCOOP


NAMRIA participates in OSH research study
By: Jeffrey Quodala

In 2013, the Philippine Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) conducted a review of employees’ compensation claims with the Government Service Insurance System on work-related injuries and illnesses of government employees covering the period 2010 to 2012. OSHC found out that majority of the claims were for non-communicable work-related illnesses. There were also claims on work-related injuries but their causes were not specified. The review intends to guide the policy makers in recommending and/or crafting their respective policies in ensuring the safety and health of all employees in all government offices.

NAMRIA Deputy Administrator Cabanayan presides over the pre-research conference.

In line with these findings, OSHC initiated a research study entitled Status of Implementation of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Policies and Programs in selected government agencies located in Metro Manila. The study aims to determine the availability of any OSH framework applied to government offices for their employees and NAMRIA was selected as one of the participants.

A pre-research conference was held at NAMRIA Taguig City on 04 September 2015. It was attended by the selected officers and members of the committees of the NAMRIA Morale and Welfare and NAMRIA 5S, and the NAMRIA ISO core team headed by Quality Management Representative and Geospatial Information System Management Branch Dir. John Santiago F. Fabic. NAMRIA DA Jose C. Cabanayan, Jr. presided over the conference.

The conference was subdivided into three parts, namely: presentation of the background of the research study, ocular inspection of the agency facilities with random interviews made with employees, and presentation of findings and recommendations. The three-person research team from OSHC was headed by Health Control Division Occupational Health Officer, Dr. Jehremias M. Florante. Dr. Florante briefed the participants on the background of the research study including its concept, objectives, and methodology to be used. Support Services Branch (SSB)-Administrative Division Supervising Administrative Officer Xenia R. Andres presented the brief background of the agency’s involvement in the research study, including the functions of the NAMRIA Morale and Welfare committee and subcommittee, which were formally institutionalized in August 2014.

Resource Data Analysis Branch-Geospatial Integration Division Chief Violeta A. Quiliza, SSB-Engineering Services Division Chief Virgilio N. Panga, and Ms. Andres served as guides during the ocular inspection.

In the final part of the conference, some of the findings of Dr. Florante’s team were as follows: (1) there are no safety officers in the agency, (2) some fire extinguishers are not in their proper places, (3) extension cords are not used on a temporary basis, and (4) some rooms and work spaces are poorly lit.

The recommendations were: (1) designation of three well-trained safety officers; (2) creation of an OSH committee; (3) putting up of first-aid cabinets with adequate medical supplies in every room or in the hallway to be shared by at least two divisions; (4) wearing of proper personal protective equipment especially by employees assigned in hazardous areas; (5) more improvement on 5S or the practice of good housekeeping; (6) designation of a filing clerk who will handle filing and storage of medical records of employees to assure medical confidentiality; (7) controlling of records from dust and chemicals; and (8) basic OSH training for all employees.

The findings and recommendations were positively received by NAMRIA Deputy Administrator Efren P. Carandang. He thanked Dr. Florante and his team for all of their inputs and asked them for a copy of their preliminary report. The report Deputy Administrator Carandang is requesting from OSHC will serve as the basis for the continual improvement of the agency in terms of ensuring work productivity and uplifting the morale and welfare of all the employees.

Ocular inspection of the agency facilities by the OSHC research team

 


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