Sanitary Requirements for Operating an Industrial Establishment.
SEC. 45. Sanitary Requirements for Operating an
Industrial Establishment.—The following sanitary requirements shall
be applicable to industrial establishments:
No person, firm, corporation, or entity shall operate any
industrial establishment without first obtaining a sanitary permit from
the Secretary or his duly authorized representatives.
Industrial establishments shall be allowed to operate only in
places or zones assigned for the kind of industry by existing zoning
laws, ordinances, or policies. The local health authority shall
determine the suitability of location where no zoning law, ordinance or
policy exists.
Adequate potable water supply shall be provided to employees.
Sewage disposal shall be by means of a municipal or city
sewerage system whenever possible. If no municipal or city sewerage
system exists it shall be done in accordance with the provisions of this
Code. Adequate and conveniently located toilet and bath facilities
shall be provided for each sex.
All wastes incident to the operation of the industrial plant
shall be collected, stored, or disposed of in a manner to prevent health
hazards, nuisances, and pollution. Where a city or municipal
collection and disposal system exists, it should be utilized.
An abatement program for the control of vermin shall be
maintained.
Adequate restrooms and mass halls shall be provided for
employees.
All places of employment and all workrooms, including machinery
and equipment, shall be kept clean and sanitary.
Responsibility of the Secretary.
SEC. 46. Responsibility of the Secretary.—The
Secretary shall:
Issue a list of maximum concentration of atmospheric
contaminants as a guide in appraising health hazards and in evaluating
control measures. The term maximum concentration as used in this Chapter
means the amount of atmospheric contaminant which can be tolerated by
man for continuous daily exposure with non-impairment of health or
well-being either immediate or after a long period of exposure.
Review the concentration values at regular intervals to amend
or alter the list where indicated.
Specify other concentrations of short intermittent duration
capable of causing acute impairment of health.
Require control of other contaminants known or believed to be
capable of causing impairment of health but not included in the list
already issued by the Department.
Prescribe control measures to eliminate transmission of
infection diseases through processing or handling of industrial
products or wastes.
Prescribe illumination standard values and order their review at
regular intervals to alter or amend values when indicated.
Promulgate measures to effectively and adequately control any
possible radioactivity to which workers may be exposed while on their
job.
Promulgate control measures to reduce noise and pollution.
Responsibilities of the Employer and Employees.
SEC. 47. Responsibilities of the Employer and Employees.—The
following are the responsibilities of the employer and employees in
industrial establishments:
Employer responsibility—
Provide, install and maintain in good repair all control
measures and protective equipment;
Inform affected employees regarding the nature of the
hazards and the reasons for, and methods of control measures and
protective equipment;
Make periodical testing of the hearing of all employees in
noisy areas of operation;
Adopt measures so that the noise produced is within
allowable limits so as not to affect neigh boring offices, buildings or
establishments;
Request the Department a permit for variation from the
requirements when other means of equivalent protection are provided;
and
Provide personal protective equipment and/or protective
barriers when they are necessary.
Employee responsibility—
Observe strictly protective control measures which
are prescribed, and
Use equipment provided them properly.
Environmental Provisions.
SEC. 48. Environmental Provisions.—The environmental
provisions enumerated hereunder for the protection of the health of
workers are applicable to all industrial establishments:
Control of atmospheric contaminants—
Workers shall not be exposed to atmosphere contaminants
hazardous to health.
Control of atmospheric contaminants shall be
accomplished by methods approved by the Secretary or his duly authorized
representatives or other government authority.
Control of infectious agents—
Control measures shall be provided to eliminate or control
the transmission of infectious; diseases through processing or handling
of industrial products or wastes.
Control of possible sources of radiation hazards should be
carried out under the supervision of the Radiation Health Officer or his
authorized representative.
Noise—
Control measures shall be provided to reduce intensity of noise
sufficiently to render it harmless to workers and to eliminate it at its
source as a nuisance by following the recommendations of the local
health or other government authority.
Illumination—
Adequate lighting shall be provided and distributed in all
work areas in amount required for the type of work or seeing tasks
measured by a light-meter with a minimum of glare and contrasting
intensities between work and workroom.
Where the specific task requires more light than provided by
general illumination, supplementary lighting shall be supplied.
Ventilation—
Natural or artificial ventilation shall be provided in
all work areas at a rate to insure a safe and healthful working
atmosphere, free from injurious amounts of toxic materials and
reasonably free from offensive odours and dust throughout the
establishment.
Proper control measures shall be used to reduce
concentration of toxic contaminants to allowable limits.
Air inlets shall be arranged, located and equipped to insure
sufficient air velocity and an exhaust system which shall be located so
that discharged materials shall not re-enter places of employment or
habitations nor create any hazard of nuisance.
Personal Protective Equipment.
SEC. 49. Personal Protective Equipment.—The following
requirements shall be applicable for personal protective equipment:
Personal protective equipment and/of protective barriers
shall be provided whenever substances, radiations or mechanical
irritants are encountered in a manner capable of causing any
pathological change or injury or impairment in function of any part of
the body through skin and/or mucous membrane absorption.
Personal protection equipment which shall include respiratory
protectors and other accessories shall be fitted to each exposed worker
when necessary.
X-ray film badges or pocket desimeters should be worn by workers
who, during their course of work are unavoidably exposed to even a
small amount of radiation.
Supervisors and employees shall familiarize themselves with the
use, proper sanitary care and storage of this equipment.
Health Services.
SEC. 50. Health Services.—Medical services shall be
provided to all employees in accordance with existing laws and the
rules and regulations prescribed by the department.
Source: Supreme Court E-Library, Republic of the Philippines. Philippine laws are public documents (works of the government).
