QUEZON CITY, (PIA) --The Department of Labor and Employment – National Capital Region (DOLE-NCR) has lifted the work stoppage order (WSO) for the contractor of Quezon City (QC) Hall’s Scenic Elevator Project after appropriate occupational safety measures have been implemented.
In a report submitted to Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma, DOLE-NCR Regional Director Sarah Buena S. Mirasol said they lifted the WSO on August 31 after QC Hall’s service contractor, MRBII Construction Corporation, addressed their violations.
To recall, DOLE-NCR labor inspectors at Quezon City Field Office conducted occupational safety and health (OSH) investigation at the construction site beginning August 18, following an accident at the QC Hall’s Civic Building A and Civic Building B on August 17 at about 10:00 PM that killed one construction worker and injured three others.
The labor inspectors noted that the construction activities are only held after QC Hall’s office hours.
It was also noted that the four workers were situated at the excavation site of the structure to be demolished and were caught right under the collapsed wall.
“The primary cause of the accident is the poor structural provision of the existing wall which upon demolition eventually collapsed, affecting four workers and fatally affecting one [of them],” Mirasol said in the report.
Right after the incident, the Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (QCDRRMO) rushed Rachel Erezo to a hospital together with other victims Erwin Ramos, Joshua Garcia, and Christian Manposte.
Unfortunately, Erezo suffered a fatal head injury, causing his immediate death while other victims suffered minor leg injuries.
“Mr. [Rachel Erezo] was trapped under the collapsed wall and his body was retrieved at around 11:51 pm by the rescuers of the Bureau of Fire Protection and QCDRRMO…Based on the initial report, a part of the wall of the building collapsed where the private contractor was supposed to place a scenic elevator,” said Mirasol.
The construction firm assured financial aid to the victims, including Erezo’s bereaved family.
Further, the firm also promised immediate deployment of Erwin Ramos, Joshua Garcia, and Christian Manposte to other projects as soon as they were medically cleared.
The labor inspection team also found out that the contractor had no demolition Construction Safety and Health Program (CSHP), hence the work stoppage order at the construction site on August 23.
After serving the WSO, MRBII attended DOLE mandatory conferences on August 24, 29, and 30.
During the investigation process, MRBII submitted proofs such as photos of construction works; full satisfaction of financial assistance to injured workers, including funeral and airfare expenses of the deceased worker’s family; payment of wages to the victims during implementation of WSO; and approved copy of the demolition CSHP.
On August 30, DOLE-NCR also conducted a verification inspection at the site to ensure that the appropriate occupational safety measures were applied, such as provision of temporary structure to avoid another accident and adoption of the demolition project methodologies indicated in the firm’s approved CHSP.
Meanwhile, the QC Hall engineering department, according to DOLE-NCR’s report on August 23, will prepare a corresponding city ordinance for strict observation and compliance on occupational safety and health of all construction projects that will be procured by their local government unit. (dole ncr/pia-ncr)
