The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights told the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) that Keppel Shipyard should be penalized following DOLE’s report confirming the Singaporean company’s non-compliance with safety standards.

“We are enraged that DOLE has no mention of any penalty for Keppel despite their report confirming the company’s non-compliance and gross violations of safety standards. We are challenging the DOLE to penalize Keppel and not just ‘sit down’ with Keppel executives and talk why the violations were committed,” Daisy Arago CTUHR executive director said.

Six workers died and seven others were injured on October 7 after a 42-ton metal tower supporting the ramp collapsed in Keppel’s worksite in Subic. The investigation report of the DOLE, released a few days later, confirmed that the company did not have a safety officer and a safety health plan at the time of the accident, both of which are violations of safety rules.

“Many workers have died because of gross violations of safety standards like for example what happened to the 10 workers of Eton construction who died early this year. If Keppel is not penalized, companies will continue ignoring safety rules and regulations.”

Arago further noted that aside from possible administrative and criminal liabilities, Keppel should also be made to pay full indemnification to the dead and injured workers.

Flawed safety policy

CTUHR also slammed the existing policy of the DOLE that allows the ‘self-assessment’ of companies employing more than 200 workers of their own compliance with safety and health standards.

“The Keppel accident among many other previous accidents that killed workers is a clear proof that Department Order 57-04 is flawed policy. We are afraid that until and unless this policy of ‘self-assessment’ is scrapped and stricter rules are put in place, deaths and serious injuries to Filipino workers will not be averted,” Arago noted.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
14 September 2011

Reference: Daisy Arago, Executive Director Center for Trade Union and Human Rights, 411.0256, +63910.380.1897

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