A Recent Situational Analysis of the Occupational Safety and Health Landscape in the Philippines

Abstract

Objectives. Workers are continuously exposed to occupational hazards and risks. By analyzing recent data on the status of occupational safety and health (OSH) in the Philippines, this study aimed to determine the common occupational injuries and diseases among Filipino workers, and preventive and control measures/activities and occupational safety and health policies and programs implemented across the country.

Methods. A review of data on Philippine OSH from the Integrated Survey of Labor and Employment (ISLE) by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) covering data from 2015/2016, 2017/2018, and 2019/2020 was done. The number of occupational injury cases, types of injuries, and types of diseases were assessed as well as the implementation of OSH policies and programs. Descriptive statistics, simple T-test, and Pareto analysis were used to analyze the collated data sets.

Results. The number of occupational injury and diseases in the Philippines across industries are decreasing. Superficial injuries and open wounds (56.47%), and Work-related Musculoskeletal Diseases (WMSDs) (61.82%) top the list as the most common injury and disease across industries, respectively. In 2018, OSH programs and preventive and control measures underwent reforms due to the implementation of the Republic Act (RA) 11058. For OSH programs, there is an increase in implementation between 2015 and 2019.

Conclusion. Occupational injury and occupational diseases in the Philippines across industries are declining. In terms of OSH measures and programs, there has been a significant change over the years, especially after the introduction of RA 11058 in 2018. A rise in the implementation of measures and policies was noted. However, there are still gaps that need to be addressed.