BY LESLIE ANN AQUINO
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said on Wednesday employees will be required to wear face shields in workplaces beginning August 15 in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
In a text message, Bello emphasized the need to wear face shields “to prevent transmission (of COVID-19) in workplaces.”
In an interview at the sidelines of an event in Antipolo, he said, based on the proposal of the Inter-Agency Task Force, the employers will purchase the face shields for their employees.
The labor department earlier reminded employers to follow the health protocols in the interim guidelines on workplace prevention and control of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that they jointly issued with the Department of Trade and Industry that was released on May 1.
Bello said all the things provided in the guidelines to prevent the transmission of the coronavirus in workplaces must be observed strictly for the safety of workers.
Among the responsibilities of employers in the said guidelines are: provide the necessary company policies for the prevention and control of COVID-I9 in consultation with workers; provide resources and materials needed to keep the workers healthy and the workplace safe such as masks etc; designate the safety officer to monitor COVID-19 prevention and control measures; enhance health instrance provision for workers; where feasible, provide shuttle services and or decent accommodation on near-site location to lessen travel and people movement; enjoin the hiring from the local community; and put up a COVID-l9 Hotline and Call Center for employees to report if symptomatic, and daily monitoring scheme of our “suspect” employee condition. (Leslie Ann G. Aquino)
