Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III has ordered the resumption of the labor inspections nationwide ensure the compliance of establishments with labor laws. The labor inspections were temporarily suspended last month.
In an administrative order signed Jan. 19, Bello authorized the Department's labor inspectors to conduct routine inspections, complaint inspections, occupational safety, health standards investigation, and special inspection in establishments until December 31, 2022, unless earlier revoked.
Bello also tasked the DOLE Regional Directors to issue the corresponding authority to inspect and investigate specific establishments or workplaces.
Under the order, over 600 labor inspectors were given authority to conduct labor inspection activities in establishments nationwide.
Meanwhile, 126 technical safety inspectors were authorized to conduct Technical Safety Inspection of boilers, pressure vessels, internal combustion engines, elevators, hoisting equipment, electrical wirings, and other mechanical equipment installation.
Technical safety inspectors who are registered mechanical and electrical engineers are likewise directed to conduct initial review and evaluation of mechanical and electrical plans for the issuance of Permit to Operate for mechanical equipment and Certificate of Electrical Inspection for electrical wiring installations.
According to DOLE, technical safety inspectors are labor inspectors who are also registered or professional engineers and have undergone Technical Safety Inspection Training.
In the same order, Bello also reminded that only designated Hearing Officers shall conduct mandatory conferences for inspections with noted violations.
Among those authorized are 485 Hearing Officers tasked to conduct mandatory conferences after the lapse of the correction period for violations of general labor standards, occupational safety, and health standards, and contracting or subcontracting rules.
While 115 regional office personnel were designated as Sheriff who will take charge in the enforcement of issued writs of execution, implementation of decisions, and performance of final decisions and orders.
In December, Bello directed all DOLE regional directors to temporarily cease all labor inspection activities in their respective regions to enable the Department to dispose of all pending labor standards cases and prepare the inspection program for 2022.
A total of 90,327 establishments covering 3.7 million workers were inspected in 2021.