Occupational health and safety take center stage with the launch of VECO’s Expanded Occupational Safety and Health (E-OSH) committee that coincided with the 3rd anniversary celebration of its Labor Management Cooperation (LMC).
VECO’s contractors will now become part of the expanded committee. The establishment of safety officers for each contractor rendering their services to VECO is in compliance with the requirements of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). Two safety officers are required from contractors that have at least 200 personnel.
“There will now be a check and balance on safety. It will not only be VECO who will do the monitoring. We are now many,” said Benje Retuertas, Head of Occupational Safety, Security, Health & Environment Department.
The LMC provides an important venue to discuss labor-related issues involving employees and the management. Some officials of LMC on the labor side are also members of VECO’s employees’ union. They currently have 163 members from the rank-and-file team members. The E-OSH Committee symbolizes the progress of the LMC.
A series of safety and health-centered activities were also held to celebrate the LMC anniversary. These include VECOlympics, labor benefits seminar, environmental and health talks, opening of the VECO basketball court, and a CSR outreach at the Bethlem Care Center that benefitted 100 children.