THE Nagkaisa Labor Coalition yesterday called on the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to help bring justice to the victims of the tragedy that hit a construction site in Quezon City last Tuesday.
In a statement, Nagkaisa Chairman Sonny Matula said what happened at the construction site is simply unacceptable as it resulted to the death of a construction worker and 10 others being injured.
“Nagkaisa calls on the Department of Labor and Employment to investigate several work-related deaths and injuries at workplaces, including the recent killing of one and injury for ten at a construction site in Quezon City,” said Matula.
“One death in the workplace diminishes us all,” he added.
According to the Quezon City police, the metal scaffolding in a construction site in Barangay Balingasa, Quezon City suddenly collapsed and fell on the victims.
Aside from the Quezon City incident, the labor leader said that a steelman working around 70 meters up at the side of one of the posts of the Cebu-Cordova bridge died last August 28 after he fell when the plank he was stepping on gave way.
Last August 22, a construction worker was also injured after he was pinned down by a fallen backhoe that he was operating in a quarry site in Cebu City.
Last July 11, Nagkaisa said there six construction workers died when a wall collapsed in a construction site in Tagaytay City.
Lastly, on July 8, two elevator installers were killed after an elevator from the 38th floor collapsed and fell to the ground at Burgundy Tower in Makati City.
Matula said such tragedies in workplaces can be prevented if there is full compliance with established occupational safety and health standards.
The Antipolo government plans to hold the Department of Public Works and Highways and its private contractor liable for the erosion incident at an ongoing riprap construction on a roadside highway in the city that left a construction worker dead and two others injured last week.
Mayor Casimiro “Junjun” Ynares III said a thorough investigation has been going on to determine the liability of the DPWH and its private contractor. — With Christian Oineza
