RULE 1070
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
1071: General Provisions:
(1) This rule establishes threshold limit values for toxic and carcinogenic substances and physical agents, which may be present in the atmosphere of the work environment. Threshold Limit Values refer to airborne concentration of substances and represent conditions under which it is believed that nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed daily without adverse effect.
(2) The Regional Office, on the advice of the Director, may issue a special rule establishing threshold limit values for toxic substances not found in the table and such rule shall remain in effect until a permanent standard is issued by the Secretary.
(3) The Secretary shall periodically review or update the Standards on threshold limit values, permissible noise exposure levels, illumination levels, human carcinogens, temperature and humidity and other technical standards upon recommendation of a technical committee in the Bureau of Working Conditions.
The member of the technical committee shall either be a physician, engineer, chemist or nurse who has completed at least an occupational health/occupational safety and health-training course required by this Standards, and who has been an occupational health/occupational safety and health practitioner for not less than three (3) years. Other members of the technical committee shall be drawn from the labor and employers’ sectors. The technical committee shall be convened by the Director of the Bureau of Working Conditions as the need for review of the abovementioned technical standards arises.
The Standards formulated by the technical committee shall become effective upon announcement by the Secretary of Labor and Employment.
1072: Threshold Limit Values for Airborne Contaminants:
1072.01:
Threshold limit values refer to time weighted concentrations for an 8-hour workday and a total of forty-eight (48) hours work of exposure per week.
1072.02:
All employees exposure to any material specified in Table 8 and Table 8a of this Rule shall be limited in accordance to the following:
(1) Materials with names preceded by “C” Ceiling Values:
An employee’s exposure to any material in Table 8, the name which is preceded by a “C” (e.g. Boron triflouride), shall at no time exceed the ceiling value given for that material in the Table.
(2) Other Materials, 8-hour Time Weighted Average:
An employee’s exposure to any material in Table 8, the name of which is not preceded by a “C” and any material listed in Table 8a in any 8-hour workshift shall not exceed the 8 hour time weighted average limit given for that material in the Table. However, for a short period of time an excursion in the TLV value in the Table may be allowed but should not exceed the following:
a. from 0 to I concentration by 3 times;
b. from I to I 0 concentration by 2 times;
c. from over 10 to 100 concentration by 1 ½ times;
d. from over 100 to 1000 concentration by 1 ¼ times
(3) “SKIN” Notation:
Listed substances followed by the designation “Skin’ (e.g., DDT-Skin) refer to the potential contribution to the overall exposure by the cutaneous route including mucous membrane and eye, either by airborne or particularly by direct contact with the substance. This attention calling designation is intended to suggest appropriate measures for the prevention of cutaneous absorption so that the threshold limit is not validated.
1072.03:
To achieve compliance with Rule 1072, administrative or engineering controls must first be determined and implemented whenever feasible. When such controls are not feasible to achieve full compliance, protective equipment or other appropriate measures shall be used to keep the exposure of employees to air contaminants within the limit prescribed.
1073: Threshold Limit Values for Airborne Contaminants: (Tables)
Table 8: Threshold limit values for airborne contaminants
Table 8a: Mineral dust
Table 8d: Human Carcinogens: Recognized to have carcinogenic potentials
1074: Physical Agents:
1974.01: Threshold Limit Values for Noise:
The threshold limit values refer to sound pressure that represents conditions under which it is believed that nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed without adverse effect on their ability to hear and understand normal speech.
(1) Feasible administrative or engineering controls shall be utilized when workers are exposed to sound levels exceeding those specified in Table 8b hereof when measured on a scale of a standard sound level meter at slow response. If such controls fail to reduce sound within the specified levels, ear protective devices capable of bringing the sound level to permissible noise exposure shall be provided by the employer and used by the worker.
1074:02: Permissible Noise Exposure:
Table 8b
1074.03:
(1) The values specified in Table 8b apply to total time of exposure per working day regardless of whether this is one continuous exposure or a number of short-term exposures but does not apply to impact or impulsive type of noise.
(2) If the variation in noise level involves maximum intervals of one (1) second or less, it shall be considered as continuous. If the interval is over one (1) second, it becomes impulse or impact noise.
(3) When the daily noise exposure is composed of two or more periods noise exposure of different levels, their combined effect should be considered rather than the effect of each.
if the sum of the fraction
37?Cl C2 C3
——– + ——— + ——-
TI T2 T3
exceeds unity, then the mixed exposure should be considered to exceed the threshold limit value. C
indicates the total time exposure at a specified noise level, and T indicates the total time of exposure
permitted at the level. However, the permissible levels found in the table shall not be exceeded for the
corresponding number of hours per day allowed. Noise exposures of less than 90 dBA do not enter into the above calculations.
(4) Exposures to impulsive or impact noise shall not exceed 140 decibels peak sound pressures level (ceiling value).
1075: Illumination:
1075.01: General Provisions:
All places where persons work or pass or may have to work or pass in emergencies, shall be provided during time of use with adequate natural lighting or artificial lighting or both, suitable for the operation and the special type of work performed.
1975.02: Natural Lighting,
(1) Skylights and windows should be located and spaced so that daylight conditions are fairly uniform over the working area.
(2) Where necessary, skylights and windows should be provided with means to avoid glare.
(3) A regular system of cleaning skylights and windows should be established to ensure that they are kept clean at all times.
1075.03: Artificial Lighting:
Quality:
(1) Artificial lighting shall be provided when daylight fails or for area where the daylight illumination is insufficient.
(2) The general lighting should be of uniform level, widely distributed to avoid harsh shadows or strong contrast and free from direct or reflected glare.
(3) Where intense local lighting is necessary, a combination of general and supplementary lighting at the point of work may be provided.
(4) Supplementary lighting shall be specially designed for the particular visual task and arranged or provided with shading or diffusing devices to prevent glare.
1075.04: Intensity:
(1) Artificial lighting shall be adequate at the place of work for the operation or work performed.
(2) A minimum of 20 lux (2 foot candles) shall be provided for yards, roadways and outside thoroughfares.
(3) A minimum of 50 lux (5-foot candles) shall be provided:
a. where discrimination of detail is not essential, such as handling coarse materials, coal or ashes, rough sorting or grinding of clay products;
b. for passageways, corridors, stairways, warehouses, storerooms for rough and bulky materials.
(4) A minimum of 100 lux (1 0 foot candles) shall be provided:
a. where slight discrimination of detail is essential such as for the production of semi finished iron and steel products, rough assembling, milling of grains, opening, picking and carding of cotton, or other primary operation in most of the industrial processes; and
b. for engine and boiler rooms, passenger and freight elevators, crating and boxing departments, receiving and shipping rooms, storerooms, and stockrooms for medium and fine materials, locker rooms, toilets, and washrooms.
(5) A minimum of 200 lux (20 foot candles) shall be provided where moderate discrimination of details is essential, such as for medium assembling, rough bench and machine work, rough inspection of testing of products, sewing light-colored textile or leather products, canning and preserving, meat packing, planing of lumber and veneering.
(6) A minimum of 300 lux (30 foot candles) shall be provided where close discrimination of details is essential such as for medium bench and machine work, medium inspection, fine testing, flour grading, leather finishing and weaving cotton goods or light colored cloth/goods or for office desk work with intermittent reading and writing for filing and mail sorting.
(7) A minimum of 500 to 1,000 lux (50 to 100 foot candles) shall be provided where discrimination of fine details is involved under conditions of a fair degree of contrasts for long assembling, fine bench and machine work, fine inspection, fine polishing and beveling of glass, fine wood-working and weaving dark colored cloth/goods, or for accounting, bookkeeping, drafting, stenographic work, typing or other prolonged close office desk work.
(8) A minimum of I 000 lux (1 00 foot candles) shall be provided where discrimination of extremely fine detail is involved under conditions of poor contrast for long periods of time, such as for extra fine assembling instrument, jewellery, and watch manufacturing, grading and sorting tobacco products, make-up and proof-reading in printing plants, and inspection of sewing dark-colored cloth products.
(9) The provisions of paragraphs 2 to 8 apply to lighting equipment under average operating conditions. Where conditions allow, it may be necessary to provide initially an illumination of at least 25% more. In locations where dirt will collect rapidly, the initial level should be at least 50% above the recommended standards.
(10) Any windowless room shall be provided with general lighting sufficient in intensity for the most exacting operations carried therein.
(11) Detailed standards of lighting intensity for different operations of work environment shall be as provided in Table 8c.
Note: I foot candle = 10.75 lux
For purpose of computation use I foot candle = 10 lux
1075.06: Table of Illumination Levels:
Table 8c
1075.06: Emergency Lighting:
(1) Where large numbers of persons are employed in buildings more than one story in height, emergency lighting system shall be provided in all important stairways, exits, workplaces and passages.
(2) Emergency systems shall be capable of producing and maintaining for at least one (1) hour, a minimum intensity of 5 lux (0.5 ft. candle) and shall have an energy source independent of the general lighting system installation.
(3) Provisions shall be made for the automatic lighting of the emergency system immediately upon failure of the general lighting system.
1076: General Ventilation:
1076.01: Atmospheric Conditions:
Suitable atmospheric conditions shall be maintained in workrooms by natural or artificial means to avoid insufficient air supply, stagnant or vitiated air, harmful drafts, excessive heat or cold, sudden variations in temperature, and where practicable, excessive humidity or dryness and objectionable odors.
1976.02: Air Supply:
(1) Clean fresh air shall be supplied to enclosed workplaces at an average rate of not less than 20 to 40 cubic meters (700 to 1400 cu. ft.) an hour per worker, or at such a rate as to effect a complete change of air a number of times per hour varying from four (4) for sedentary workers to eight (8) for active workers.
(2) Where an. adequate supply of fresh air cannot be obtained by natural ventilation or where it is difficult to get the desired amount of air at the center of the workrooms without creating uncomfortable drafts near the inlets, mechanical ventilation shall be provided.
1076.03: Cleanliness:
(1) Dusts, gases, vapors, or mists generated and released in work processes shall be removed at the points of origin and not permitted to permeate the atmosphere of the workrooms.
(2) Internal combustion engines fuelled by gasoline, diesel or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Installed in workrooms shall be located such that exhaust gases are prevented from permeating the atmosphere of the workrooms.
1076.04: Air Movement
The air movement in enclosed workplaces shall be arranged such that the workers are not subjected to objectionable drafts. The air velocity shall not exceed 15 meters (50 ft.) per minute during the rainy season and 45 meters (150 ft.) per minute during the summer season.
1076.05: Temperature and Humidity:
(1) A temperature suitable for the type of work performed shall be maintained in enclosed workplaces and such temperature shall be increased or decreased and the degree of humidity varied in accordance with the kind of work.
(2) All employees shall be protected either by insulation of the equipment or by other suitable means against radiation and excessive temperature due to steam and hot water pipes or other heated machinery or equipment.
(3) In workplaces involving exposure of workers to unduly high or low temperatures, passage rooms shall be provided so that the workers can gradually adjust themselves to the prevailing temperature.
1077: Working Environment Measurement:
1077.01: General Provisions:
(1)The employer shall exert efforts to maintain and control the working environment in comfortable and healthy conditions for the purpose of promoting and maintaining the health of his workers.
1077.02: Definitions:
Working environment measurement shall mean sampling and analysis carried out in respect of the atmospheric working environment and other fundamental elements of working environment for the purpose of determining actual conditions therein.
1077.03: Requirements:
(1) Working environment measurement shall include temperature, humidity, pressure, illumination, ventilation, and concentration of substances and noise.
(2) The employer shall carry out the working environment measurement in indoor or other workplaces where hazardous work is performed and shall keep a record of such measurement, which shall be made available to the enforcing authority.
(3) The working environment measurement shall be performed periodically as may be necessary but not longer than annually.
(4) The working environment measurement shall be performed by the safety and medical personnel who have taken adequate training and experience in working environment measurement.
(5) In the event of inability to perform the working environment measurement, the employer shall commission the Bureau/Center for Occupational Safety and Health/ Regional Labor Office concerned and other institutions accredited or recognized by the Bureau, to perform the measurement.
1077.04: Effectivity:
This Rule shall be effective upon announcement by the Secretary of Labor and Employment.
Labor Code of the Philippines 