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SUBIC BAY Freeport: The Subic Bay Metropolitan
Authority (SBMA) was forced Monday to issue another cease and desist
order (CDO) to Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp. (HHIC-Phil) after
another worker died at their site Sunday morning.
Atty. Ramon Agregado, SBMA senior
deputy administrator for support services, issued the CDO and also
warned that SBMA will impose further “legal and regulatory
measures” should the shipbuilder fail to comply with health and
safety requirements.
The death of Benjie Gamolo, a
31-year-old structural erector from Tatalon, Quezon City prompted
SBMA to issue a CDO at the Assembly Shop C of the shipyard were the
accident happened.
The cease and desist order will
be in effect for seven days.
According to initial
investigation an eight-ton girder assembly being lifted by a crane
reportedly swayed parallel to Gamolo’s position and hit the
victim’s back and left side of the body on Saturday, July12. The
worker died on Sunday after he was rushed to the James L. Gordon
Hospital in Olongapo City.
Agregado said the latest incident
raises questions about compliance with occupational safety and
health rules and regulations at Hanjin’s $1.6-billion shipyard,
which has recorded a total of 13 fatal accidents since 2006.
He said that during the seven-day
work stoppage, the SBMA and other concerned government agencies
shall conduct a comprehensive and detailed inspection and
investigation to determine whether HHIC-Phil Inc.’s Assembly Shop
is safe for the conduct of further operations.
This was the third time that the
SBMA issued a work stoppage at the Hanjin project since the Korean
firm began operations here in 2006.
The Manila Times tried to get the
side of Hanjin officials but no one could comment on the recent
death and issuance of CDO.
Zambales Governor Amor Deloso
told The Times in a telephone interview that the recent accident
only show flagrant disregard of Hanjin authorities.
He also reminded Hanjin that it
is still under the 30-day compliance period set by SBMA and the
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on June 18.
Unfortunately, eight days before
the completion of the 30-day compliance period set by SBMA and DOLE,
another worker died.
--Anthony Bayarong
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