The April 12 Health Matters episode zeroed in on a topic that should matter to every worker—especially those in healthcare: occupational safety and health.
Featuring podcast host Dr. Tong Untalan, an ENT specialist, the episode looked into the mechanisms, standards, and real-world challenges behind making sure that our hospitals and medical centers are not just places of healing for patients, but also safe workplaces for those who serve on the frontlines.
The discussion kicked off with Republic Act 11058, also known as the Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHS) Act. Signed into law in 2018, RA 11058 requires employers to provide safe working environments, appropriate safety gear, and timely medical checkups. While the law applies across industries, the stakes are especially high in healthcare. After all, a hospital is a high-risk setting where exposure to infectious diseases, sharp instruments, hazardous chemicals, and stress-related fatigue is part of the job.
Dr. Tong delved into how OSHS, when applied properly, benefits not just healthcare workers but also the patients they care for. When a nurse isn’t overworked, when a janitor has proper PPE, or when an emergency room has adequate ventilation and ergonomic design, patients receive better care. Clean environments stay clean. Human error goes down. Confidence in the system goes up.
But implementing safety standards is not always straightforward.
Underreporting of workplace injuries and exposures is still common, especially in smaller or under-resourced facilities. Some institutions hesitate to file incident reports due to fear of repercussions, embarrassment, or lack of awareness. Add to that the budget constraints many hospitals face, and you’ve got a gap between policy and practice. Training is another pain point—many workers know what they’re supposed to do, but not always how or why.
So, what’s the fix?
The conversation looks at leadership as a major lever for change. Hospitals that take OSHS seriously usually have engaged administrators who treat safety as more than just a compliance checkbox. Technology is also playing a bigger role, with some institutions now using digital tools to report incidents, track PPE use, and monitor safety protocols in real time. Training, especially when done regularly and contextually, can turn policies into habits.
Dr. Tong cited the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) as one of the local hospitals leading by example. At BGHMC, safety committees are active, reporting systems are in place, and training is continuous. It isn’t perfect—no facility is—but it’s the kind of approach that makes a real difference in high-pressure environments.
The episode also highlighted the need for a workplace culture that values occupational safety as a shared responsibility. It’s not just the job of administrators or safety officers. Nurses, technicians, orderlies, even patients and their families—everyone has a part to play in keeping medical settings safe.
In our post-pandemic world, workplace safety in healthcare can’t be treated as a secondary concern. It’s a foundational element. A non-negotiable.
And Health Matters is reminding us all—whether we wear scrubs or not—that when we protect the people who care for us, we protect the entire system.
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For those who missed this segment or want to revisit past episodes, you can binge the entire series at: https://www.youtube.com/@BaguioChronicle/videos.
