The city government is nearing the completion of its inspection of 360 more establishments and facilities that have applied for a safety seal certification.
The city’s Public Information Office reported this is part of efforts on easing movement restrictions to spur the recovery of the local economy.
The Permits and Licensing Division receives and processes the requests and leads the inspection team that assesses the compliance of the establishments to the safety guidelines set by the government.
She added that the safety seal certificate issuance under Department of Labor and Employment-Department of Health-Department of the Interior and Local Government-Department of Tourism-Department of Trade and Industry Joint Memorandum Circular 21-01, s. 2021.
Those seeking a certificate should self-assess and comply with the following requirements: The use of the StaySafe.ph as contact tracing tool, or the use of a manual contact tracing; have a thermal scanner to assess employees and clients, and the availability of a health declaration sheet; have an isolation area for identified symptomatic employees; display a Barangay Health Emergency Response Team and emergency hotlines in conspicuous areas; set handwashing stations with soap, hand drying equipment or supplies for clients or employees.
The establishment must also place barriers in enclosed areas to maintain social distancing; proper ventilation or adequate air exchange; disinfection protocol, or cleaning and disinfection as a control measure against Covid-19.
Personnel, employees, clients, and visitors must always wear face masks with a designated safety officer for coordination and referral to isolation facilities, or to health facilities; contact tracing; monitoring of isolated and quarantined employees; and implementation of return-to-work policies.
Observations during the inspection will determine the issuance of a seal or for re-inspection if there are defects or deficiencies noted.
The DTI has repeatedly announced that the Safety Seal certificate issued to an establishment permits an additional 10 percent to the allowable capacity of an establishment.
“The safety seal will also add consumer confidence that entering the establishment is safe as they have been assessed of their compliance to the health and safety standards,” DTI-Cordillera OIC director Juliet Lucas said in an earlier interview.
Business establishments in the city are inspected by a composite team from the Baguio City Police Office, City Health Services Office; barangay, PLD, Public Information Office, Public Order and Safety Division, and other concerned offices. – PNA
