" . 
"il'!wtr 
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'13 
AUG 22 P 5 :(}S 
SEN~IE 
S. No ... 1341 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 15 provides: 
The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and 
instill health consciousness among them. 
An electroplater is a skilled worker who finishes the surface of metallic articles by , 
electroplating for decorative or engineering purposes. Electroplaters are exposed to a multitude 
of hazardous chemicals, which may cause poisoning, chemical burns, damage to the respiratory 
system, allergies, etc. Electroplaters may be injured by falls on wet floors, may suffer cuts and 
pricks from sharp tools or jigs, and burns from hot liquids. Other common hazards include 
electric shock, fire and explosions, injuries caused by falling bodies, eye damage by flying 
particles, entanglement in moving machinery, and high noise levels. 
There are accidental hazards that may come from electric shock, burns, fire and 
explosions, vigorous chemical reactions, or poisoning by phosgene, which may be formed if 
chlorinated solvents or their vapors are heated in contact with a hot surface or a flame, or if a 
worker smokes in the presence of such solvents. Physical hazards include exposure to adverse 
environmental factors (high temperature and humidity), exposure to infrared radiation from 
drying equipment, and exposure to excessive noise levels from mechanical equipment, in 
particular in barrel-plating or cleaning operation. Chemical hazards come in to form of exposure 
to organic solvents and various cleaning formulations, and to their vapors, exposure to 
potentially hazardous metal dusts generated by mechanical operations (like buffing and brush 
cleaning). There is also the possibility of chronic poisoning by inhalation or ingestion of many of 
the chemicals lIsed in plating shops, dermatoses caused by exposure of the skin to cleaning 
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formulations, acid and alkaline solutions, ~md organic solvents and the irritation of mucous' 
membranes (in particular of the respiratory tract) by acid or alkaline vapors or aerosols, and other 
chemicals. 
This bill seeks to address the health and safety concerns posed by the electroplating 
process in the workplace.' 
Lw~ 4.}i: .... "- J~ 
MIRIAM DEFttJSOR siff.n/fo 
• This bill was originally filed in the Fourteenth Congress, Second Regular Session. 
2 
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s,rl1l:lh' 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
i~th;f of 111" .s.1"'f1"rtn:f, 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'13 
AUG 22 P 5 :05 
1 
2 
SE~E. 
S. No. ' 1~41 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
REGULATING THE ELECTROPLATING INDUSTRY 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION I. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Electroplating Regulatory 
4 
Act." 
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SECTION 2. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the term-
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(A) 
"Electroplater" refers to a skilled worker who finishes the surface of metallic 
7 
articles by electroplating for decorative or engineering purposes; and 
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(B) 
"Secretary" means the Secretary of Labor and Employment. 
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SECTION 3. Requirements for a Workplace Involving Electroplating. - An employer 
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must observe the following requirements if the employer is engaged in electroplating-
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12 
(A) 
(B) 
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information; 
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(C) 
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helmets; 
Obtain Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) from the supplier; 
Obtain technical bulletins that may provide additional health and safety 
Provide employees with safety shoes or boots with non-slip soles, and safety 
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(D) 
Provide employees with personal protective equipment and chemical resistant 
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clothing to avoid exposure of skin or eyes to corrosive solids, liquids, gases, or vapors; 
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(E) 
Provide employees with safety goggles in all cases where the eyes may be 
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exposed to dust, flying patticles, or splashes of harmful liquids; 
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(F) 
Use exhaust ventilation to prevent accumulation and recirculation of airborne 
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contaminants; 
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(G) 
Obey all safety instructions regarding the storage, transport, handling or pouring 
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of chemicals, or the disposal of spent plating baths; and 
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(H) 
Such other requirements that may be prescribed by the Secretary through 
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regulations. 
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SECTION 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations.- Within sixty (60) days from the 
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effectivity of this Act, the Secretary shall promulgate the Implementing Rules and Regulations 
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for this Act, which shall include the following: 
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(A) 
(B) 
Adoption of administrative controls in the form of good work practices; 
Guidelines for the mandatory use of personal protective equipment and clothing 
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where necessary; and 
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(C) 
Proper engineering controls to minimize the deleterious effects of electroplating. 
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SECTION 5. Penalties. - The Secretary is empowered to establish and assess penalties or 
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fines against an employer for violations of this Act or regulations adopted under this Act. In no 
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circumstance will any penalties or fines exceed PI0,000.OO for each day the employer remains in 
17 
violation. 
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SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part thereof is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
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with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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, . 
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SECTION 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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