FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENi'lroo 
S. No. ---'=--=--==-
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santia:Q'WfO !In' :, ~;. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Patients are particularly vulnerable to exposures to harmful substances. Numerous 
chemicals found in hospitals may be toxic or irritating to body systems. They may be present as 
dusts, vapors or gases, or liquids and they may be medications and other substances used for 
therapeutic purposes. Employees, because ofthe significant amounts of time they spend at work, 
also have the potential for significant exposures. Hospitals present numerous hazards in common 
with other complex employment settings and industries as well as having some unique hazards. 
This bill will serve several purposes. It will make hospitals more aware of the 
hazardous maierials and substances used and stored in their premises. It will cause hospitals to 
minimize the use of these hazardous materials and substances, use less toxic replacements and 
remove those hazardous materials that serve no purpose. The bill will also allow hospital 
occupants to learn what hazardous materials they may be exposed to.' 
~~ 4~.vt~ A/;t'';; 
# MIRIAM DEF~SOR SiNTI¥,O 
• This bill was originalJy filed in the Fourteenth Congress, Second Regular Session 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENe..'IE 
S.No. 1000 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
. 
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AN ACT 
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MANDATING EMPLOYEE AND PATIENT NOTIFICATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL 
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HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARDS IN HOSPITALS 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
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assembled: 
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SECTION 1. 
Notification of Hazards. To ensure that each patient and hospital 
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employee has access to information about environmental health issues and hazards in the 
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hospital, the following actions shall be taken by each hospital: 
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A. Each hospital shall appoint an environmental health and safety information access 
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contact person; 
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B. Annually, each hospital shall inform and educate all hospital employees that they 
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have a right to all information about health and safety conditions in the hospital including, but 
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not limited to, hazardous substances used, stored or present in the hospital; construction and 
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rehabilitation activities; air or water quality sampling results and problems; procedures (or 
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information access; identification of the environmental health and safety information access 
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contact person; requirements to timely response to information requests; and such other 
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procedures which ensure access to such information. 
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C. Each hospital shall inform and educate every patient, as soon after the patient's 
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admission to ,the hospital as is reasonably possible without jeopardizing the patient's health, that 
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they have a right to all information about health and safety conditions in the hospital including, 
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but not limited to, hazardous substances used, stored or present in the hospital; construction and 
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rehabilitation activities; air or water quality sampling results and problems; procedures for 
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information access; identification of the environmental health and safety information access 
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• 
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contact person; requirements to timely response to information requests; and such other 
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procedures which ensure access to such information. 
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SECTION 2. Inventory. Each hospital shall: 
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A. Annually inventory all hazardous substances used, stored or present, and make such 
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inventory available to the public; 
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B. Develop written plans to minimize the use and presence of hazardous substances, 
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including a timetable for the completion of the components of such plans, and 
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C. Prepare written reports on the results of all sampling, evaluation and remediation 
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activities, and make such reports available to the public. 
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SECTION 3. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or 
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parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or 
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modified accordingly . 
• 
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SECTION 4. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any provision of this Act is 
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declared to be unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof which are not 
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affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
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SECTION 5. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
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following its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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