FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE mpmm 
First Regular Session 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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4 ae 
* .  48 P5-37 
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. 
Hazardous chemicals and substances that can threaten the health and safety of workers 
are being transported out of industries on workers' clothing and persons. 
These chemicals and substances have the potential to pose an additional threat and 
welfare of workers and their families. 
Hence, this bill seeks to prevent or mitigate future incidents of home contamination that 
could adversely affect the health and safety of workers and their families, by providing 
information concerning issues related to employee transported contaminant releases and 
formulating regulations in order to prevent future releases of this type. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
-i .1? 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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2 Re 18 F J i J  
First Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
REQUIRING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONDUCT A STUDY ON THE 
PREVALENCE AND ISSUES RELATED TO CONTAMINATION OF WORKERS’ HOMES 
WITH HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS AND SUBSTANCES TRANSPORTED FROM THEIR 
WORKPLACE AND TO ISSUE OR REPORT ON REGULATIONS TO PREVENT OR 
MITIGATE THE FUTURE CONTAMINATION OF WORKERS’ HOMES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House OfRepresentatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. -This Act shall be known as the “Workers’ Family Protection 
Act of 2007.” 
SECTION 2. Purpose. - It is the purpose of this Act to - 
(A) increase understanding and awareness concerning the extent and possible 
health impacts ofthe problems and incidents described in this Act; 
(B) prevent or mitigate future incidents of home contamination that could 
adversely affect the health and safety of workers and their families; 
(C) clarify regulatory authority for preventing and responding to such incidents; 
and 
(D) assist workers in redressing and responding to such incidents when they occur. 
SECTION 3. Evaluation of Employee Transported Contaminant Releases. - 
(A) STUDY - 
(I) IN GENERAL - Not later than eighteen (18) months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Department of Health (hereinafter in 
this Act referred to as the “Secretary”’), in coordination with the Secretary of the 
Department of Labor and Secretary of the Department of Environment and 
Natural Resources, shall conduct a study to evaluate the potential for, the 
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prevalence of, and the issues related to the contamination or workers’ homes with 
hazardous and substances, including infectious agents, transported from the 
workplaces of such workers.” 
(2) 
MATTERS TO BE EVALUATED - In conducting the study and 
evaluation under subsection (A), the Secretary shall - 
(a) 
Conduct an interview of past incidents of home 
contamination through the utilization of literature and records concerning 
past investigations and enforcement actions undertaken by any 
government and non-governmental organizations, including educational 
institutions; 
(b) 
Evaluate current statutory, regulatory, and voluntary 
industrial hygiene or other measures used by small, medium, and large 
employers to prevent or remedy home contamination; 
(c) 
Compile a summary of existing research and case histories 
conducted on incidents of employee transported contaminant releases 
including - 
(i) the effectiveness of workplace housekeeping practices 
and personal protective equipment in preventing such incidents; 
(ii) the health effects, if any, of the resulting exposure on 
workers and their families; 
(iii)the effectiveness of normal house cleaning and laundry 
procedures for removing hazardous materials and agents from 
workers’ homes and personal clothing; 
(iv)indoor air quality, as the research Concerning such 
pertains to the fate of chemicals transported from a workplace into 
the home environment; and 
(v) methods for differentiating exposure health effects and 
relative risks associated with specific agents from other sources of 
exposure inside and outside the home; 
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(d) Prepare and submit to the Task Force established under 
subsection (B) and to the appropriate committees of Congress, a report 
concerning the results of the matters studied or evaluated under 
subparagraphs (i) through (iii); and 
(e) Study home contamination incidents and issues and worker and 
family protection policies and practices related to the special 
circumstances of firefighters and prepare and submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report concerning the findings with respect to 
such study. 
(3) DEVELOPMENT OF INVESTIGATIVE STRATEGY - 
(a) TASK FORCE - Not later than twelve (12) months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a working 
group, to be known as the Workers’ Family Protection Task Force. The 
Task Force shall - 
(i) Be composed of not more than fifteen (15) individuals 
to be appointed by the Secretary from among individuals who are 
representative of workers, industry, scientists, industrial hygienists, 
and government agencies, except that not more than one (1) such 
individual shall be from each appropriate government agency and 
the number of individuals appointed to represent industry and 
workers shall be equal in number; 
(ii) Review the report 
submitted under subsection 
(A)(2)(d); 
(iii)Determine, with respect to such report, the additional 
date needed, if any, and the need for additional data; and 
(iv) if additional data are determined by the Task Force to 
be needed, develop a recommended investigative strategy for use 
in obtaining such information. 
(b) INVESTIGATIVE STRATEGY - 
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(i) CONTENT - The investigative strategy developed 
under subparagraph (A)(4) shall identify data gaps that can and 
cannot be filled, assumptions and uncertainties associated with 
various components such strategy, 
a timetable for the 
implementation of such strategy, and methodologies used to gather 
any required data. 
(ii) PEER REVIEW - The Secretary shall publish the 
proposed investigative strategy under subparagraph (A)(4) shall 
identify for public comment and utilize other method ; including 
technical conferences or seminars, for the purpose of obtaining 
comments concerning the proposed strategy. 
(iii)FINAL STRATEGY - After the peer review and public 
comment is conducted under subparagraph (b), the Secretary, in 
consultation with the heads of other government agencies, shall 
propose a final strategy for investigating issues related to home 
contamination that shall be implemented by concerned agencies for 
the period of time necessary to enable such agencies to obtain the 
information identified under paragraph (l)(c). 
(B) CONSTRUCTION - Nothing in this section shall be construed as precluding 
any government agency from investigating issues related to home contamination using 
existing procedures until such time as a final strategy is developed or from taking actions 
in addition to those proposed in the strategy after its completion. 
(C) IMPLEMENTATION OF 
INVESTIGATIVE STRATEGY - Upon 
completion of the investigative strategy under paragraph (B)(iii), each agency or 
department shall fulfill the role assigned to it by the strategy. 
SECTION 4. Regulations. - 
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(A)IN GENERAL - Not later than four (4) years after that date of enactment of 
this Act, and periodically thereafter, the Secretary of Labor, based on the information 
developed under Section 3 and on other information available to the Secretary, shall - 
(1) determine if additional education about, emphasis on, or if additional 
regulations or standards is needed and will be sufficient, or if additional 
regulations or standards are needed to protect workers and their families from 
employee transported releases of hazardous materials; and 
(2) prepare and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report 
concerning the results of such determination. 
(B)ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS OR STANDARDS - If the Secretary of 
Labor determines that additional regulations or standards are needed under subsection 
(A), the Secretary shall promulgate such regulations or standards as determined to be 
appropriate not later than three (3) years after such determination. 
SECTION 5. Authorization of Appropriations. - There are authorized to be appropriated 
for each fiscal year such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act. 
SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part thereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law o f the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent 
with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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