The Department of Local Infrastructure Development and Agricultural Roads (DoLIDAR) has issued a new scaffolding safety directive for urban construction sites. Local governments will now require certified scaffolding inspections on all buildings above three storeys in metropolitan areas.
Under the directive, contractors must engage licensed inspectors to certify scaffolding structures before work begins at height, and repeat the inspection after any major modification or severe weather event. Sites found non-compliant face stop-work orders until defects are rectified.
Safety advocates say the move addresses a long-standing gap, as falls from height remain among the leading causes of construction fatalities. Municipal authorities are expected to begin enforcement within the coming weeks, starting with high-density commercial zones.