IN the past, the Factories and Machinery Department was the enforcement authority for safety in the workplace.
It was responsible for enforcing the Factories and Machinery Act (FMA), which was enacted in 1967. One of the provisions of the Act empowered the Department to conduct periodic inspections and testing on a category of machinery known as certificated machinery.
As the country progressed over the years, the number of industries grew in tandem. In the early 1990s, the Factories and Machinery Department was renamed Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) to reflect its greater role in overseeing safety and health in many sectors of industry.