DOLE sets guidelines for workers’ protection from air hazards

This aerial photo taken from a commercial plane shows haze from Indonesian forest fires blanketing a residential district in Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak state on the island of Borneo on September 5, 2026.

AFP / Mohd Rasfan

MANILA, Philippines — Private sector employers are directed to implement safety protocols to protect workers from air hazards under the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) new labor advisory.

The guidelines in assessing workers’ exposure to “elevated air pollutants” were outlined in Labor Advisory No. 15 released on Monday, September 21.

Under the directive, employers are required to conduct a Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, and Control (HIRAC) to determine their workers’ exposure to smoke, haze and other air pollutants and to prevent potential health dangers. 

The Air Quality Index Matrix and Action Points (AQIMAP) issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)  and the Department of Health (DOH) was recommended to be used as the basis in conducting the assessment.

“The HIRAC shall be reviewed and updated periodically and whenever there is a material change in the AQIMAP level, workplace conditions, nature or extent of workers' exposure, or other circumstances that may affect the assessed risk,” DOLE’s advisory reads. 

The labor agency’s advisory came after reports of poor and unhealthy air quality in Metro Manila earlier this month, as smoke and haze from forest fires in Indonesia reached the Philippines.

Implementation

The labor agency also laid out the specific ideal responses of employers for each air quality index (AQI) level.

For unhealthy levels, employers are advised to monitor the air quality levels, provide personal protective equipment in case outdoor work is unavoidable, improve ventilation in enclosed areas, and limit or reschedule outdoor activities.

“Personal protective equipment shall not be used as a substitute for feasible engineering or administrative controls,” the advisory read.

Meanwhile, for acutely unhealthy air quality, employers are urged to implement flexible work arrangements. Workers who are required to report to work physically must be provided with appropriate protective equipment.

In times of emergency, employers are advised to suspend work. 

Those who are involved in public utilities and health services are encouraged to maintain a skeleton force, or minimum personnel, to continue operations.