The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) on Tuesday called on private companies to implement and conduct precautionary measures to ensure workers are safe from the threat of poor air quality.
Under Labor Advisory No. 15, Series of 2026, signed on Sept. 18, employers must apply workplace control measures, including those in the private sector and establishments that operate in elevated levels of air pollutants.
‘The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) urges private sector employers to take proactive measures to shield workers from environmental hazards when poor air quality threatens public health,’ the Dole stated in a statement on Tuesday.
The move is aimed at ensureing workers’ well-being is protected when air conditions threaten public health.
The labor department noted that employers must conduct Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, and Control (HIRAC) procedures to assess the workers’ exposure to poor air quality based on the Air Quality Index Matrix and Action Points of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Health.
When workplace air quality reaches very unhealthy levels, employers must actively monitor air advisories, suspend or limit outdoor tasks when necessary, and provide workers with personal protective equipment, it explained.
Companies are also expected to upgrade indoor airflow and ventilation, as well as educate workers regarding the health risks posed by air pollution, it added.
Meanwhile, for workplaces with acutely unhealthy air conditions, employers must suspend work or implement other alternative work arrangements.
‘To ensure a safe environment for everyone, DOLE reminds employers and workers that implementing the guidelines is essential to protecting the health, safety, and basic welfare of the working community,’ the agency said.
Employers must also review and update their respective HIRAC, especially when there is a substantial change in workplace air quality or any factor that may pose risks to workers’ safety.
The DENR recorded high PM2.5, which refers to fine particulate matter measuring 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter, in Metro Manila and some parts of Luzon during the first week of September.