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The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) issued Labor Advisory No. 20, Series of 2026, on Tuesday, 27 October. The advisory, signed by Labor Secretary Francis, sets out protocols for preventing and managing heat stress in workplaces during El Niño and other periods of extreme heat. The guidelines aim “to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for all workers, particularly those exposed to high ambient temperatures in indoor and outdoor workplaces.” “All employers and workers are enjoined to observe the foregoing guidelines to protect workers’ health, safety, and welfare,” the advisory states. Under the advisory, employers must implement control measures based on four Heat Index categories: Caution (27 – 32 °C) – Provide adequate drinking water, establish shaded or ventilated work areas, allow light‑colored and breathable clothing, issue hydration reminders, and conduct training on heat‑stress awareness, early symptoms and first aid. Extreme Caution (33 – 41 °C) – Enforce structured work, rest and hydration cycles; establish designated cool‑down areas; implement peer monitoring; provide personal protective equipment; schedule strenuous tasks during cooler hours; and ensure immediate access to trained occupational safety and health (OSH) first‑aiders. Danger (42 – 51 °C) – Implement flexible work arrangements or telecommuting. Extreme Danger (≥ 52 °C) – Employers may be required to suspend, relocate, reschedule or substantially modify work operations. The advisory directs employers, through their OSH personnel and committees and in consultation with workers, to conduct and document hazard identification, risk assessment and control (HIRAC) procedures for occupational heat stress and related El Niño impacts. “The assessment shall consider environmental heat, humidity, radiant and solar heat, work intensity, exposure duration, acclimatization, clothing, and personal protective equipment, worker susceptibility, water availability, ventilation and cooling reliability, power interruptions, dust or smoke exposure, emergency access, and other relevant workplace conditions, consistent with applicable OSH requirements,” the advisory states. Employers are also instructed to monitor Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) advisories on El Niño, seasonal climate outlooks, Heat Index information and observed Heat Index data. The HIRAC assessment must be reviewed and updated periodically based on information released by PAGASA. The advisory further reminds employers to ensure that workers are enrolled in the Social Security System and that their contributions are paid. Article source: The Daily Tribune | Image credit: The Daily Tribune
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) issued Labor Advisory No. 20, Series of 2026, on Tuesday, 27 October. The advisory, signed by Labor Secretary Francis, sets out protocols for preventing and managing heat stress in workplaces during El Niño and other periods of extreme heat. The guidelines aim “to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for all workers, particularly those exposed to high ambient temperatures in indoor and outdoor workplaces.” “All employers and workers are enjoined to observe the foregoing guidelines to protect workers’ health, safety, and welfare,” the advisory states. Under the advisory, employers must implement control measures based on four Heat Index categories: Caution (27 – 32 °C) – Provide adequate drinking water, establish shaded or ventilated work areas, allow light‑colored and breathable clothing, issue hydration reminders, and conduct training on heat‑stress awareness, early symptoms and first aid. Extreme Caution (33 – 41 °C) – Enforce structured work, rest and hydration cycles; establish designated cool‑down areas; implement peer monitoring; provide personal protective equipment; schedule strenuous tasks during cooler hours; and ensure immediate access to trained occupational safety and health (OSH) first‑aiders. Danger (42 – 51 °C) – Implement flexible work arrangements or telecommuting. Extreme Danger (≥ 52 °C) – Employers may be required to suspend, relocate, reschedule or substantially modify work operations. The advisory directs employers, through their OSH personnel and committees and in consultation with workers, to conduct and document hazard identification, risk assessment and control (HIRAC) procedures for occupational heat stress and related El Niño impacts. “The assessment shall consider environmental heat, humidity, radiant and solar heat, work intensity, exposure duration, acclimatization, clothing, and personal protective equipment, worker susceptibility, water availability, ventilation and cooling reliability, power interruptions, dust or smoke exposure, emergency access, and other relevant workplace conditions, consistent with applicable OSH requirements,” the advisory states. Employers are also instructed to monitor Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) advisories on El Niño, seasonal climate outlooks, Heat Index information and observed Heat Index data. The HIRAC assessment must be reviewed and updated periodically based on information released by PAGASA. The advisory further reminds employers to ensure that workers are enrolled in the Social Security System and that their contributions are paid.
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