The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) issues Labor Advisory No. 15 outlining guidelines for employers to protect workers from the potential adverse effects of poor ambient air quality. The advisory sets out how workplaces assess workers’ exposure to “elevated air pollutants” and how employers should use the results to determine appropriate protections.
DOLE’s advisory, signed by Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino on Sept. 18 and released on Sept. 21, focuses on risks from smoke, haze, smog, and other airborne pollutants. Outlets report that employers are directed to implement workplace control measures as precautionary steps, including in private sector establishments operating under elevated air pollutant levels. Coverage also notes that the advisory relies on tools such as the prevailing Air Quality Index (AQI) Matrix and Action Points, alongside Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Control results, to guide decisions.
While the outlets differ mainly in emphasis—some foreground the advisory’s exposure-assessment framework and others highlight the call for proactive employer measures—they describe the same government action and the same core requirements to reduce worker risk from poor air.
