What changed
DOLE signed Labor Advisory No. 20 on 27 October 2026. It sets out how to prevent and manage heat stress during El Niño and other periods of extreme heat. Labor Advisory No. 19, signed on 23 October, covers compensation for heat illness.
PAGASA expects El Niño to intensify from September to December 2026 and to last through the first half of 2027. So this is a long season to plan for.
Who it covers
All private-sector employers and workers, at any establishment, project or site where workers may face actual or foreseeable heat stress. It also covers hazards made worse by El Niño, such as water shortages, weak ventilation or cooling, power cuts and poor air quality. It applies indoors as well as outdoors. The public sector follows separate rules.
Do a heat risk assessment
Your OSH personnel and committee must carry out and document a Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Control (HIRAC) for heat, in consultation with workers and their representatives. It must consider:
- Heat, humidity, radiant and solar heat.
- Work intensity, exposure time and acclimatisation.
- Clothing, PPE and worker susceptibility.
- Water supply, ventilation, cooling and power cuts.
- Dust or smoke, and emergency access.
Watch official data: PAGASA's El Niño advisories, seasonal outlooks and Heat Index information, and the hourly forecasts on panahon.gov.ph. Then check those forecasts against real readings at your workplace. A forecast does not replace your own assessment, or your observation of workers.
Update the HIRAC when PAGASA issues a material advisory, when conditions change, when water, power or cooling becomes unreliable, or when work, schedules, staffing or PPE change. Also update it when an incident or a worker's report shows that your controls may not be enough.
What to do at each heat index level
Use the forecast, your readings, your HIRAC and how workers are coping. If any of these points to a higher risk, apply the stronger measures.
| Heat index | Level | What employers must do |
|---|---|---|
| 27°C to 32°C | Caution | Continuous access to safe drinking water. Shaded or ventilated areas. Light, loose or breathable uniforms. Hydration reminders. Training on heat stress, early symptoms and first aid. |
| 33°C to 41°C | Extreme caution | Mandatory, structured rest and hydration cycles. Cool-down areas with active cooling, such as mechanical ventilation or air conditioning. Buddy system. Suitable PPE. Heavy tasks moved to cooler hours. Immediate access to trained first-aiders with rapid cooling packs. |
| 42°C to 51°C | Danger | Flexible work arrangements to cut heat exposure, with the agreement of affected workers. For example, avoid outdoor work from 12 pm to 3 pm. Anyone still on site needs reduced work intensity and exposure, work-rest cycles, cool or shaded recovery areas and frequent water. |
| 52°C and above | Extreme danger | Reassess the work immediately. Suspend, relocate, reschedule or substantially change it if the risk cannot be adequately controlled or there is imminent danger. |
At the Danger level, flexible arrangements must keep the applicable total working hours for the day or week, unless the law allows otherwise. They do not replace workplace controls.
Utilities, health services, emergency response and other vital operations keep only the minimum workforce needed. They need shorter exposure, extra staff or rotation, reliable water and cooling, standby first aid and transport, and backup plans for water or power. The advisory is clear that keeping a service running does not justify exposing workers to imminent danger.
Plan for emergencies and shortages
Build heat and El Niño into your OSH programme, HIRAC, emergency response plan and business continuity plan. Procedures must cover:
- Moving the worker out of the heat at once.
- First aid and rapid cooling for suspected heat stroke.
- Fluids only if the worker is fully conscious and able to swallow.
- Emergency contacts, quick referral and transport to a medical facility.
- Backup water and power.
- Recording and investigating heat incidents and near misses.
Provide safe drinking water, washing facilities and suitable rest areas. Have a plan for when water, ventilation, air conditioning, sanitation, first aid, communication or transport fails. Train OSH personnel, supervisors, first-aiders and workers on an ongoing basis.
Workers have duties too. They must follow the heat measures, take part in orientations and toolbox meetings, and report symptoms or unsafe heat immediately.
Records and reporting
Record all work-related heat illness in your establishment medical log, and include it in the Annual Medical Report. That covers heat stroke, exhaustion, cramps, syncope and severe dehydration.
For a serious incident involving hospitalisation, permanent disability or death, submit a Work Accident/Illness Report to the DOLE Regional Office within 24 hours of the occurrence. Investigate immediately and put corrective measures in place. See our Philippines accident reporting guide.
Employers must also check that workers are enrolled in the Social Security System and that premiums are paid, whatever the nature of their engagement. Violations of mandatory OSH standards and compliance orders are subject to penalties under Republic Act No. 11058 and its implementing rules.
Compensation for heat illness
Heat stroke, heat cramps and heat exhaustion can already be compensable under the Employees' Compensation Program. Under Labor Advisory 19, these are also recognised as linked to extreme heat:
- Heat syncope, meaning fainting or dizziness.
- Heat rash (bungang araw).
- Rhabdomyolysis, or muscle injury.
- Dehydration causing kidney injury.
- Neurological disorders affecting the nervous system.
This is not automatic payment. The worker must show by substantial evidence that the work or working conditions materially contributed to the illness. SSS handles private-sector claims and GSIS handles public-sector claims. The Employees' Compensation Commission is also reviewing whether to add more illnesses to its formal list.
Employers must keep records and help workers or their families file claims. Useful evidence includes your HIRAC, temperature readings, work schedules, work-rest records, and records of water, cooling and PPE. PAGASA heat index classifications can support a claim.
Is your heat HIRAC written down? Who checks the heat index each day? Do supervisors know what changes at 33°C, 42°C and 52°C? If you lost water or power today, what would you do?
For controls that work anywhere, read our heat stress guide and use the toolbox talk to brief your crew. Note that the heat index is not the same measure as the WBGT reading used in Singapore.
Sources and further reading
- Labor Advisory No. 20, Series of 2026: Prevention and Management of Heat Stress, Department of Labor and Employment.
- Labor Advisory No. 19, Series of 2026: Compensability of Heat Stress and Heat-Related Illnesses, Department of Labor and Employment.
- Heat Index, PAGASA.
This is practical guidance, not legal advice. Laws and codes of practice change; always check the current official text and your site's own procedures.
