Climate change is exposing workers to greater risks from extreme heat and other hazards, while workplace protections are struggling to keep pace with changing conditions, a labor leader said.

"Serious health risks include heat exhaustion, heatstroke, dehydration, acute kidney injury, and cardiovascular complications. Prolonged exposure can also contribute to chronic kidney disease and other long-term health problems," Josua T. Mata, secretary-general of labor group Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa, told BusinessWorld via Viber.

Workers exposed to floods also face increased exposure to waterborne diseases and other hazards, Mr. Mata said.

"Heat is a longstanding workplace hazard, but its risks are intensifying with climate change," he added.

The Philippines has already experienced dangerously high heat: state weather bureau PAGASA regularly issues heat index advisories, and in 2024 several areas recorded heat indices classified as "danger" levels, prompting class suspensions and renewed attention to outdoor work conditions.

The House of Representatives Committee on Labor and Employment earlier recommended approval of House Bill No. 10559, which seeks to strengthen occupational safety and health (OSH) standards by integrating climate-responsive measures. The measure was approved on third and final reading on Wednesday, with 256 legislators voting in favor.

The bill builds on the country's existing OSH framework under Republic Act No. 11058, signed in 2018, which set mandatory safety standards and penalties for workplace violations but did not explicitly address climate-driven hazards.

Under the bill, covered workplaces must incorporate climate-adaptive measures into their OSH programs. These include identifying and assessing climate-related hazards, adjusting work arrangements and schedules to reduce exposure, and adopting preventive, mitigating and preparedness measures for heat stress and extreme weather events.

The programs must also include measures for workers particularly affected by or vulnerable to climate-related hazards, as well as documentation, reporting and monitoring of climate-related occupational risks and incidents.

The bill also strengthens penalties for OSH violations. Willful failure or refusal to comply with OSH standards or a Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) compliance order could carry an administrative fine of up to P100,000 per day until the violation is corrected.

The legislation defines a "gross violation" as any willful or grossly negligent OSH violation that exposes workers to the risk of death, serious injury or serious illness. A gross violation resulting in injury could carry a fine of P300,000 to P500,000 per injury, imprisonment of one year and one day to six years, or both. If the violation results in death, the fine escalates to P1 million to P3 million per death, or imprisonment of six years and one day to 12 years, or both.

Responsible corporate officers would also be held criminally liable when they participate in, consent to or knowingly tolerate violations.

The bill further directs DoLE to conduct continuing research on emerging workplace hazards associated with changing environmental and climatic conditions, support evidence-based OSH policies and develop adaptive medical and occupational criteria.

The measure now moves to the Senate for its counterpart action before it can become law.

Mr. Mata noted that other countries have adopted heat protocols tied to heat advisories, including frequent breaks and hydration, with work suspended without loss of income when temperatures reach dangerous levels. International labor bodies, including the International Labour Organization, have similarly flagged rising heat stress as a growing occupational hazard, particularly for outdoor and informal-sector workers in tropical countries.

"These protections should be adopted and enforced in the Philippines," he said.

"The bill is a step in the right direction," Mr. Mata said. "It can strengthen existing workplace safety rules by making climate-related hazards, particularly extreme heat, a specific focus of prevention, protection, and employer accountability." — Mark Joseph M. Sanchez