The Minister of Manpower Regulation Number 5 of 2018 divides workplace environmental hazards into five factors: physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, and psychological. The list is easy to memorize. What is often overlooked is that these five factors are not measured with the same ruler. Articles 3 and 7 provide two measurements:
- Physical and chemical must be maintained below the Threshold Limit Value (TLV). The numbers are available, so the result is pass or fail.
- Biological, ergonomic, and psychological only need to meet the standards. There is no single number that serves as a line.
As of September 2026, the JDIH Kemnaker records this regulation as in effect. Article 69 opens the review of TLV at least every three years, so check its status again before using the numbers below.
Contents of the five factors
| Factor | What is covered | Measurement |
|---|---|---|
| Physical | work climate, noise, vibration, radio or microwave waves, ultraviolet light, static magnetic fields, air pressure, lighting (Article 8) | TLV; lighting uses lux standards |
| Chemical | chemical substances in the workplace air | TLV per substance in the Appendix |
| Biological | microorganisms, arthropods, invertebrate animals, plant allergens, venomous animals, wild animals (Article 22) | microorganisms are measured, the rest are monitored |
| Ergonomic | work methods and positions, tools that do not fit the worker's body size, lifting loads beyond capacity (Article 23) | standards |
| Psychological | unclear roles, role conflicts, excessive workload, career development, responsibility for others (Article 24) | standards |
Most commonly used numbers
Noise. The TLV is 85 dBA for 8 hours a day. For every increase of 3 dBA, the allowed exposure time is cut in half.
| Intensity | Daily exposure limit |
|---|---|
| 85 dBA | 8 hours |
| 88 dBA | 4 hours |
| 91 dBA | 2 hours |
| 94 dBA | 1 hour |
| 100 dBA | 15 minutes |
| 115 dBA | 28.12 seconds |
The table in the Appendix continues up to 139 dBA for 0.11 seconds. For reference, a study at a drinking water treatment facility in Sidoarjo (2023) recorded two rooms at 91 dBA. According to the table, this number only allows for 2 hours of exposure per day.
Work climate (ISBB, in °C). The limits depend on the workload and work portion each hour.
| Work portion each hour | Light | Moderate | Heavy | Very heavy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75-100% | 31.0 | 28.0 | - | - |
| 50-75% | 31.0 | 29.0 | 27.5 | - |
| 25-50% | 32.0 | 30.0 | 29.0 | 28.0 |
| 0-25% | 32.5 | 31.5 | 30.5 | 30.0 |
Cells marked with a dash are not assigned a number in the Appendix.
Hand-arm vibration. 5 m/s² for exposure of 6 to 8 hours, gradually increasing to 20 m/s² for exposure of less than 30 minutes.
Lighting. Office work alternating between writing and reading: 300 lux. Accountants, typing, or prolonged office work: 500 to 1,000 lux. Large goods warehouses: 50 lux. Emergency lighting: 5 lux.
Who measures, and how often
- The executor is the K3 personnel in the Workplace Environment (Article 45): Young, Middle, or Senior K3 Experts in Workplace Environment, with K3 licenses and appointment letters. This license is different from the General K3 Expert SKP.
- Internal testing does not negate external testing (Article 59 paragraph 2). The external parties include: technical implementation units for labor supervision, the Directorate of K3 Development along with K3 technical units, K3 testing units, or accredited institutions appointed by the Minister.
- External periodic testing at least once a year, or according to risk assessment (Article 62).
- Special tests are conducted after workplace accidents or reports of suspected exposure above TLV (Article 64).
- Results of external tests are reported to the labor supervision unit (Article 65), either offline or online (Article 68). Areas that do not meet the requirements are given stamped stickers (Article 67).
Sanctions refer to Law 1/1970 and Law 13/2003 (Article 71).
Three common mistakes still seen
- Citing PER.13/MEN/X/2011 as the basis for TLV. This regulation was revoked by Article 73 of Minister of Manpower Regulation 5/2018 and is recorded as Not Applicable in JDIH Kemnaker.
- Considering psychological factors as solely a personnel issue. Article 24 places it under the same measurement and control obligations as other factors.
- Stopping at the numbers. If the results are above TLV, Article 7 requires sequential controls: elimination, substitution, technical engineering, administrative, and then personal protective equipment. This sequence is discussed in the article K3 risk management and control hierarchy.
If you prefer to see the five factors explained directly, there is a short clip.
Sources
- Ministry of Manpower, Minister of Manpower Regulation Number 5 of 2018 on Occupational Safety and Health in the Workplace Environment (text and Appendix), JDIH Kemnaker, Articles 3, 5, 7, 8, 22-24, 45, 59, 62, 64, 65, 67-69, 71, 73 and Appendix
- JDIH Kemnaker, Status of Minister of Manpower Regulation Number 5 of 2018: In effect, revoking PER.13/MEN/X/2011, accessed September 2026
- JDIH Kemnaker, Status of Minister of Manpower Regulation PER.13/MEN/X/2011 on Threshold Limit Values for Physical and Chemical Factors in the Workplace: Not Applicable, accessed September 2026
- Azizah, R. N., et al., Noise Intensity and Hearing Ability of Workers in the PDAM Delta Tirta Sidoarjo Drinking Water Treatment Area, Journal of Environmental Sanitation Vol. 3 No. 1, 2023