Dole orders safety measures for riders amid extreme heat

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) on Tuesday issued guidelines requiring delivery platforms to implement safety measures as heat levels rise, including limiting or suspending deliveries under dangerous conditions.

Labor Advisory No. 20, Series of 2026, signed by Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino on Oct. 27, sets safety protocols for employers and workers in the private sector and on project sites where employees face actual or expected heat stress due to El Niño.

READ: DOLE moves to shield delivery riders from heat-related penalties, perils

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Under the guidelines, platforms must provide drinking water, shaded or ventilated rest areas, and hydration reminders when the heat index reaches 27°C to 32°C.

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At 33°C to 41°C, they must enforce regular rest and hydration breaks, provide cooling areas and appropriate protective equipment, and ensure access to trained first-aiders.

When the heat index reaches 42°C to 51°C, platforms must limit riders’ heat exposure through flexible work arrangements.

At 52°C or higher, employers must halt, reschedule or relocate work if the risks cannot be safely controlled or pose an immediate threat.

For essential deliveries involving medicines, food and emergency supplies, only the necessary number of riders should be deployed, on a voluntary basis.

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Platforms must also provide measures such as shorter exposure periods, rider rotation, hydration, cooling facilities, and access to first aid and emergency transport.

The guidelines state that maintaining services should not come at the expense of workers’ safety.

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Before the advisory was issued, Tolentino said platforms should not penalize riders for protecting themselves from extreme heat.

Companies should also inform riders and customers when conditions could delay deliveries.

“Their app will indicate when the heat is at a level where riders may opt not to make deliveries. Customers will also be notified that their deliveries may be delayed due to extreme heat,” Tolentino said during an ambush interview on Oct. 23.

Broader workplace protections

The advisory also requires employers to assess and document heat-related workplace risks, monitor El Niño advisories and heat index forecasts from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), and incorporate appropriate contingencies into their occupational safety and health programs and emergency plans.

Employers must maintain safe and accessible workplace welfare facilities, ensure workers’ Social Security System coverage, and record work-related heat illnesses in medical logs and annual medical reports.

Dole also issued an advisory on Oct. 23 expanding compensation coverage for work-related heat illnesses.

READ: 5 heat-related ailments may also be compensated – ECC

The Employees’ Compensation Commission added five heat-related conditions that may qualify workers for benefits under the Employees’ Compensation Program, including fainting, heat rash and kidney injury.

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The guidelines form part of Dole’s broader preparations for El Niño, which Pagasa has warned could persist into the first half of 2027 and potentially peak before the end of 2026. /mcm