DOLE orders heat protection for delivery riders

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has directed delivery and logistics platforms and companies to implement measures protecting riders from heat stress.

Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino issued the directive through Labor Advisory No. 22, Series of 2026, which outlines guidelines for employers to protect delivery riders from heat-related illnesses.

“Violations of the guidelines shall be subject to appropriate measures, administrative sanctions, and penalties under applicable laws,” it warned.

Under the advisory, covered employers must conduct hazard identification, risk assessment and control (HIRAC) along delivery routes and implement safety measures based on heat-index levels, working conditions, travel duration and access to drinking water, cooling facilities and shelter.

Employers must also inform riders of current heat-index levels and provide free drinking water, shaded rest areas, hydration and cooling breaks, appropriate protective equipment and first-aid assistance.

The DOLE instructed companies to reduce, reschedule or suspend delivery assignments when extreme heat poses serious risks to riders, depending on the heat-index category.

Platforms and companies must also maintain emergency assistance channels available seven days a week, including accessible “SOS” functions, to ensure riders experiencing severe heat-related symptoms can seek help without completing their deliveries.

The advisory prohibits employers from imposing deductions, reducing ratings or incentives, restricting access to assignments, suspending or deactivating accounts, or penalizing riders who take safety breaks, change routes or cancel deliveries because of unsafe heat conditions.

Employers are also required to provide heat-safety training, enroll riders in the Social Security System (SSS), document work-related heat illnesses and submit work accident or illness reports.