DOLE Order on Hazardous Work for Minors

Employment of persons below 18 years in hazardous or deleterious work is prohibited.
Children below 15 years cannot be employed in any undertaking except those that do not endanger life, safety, health, morals, or impair normal development.
Employment of children under 15 years is strictly regulated by Republic Act No. 7658.

Work exposing minors to physical, psychological, or sexual abuse is prohibited; includes work in lewd shows, cabarets, bars, dance halls, bath houses, escort services, and gambling halls.
Work in dangerous environments such as underground, underwater, at dangerous or unguarded heights above two meters, or confined spaces is prohibited; examples include mining, deep sea fishing, cable fitting, painting, window cleaning, and fruit picking involving climbing.
Work involving dangerous machinery or heavy manual handling is prohibited; includes logging, construction, quarrying, mechanized farming, metal work, welding, driving heavy equipment, operation of power-driven machines and tools, stevedoring, and dock work.
Work in unhealthy environments exposing minors to hazardous processes, toxic chemicals, high noise, vibrations, or biological agents is prohibited; covers manufacturing/handling pyrotechnics, pesticide spraying, tanning, textile finishing, embalming, brewing, recycling batteries, hospital work, laboratories, welding, and working in discotheques/video arcades.
Work under particularly difficult conditions such as long hours, night work, or unreasonable confinement to employer’s premises is prohibited.

Persons aged 15 to below 18 years may engage in domestic or household service.
Such employment is subject to restrictions outlined under hazardous work prohibitions in Section 3.

Labor standards enforcement officers of DOLE will monitor compliance using these guidelines.
Child labor laws allow only limited exceptions for employment of children under 15 provided it does not endanger life, safety, health, morals, or development.

If any provision of the Guidelines is declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions remain effective.

The Order takes effect fifteen (15) days after publication in two newspapers of general circulation.
Supersedes Department Order No. 4 dated June 8, 1973.