WORKERS WHO SPEND LONG HOURS SITTING AT WORK SHOULD BE GIVEN FIVE-MINUTE BREAKS EVERY TWO HOURS FROM SITTING TIME PER DOLE DEPARTMENT ORDER NO. 184, SERIES OF 2017

Workers whose work require them to sit long hours should be given breaks to minimize the ill health effects of sedentary work.

On October 18, 2017, the Secretary of Labor and Employment pursuant to his authority under Article 168 of the Labor Code, as renumbered, set and enforce mandatory occupational safety and health standards in all workplaces in order to eliminate health risks, and to ensure safe and healthful working conditions in places of employment, the following guidelines are hereby issued for compliance of all concerned:

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PURPOSE AND COVERAGE OF DO 184

DO 184 serves as guide for employers or establishments to address the occupational safety and health and safety issues and concerns related to sedentary work or sitting while working for long periods, such as musculoskeletal disorders, high blood pressure, heart disease, anxiety, diabetes, obesity, among others.

All workers who, by the nature of their work, have to spend long hours sitting at work, such as those involved in computer, administrative, and clerical works, those working in highly-mechanized establishments, those working in the fields of transportation, toll booths, information technology and business process management, and all other processes and industries where sedentary work is observed are covered by DO 184.

DIRECTIVE TO INSTITUTE CONTROL MEASURES

Compliance with DO 184 should be part of the requirement to formulate policies and implement programs aimed at safeguarding the welfare of workers pursuant to the OSHS and other related issuances.

All employers and/or establishments are directed to institute appropriate control measures to address the risks to safety and health of workers who spend long hours sitting at work.

These measures shall include, among others, the following:

1. Provide workers with regular five-minute breaks every two hours from sitting time;
2. Encourage workers to reduce sedentary work by interrupting sitting time and substitute it with standing and walking;
3. Ensure that the workstation is designed appropriately for the type of work;
4. Change work systems, e.g. providing sit-stand workstations or properly designed workstations that would facilitate easy mobility of workers, and conducting standing meetings;
5. Redesign work tasks, if possible, to enable greater variability in movement or posture;
6. Organize health promotion activities that will allow workers to do more physical activities after work, such as calisthenics, dance lessons and such similar activities;
7. Conduct awareness raising on the health effects of prolonged sitting and sedentary work; and
8. Conduct medical surveillance among workers who are at risk of getting the deleterious health effects of prolonged sitting and sedentary work.

OTHER RELATED MEASURES

The employers, in consultation with the workers, may adopt other measures to address the occupational safety and health problems of workers who have to spend long hours sitting at work.

NOTICE TO DOLE

The covered employers or establishments are required to notify DOLE, through the Regional Office which has jurisdiction over the workplace, of the adoption of the safety and health measures as required herein.

The DOLE Regional Offices shall inspect and monitor the proper and strict implementation of this Order.