Dole details banned farming, livestock work for minors

Sunstar, Jan. 18, 2017

THE Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) released Wednesday a long list of jobs related to agriculture and livestock farming, where minors are prohibited from getting employed. In a statement, the Dole said employers in the agriculture and livestock farming industry should take note on where they should not employ children below 18 years old as this is prohibited under Department Order (DO) 149-A.

Declared as hazardous work in farming for minors are preparatory and planting activities that involve clearing of land, plowing, harrowing, irrigating, constructing paddy dike, and cutting; as well as plant propagation activities involving grafting, budding, and marcotting.

Also prohibited are tending activities that involve weeding; handling, spraying and application of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and other toxic chemicals; and the loading and carrying of heavy loads. Harvesting loads such as cutting and picking, spreading for drying, hauling, topping, tumbling, tuxying, stripping, burning of field, sticking and classifying, threshing, loading and carting of produce are also prohibited for minors.

Child labor is also prohibited in post-harvesting activities that involve de-husking, scooping, sacking of products, charcoal making, hauling of products as led by animal guide, loading and unloading of packed farm products, coconut kilning and de-meating from shell or core, sealing and carting of produce for warehousing and transport to market and all ancillary work such as clearing, cleaning, and recycling of farm waste in its preparation as animal food and other related processes.

As for livestock farming, the Dole said minors are not allowed to be employed in rearing such as collecting, loading, unloading and transporting of feeds, maintenance and care of large and/or dangerous animals, collecting and disposal of dead animals, animal manure and other waste materials, administering of vaccines and vitamins, and handling of disinfectants used for cleaning animal pens/enclosures or for disinfecting animals.

Also not allowed are harvesting activities that involve catching or collecting, ranching, and milking in preparation for warehousing or transport to market, Post-harvest activities including the packaging and processing of dairy and other animal by-products in preparation for warehousing and transport to market; and working in slaughterhouses or abattoirs are also prohibited to minors.

“The best interest of children is the paramount consideration to ensure that their employment does not endanger their life, safety, health and morals, nor impair their normal development,” said DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)

Read more: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2017/01/18/dole-details-banned-farming-livestock-work-minors-520766
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