UAE | Employment

Company near ministry caught violating break

A construction company located near the Ministry of Labour office has been caught violating the midday break rule.

  • By Wafa Issa, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 23:02 July 4, 2007
  • Gulf News

Dubai: A construction company located near the Ministry of Labour office has been caught violating the midday break rule.

Eisa Al Zarouni, deputy head at the investigation unit, said workers were carrying on with their work and not paying much attention to the fact that the site is adjacent to the ministry.

A total of 25 companies out of the 112 inspected in Dubai and Northern Emirates broke the rule, a ministry report said. It amounts to 22 per cent of the total companies inspected in Dubai and the northern emirates during the three first days of the rule being implemented. More than half of the violations were committed in Dubai followed by Ajman which registered six cases.

Al Zarouni said that overall companies have adhered to the decision. Six inspectors are monitoring companies in Dubai and the northern emirates. The main challenge facing the inspectors is violations committed on the roofs of high buildings.

"Violations need to be documented if we are to penalise companies as per the decision, but the problem is that inspectors do not have enough time to take photos as the workers run away before the inspectors are able to reach them," Al Zarouni said.

Labour Ministry considers outsourcing checks

Unified heath and safety standards will be be in place across the country by 2008, said a senior Ministry of Labour official.

Humaid Bin Deemas, assistant undersecretary at the ministry, said that an initiative to standardise health and safety regulations is under way at the ministry. "Standardising health and safety requirements is one of our main objectives for 2008. These standards will have to be followed by all companies in the country even those in the free zones," Bin Deemas said . "We would like to have a Cabinet decision on the matter as it would give strength to such an initiative."

The ministry is also studying the possibility of outsourcing inspections to private companies, Bin Deemas said. Outsourcing of governmental services is a widespread practice. Specialised companies are able to provide well-trained people and it cuts the cost of the ministry, he said. In the next phase, the ministry's role will be more of a supervisory one and less of an executive one, he said.

Investigation Unit, Ministry of Labour statistics

25 offenders among 112 company sites inspected

Number of violating companies: Dubai: 13; Ajman: 6; Sharjah: 3; Fujairah: 3

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