Abu Dhabi: Although the midday break will be effective for all outdoor workers in the private sector from today, health officials remain concerned about other hazardous jobs exposing workers to the summer heat, such as aluminium smelting and welding.
Speaking about the issue during a heat stress awareness seminar organised by the Ministry of Labour (MoL) on Monday, Dr Salim Adib, manager of public health with the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD), explained that the midday break rule only protects workers from direct rays of the sun, and not from high temperatures in general.
"Some workers are not directly exposed to the sun, but the risk of heat exposure is still present for those exposed to high temperature conditions in jobs such as smelting and welding. This is one of many issues which concern us. Even though the break was a step in the right direction, a lot still needs to be done to protect workers," Dr Adib told Gulf News on the sidelines of the meeting.
The midday break rule halts all outdoor work between 12:30pm and 3pm, and will be effective until September 15. However, according to the MoL directive, some workers who need to continue their work during those hours, due to technical urgencies, will be exempt from the break, as long as they are provided with enough water, salts and shade in the work area.
Addressing concerns about heat exposure, Humaid Rashid Bin Deemas, acting director general of the MoL, said that inspectors would keep in mind workers' general rights when deciding whether a company was following the midday break rule. "Just because workers are not working directly under the sun does not mean a company is following the law. Our inspectors will check whether those who have to work during the midday break get the proper protection."
Contact: Reporting violations
Ministry of Labour could be contacted to report violations.
- To report midday break violations, the public are encouraged to contact the Ministry of Labour at 800665.
- Any member of the public can anonymously report violations of the midday break rule, Muhsin Al Nasee, said manager of the inspection department at the Ministry of Labour. He added that while a few cases are reported, MoL wanted to see greater commitment to workers' rights, and would be happy to look into more violation reports.
