70% of labour accommodations violate safety rules

Dubai: Dubai Police Human Rights General Department will intensify its inspection on labour accommodations to ensure good standard of living as more than 70 per cent of inspected accommodations were found violating the health and safety standards this year.

Major-Doctor Ahmad Al Mansouri, Director of Freedoms and right department, told Gulf News that the labour inspection unit at Human Rights General Department, which has recently increased its staff from seven to 20, will intensify its inspection on labour accommodations next month.

"We are committed to protecting workers' rights and the increase in the number of the inspection unit staff will enable us to crack down on violators in more effective and quick ways," said Al Mansouri.

The labour inspection unit has inspected 357 labour accommodations this year out of which 70 per cent were found violating safety and health rules.

The violations were caught in the three major industrial areas, Al Qouz, Jebel Ali and Sonapur. "The majority of violations are minor such as misplacement of gas cylinder, which poses a fire hazard. We even consider dirty bathrooms as offences, but we still take them seriously as our priority is to ensure good living conditions for workers," said Al Mansouri.

The unit has referred four cases to court this year on the charge of endangering the life of workers. The rest of the companies were given a grace period to improve their situations and the Ministry of Labour and Dubai Municipality will take action against those failing to comply with the rules.

Inspections

--357 labour accommodations across Dubai inspected

--249 labour accommodations (70 per cent of those inspected) caught violating health and safety standards

--4 companies referred to public persecution

--Seven labour inspection units at the beginning of this year

--Number of units increased to 20 in December to ensure more effective inspection of accommodations.