MoHRE reviews private sector preparations as midday break starts on June 15
Shaded areas with cooling facilities, drinking water to be offered during midday break
Dubai: Midday break for a period of three month begins on June 15 making it mandatory for outdoor workers to stop work for a least two and half hours and rest in shaded areas.
Dr Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, reviewed the private sector’s preparations to begin implementing the midday break, which prohibits working under direct sunlight and in open-air spaces every day from 12:30pm to 3pm.
Dr Al Awar visited one of major property construction sites in Dubai, accompanied by several senior officials from the Ministry, where he toured the rest areas provided by the company for its workers with cooling devices, cold water, and other amenities to ensure workers’ health, safety, and comfort during the midday dreak.
“The Midday Break has become a well-established culture in the UAE private sector as it enters its 20th consecutive year,” Al Awar noted, underlining the high levels of compliance that the initiative has achieved over the years. “The private sector is a strategic partner for the government in its efforts to enhance the competitiveness and leadership of the UAE labour market.”
“We can see this clearly in companies’ consistent compliance with labour relations regulations, as well as in their commitment to supporting labour market initiatives and programmes, in addition to prioritising social responsibility,” he added.
Field visits
Inspection teams from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation are set to conduct field visits to work sites in order to ensure companies’ compliance with the midday break, in line with the joint campaign the Ministry is running in collaboration with its partners in the government and private sectors to raise awareness about the midday dreak, highlight its provisions and requirements, and emphasise its positive impact on the health and safety of workers.
Medical tests
Medical examinations will be conducted for workers, and outdoor worksite supervisors will be trained on first-aid procedures, with a focus on addressing heat stress-related cases.
The midday break requires companies to provide shaded areas for workers to protect them from heat stress caused by sun exposure while working. Companies must also provide adequate cooling devices, sufficient drinking water to prevent dehydration, first aid equipment at work sites, and other means to ensure workers’ comfort.
6,000 rest stations
The Ministry had announced that 6,000 rest stations will be provided for delivery workers across the UAE, in addition to an interactive map of these stations to enable workers to easily locate and access them throughout the midday dreak period.
The rest stations initiative is implemented in collaboration with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA); Integrated Transport Centre in Abu Dhabi; and the departments of economic development across the UAE. Partners also include delivery companies, such as Talabat, Deliveroo, Noon, Careem, and others, while a range of restaurants, shopping centres, retail stores, and cloud kitchens will also be offering rest areas for delivery drivers.
How to report
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation called on all private sector companies that carry out outdoor work to launch similar initiatives to ensure the safety of their workers, while also urging community members to report any irresponsible practices or violations of the midday break by contacting MoHRE’s call centre at 600590000, or through its website or smart application.