Muscat: Over 250 companies in Oman have been found to be in violation of the midday break rule, according to the Ministry of Manpower.
The law stipulates that workers should not be forced to work between 12.30pm and 3.30pm from June 1 to the end of August.
Ministry officials visited 1,003 companies in the Muscat governorate and 251 of them were found to be flouting the law.
Violators can be fined between 100 Omani riyals (Dh951) and 500 riyals, and jailed for at least one month, according to Article 118 of the Labour Law.
“Work at all outdoor worksites, including construction, must stop between the given time, otherwise the ministry will take legal action against the violators of this regulation,” the ministry said.
The ministry affirmed its commitment to protecting workers’ rights and says a special team has been dispatched to inspect sites and catch violators.
Violations can be reported by calling the toll-free number 800-7-7000.
Rahim Javeed, a construction worker in the Ruwi area of the Mutrah province, told Gulf News that he takes a break from his job from 12.30pm to 3.30pm.
“It’s unbearable to work outside in the scorching sun,” he said.
In 2017, more than 190 companies were found violating the midday break rule, according to the ministry.
More than 500,000 expatriates work in the construction sector in the country, according to the Ministry of Manpower figures.
In Muscat and most other cities in the country, temperatures hover between 40 degree Celsius and 47C during the scorching summer months.
