Cabinet nod for health and work safety body

The Cabinet has assigned the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance and Industry, to establish the first independent authority for health and work safety, the labour minister said yesterday.

Matar Al Tayer, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, told Gulf News: "The Cabinet has approved a study proposed by the Ministry of Public Works and Housing in cooperation with various ministries in the UAE to restructure the labour market in the construction and contracting sector in the emirates."

Al Tayer said that among the recommendations of the study, 13 were delegated to the Ministry of Labour while others were referred to the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Finance and Industry.

Among the recommendations is also the unification of fees for issuing labour permits, company cards, etc, and the establishment of the first health and work safety authority that will cater for the needs of labourers.

Al Tayer said the authority's duties include regular inspections to make sure that labourers are working in safe environments, secure the rights of labourers, ensure that they are getting their wages regularly and that women are not working in night shifts.

Regarding the ministry's role in the amnesty, Al Tayer said: "The ministry of labour will cooperate with the Ministry of Interior in an intensive search for illegals who are still in the country as the amnesty period has ended."