From June 15 to September 15, the UAE has banned working in open spaces and under direct sunlight daily from 12.30 to 3 pm.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) said daily working hours should be at most eight during the months of the ban. If an employee is made to work more than eight hours a day, the additional period will be considered overtime, and the employee will be entitled to compensation.
Moreover, employers are required to provide a shaded area where workers can rest during the midday break.
Fines:
A fine of Dh5,000 for each worker will be imposed if the employers are found to violate the provisions and regulations of the ban. The maximum acceptable amount is Dh50,000 when multiple workers are made to work during the banned hours.
Community members are encouraged to report offenses on 600590000 or the MoHRE’s app.
Exemptions:
Some jobs require work to be continued, and they are exempted from the mid-day work. These include:
- Laying asphalt or pouring concrete, where it is infeasible to postpone these tasks until after the break
- Work-related to repairing damages that affect the community, like an interruption to water supply or electricity, cutting off traffic, and other significant issues.
- Work that requires a permit from a relevant government authority to be executed given their impact on traffic flow and services. These tasks require non-stop work, including cutting it and diverting main traffic routes, power lines, and communications.
For exempted jobs, the employer must offer workers sufficient cold drinking water. Public health and safety requirements should be taken care of by providing hydrating food items like salts and other food items approved by the local authorities in the UAE. They should also offer first-aid at the work site, umbrellas that protect from direct sunlight, and shaded areas for workers to rest during their downtime.
Prioritizing worker’s health:
Mohsen Al Nassi, assistant undersecretary for Inspection Affairs at the MoHRE, said:” The health and safety of workers is the cornerstone of the labor market legislation. The midday work break, implemented for about the 19th year in a row, is in line with the highest professional and humane standards developed to protect workers from the potential risk of injury resulting from high temperatures during summer, especially at noon.”
He added that” the decision to ban work at midday is a milestone for the labor market and is an integral part of work environment regulations in the UAE and our community culture. The ministry’s partners and other individuals started various initiatives during the summer months to give supplies that protect workers from heat exhaustion and sunstroke”.
Moreover, from last year the ministry has seen ” impressive compliance rates.”
