MUSCAT, Jun 23 (Times of Oman): With the daytime temperatures soaring in the Sultanate, the Ministry of Manpower has directed private contruction firms and other related companies to ensure that their employees who work in the open are given a break in the afternoons.
Outlining 12.30pm to 3.30pm as the break time, the ministry, in a statement, has directed companies to follow the rule strictly.
“Every employer must take necessary precautions to protect the workers during their work hours from injuries and dangers of the work,” Saleh bin Ayel Al Amri, director of labour welfare in the Ministry of Manpower, said in the statement. Quoting the Omani labour law, he said: “Article three of the regulations issued in 2008 is straightforward and makes a clear statement that private firms have to stop their workers at construction sites and open sites in the afternoon hours from 12.30pm to 3.30pm, in months of June, July and August of each year.”
Al Amri, while asking employers to ensure clean workplaces to ensure worker safety and comfort, said: “Private sector enterprises must use equipment and technical tools to control the heat resulting from insulation, absorbent and heat-reflective tools.
Directing employers to keep processes and tools which emit high temperatures away from work places and areas where employees frequent, Al Amri said, “The premises must be provided with air conditioning, including ventilators and tug-mail to reduce the heat and create an appropriate environment for optimum performance of employees.”
Punitive action
Al Amri further said: “The Ministry of Manpower has been making significant efforts to raise awareness among employees and employers to abide by the law. In fact, the ministry’s inspection team is on rounds to check whether the private sector enterprises are enforcing the directives.”
“Necessary legal and punitive action will be taken against those who fail to abide by the provisions,” he warned.
Most GCC countries have policies in place to limit the amount of time workers can toil in the heat. The UAE recently extended its daytime work stoppage period into September.
Under UAE labour rules, workers outside must stop work from 12.30pm to 3pm from June 15 to September 15.