From June 15 to September 15, 2023, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation declared a prohibition on conducting labour under the sun and in open locations from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. everyday.
The ban is implemented per Ministerial Decree No. 44 of 2022 on occupational health and safety and workers' housing, which aims to provide a decent environment for workers that consider their protection from occupational hazards and avoid injuries and occupational diseases.
It is planned that the daily working hours in the morning and evening periods will not exceed eight hours during the months of the ban, and if the worker works for more than that during the 24 hours, the increase is considered additional work for which the worker receives additional pay according to the provisions of the Labour Relations Regulation Law, in parallel with the need for employers to provide a shaded place that ensures the comfort of employees.
The provisions of the ban on working at noon take into account ensuring the continuation of work to serve the public interest, as it provides for the exception of some works where it is necessary to work non-stop for technical reasons, such as asphalt mix brushing and concrete pouring works if they cannot be implemented or completed after the ban period, and the works necessary to prevent danger or repair malfunctions that affect the community in geology.
The exclusion also includes works whose execution needs permission from a competent government entity due to their influence on traffic and service flow, and whose completion necessitates.
In the case of performing the excluded works, the employer must provide cold drinking water commensurate with the number of employees and public safety and health conditions, quenching means and materials such as salts and others approved for use by local authorities in the country, in addition to providing first aid at the work site, appropriate industrial cooling means and protective umbrellas from direct sunlight, and provide a shaded place for workers to refuel.
It is proposed to levy a fee of 5000 dirhams for each worker who violates the requirements and controls of the ban, with a maximum fine of 50 thousand dirhams for numerous workers who violate the controls of the ban.
