Doha – Haitham Al-Ashqar:
The Ministry of Labor announced the implementation of Ministerial Resolution No. (17) of 2021 regarding the necessary precautions to protect workers from heat stress during the summer, starting today and within the framework of the state’s efforts to provide a safe and healthy work environment and enhance occupational safety standards in various work sites.
Under the decision, it is prohibited to employ workers in open spaces during the period from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., from June 1 to September 15, with the aim of reducing health risks resulting from direct exposure to sunlight and high temperatures. The Ministry of Labor confirmed that implementing the decision comes within an integrated system of procedures and legislation aimed at protecting the workforce and preserving their safety and health while performing their duties, especially in sectors that require work in outdoor locations and open spaces. The Ministry of Labor organizes field inspection tours at various work sites to ensure that companies and institutions comply with the provisions of the decision, and to take the necessary legal measures against violators, to ensure full compliance with occupational safety and health requirements.
The Ministry called on employers to fully adhere to the specified curfew hours, and to provide all necessary preventive measures for workers, including appropriate resting places, adequate drinking water, and means of preventing heat stress, in a way that contributes to reducing injuries and diseases associated with high temperatures.
The decision to ban working in outdoor spaces during the summer period is one of the most prominent preventive measures implemented by the State of Qatar annually to protect workers, as it reflects the state’s commitment to promoting a decent work environment and consolidating a culture of occupational safety.
