TDT | Manama
Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
A two-month ban on outdoor work in the afternoon will be implemented in Bahrain from today until the end of August.
This is in accordance with Ministerial Decree 39/2013, which bans outdoor work between noon and 4pm during the summer months when temperatures and humidity rise.
According to the Ministry of Transport and Communications’ Meteorological Department, afternoon temperatures average 40°C (104°F) in July and can reach 46°C (114.8°F) in August.
Bahrain will implement the annual ban to protect workers’ health, ensure their safety against heatstroke and sunstroke, prevent summer-related illnesses and increase productivity.
This will also help reduce accidents in the workplace, given the increasing temperatures and humidity, and is in line with Bahrain’s commitment to human rights principles, particularly with regard to the need to provide a safe and healthy working environment.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Development announced yesterday that all preparations are in place to strictly enforce the summer outdoor work ban, which was first introduced in Bahrain in 2007.
Minister Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan affirmed that Bahrain is committed to the safety and health of workers in various production sites and is a leader in ensuring a safe and secure working environment for workers, urging employers to implement this decision, noting that the implementation of the afternoon outdoor work ban is the best means to achieve that goal.
Awareness-raising activities
The Ministry of Labour has launched an awareness campaign to urge employers and employees to comply with the provisions of the Act.
It also held a virtual workshop for safety and health managers from private sector organisations to inform them of the requirements for protecting workers from summer-related illnesses and occupational injuries.
Humaidan also called on private agencies to intensify efforts to raise awareness about summer illnesses among workers, highlight the risks of overworking in the summer heat, provide medical care and first aid, and find ways to reduce exposure to heat and humidity.
The Minister commended private companies for complying with the ban over the past few years, saying this demonstrates employers’ commitment to ensuring a safe and decent working environment for their employees and vowed to have zero tolerance towards violators.
Under Article (192) of Law No. 36 of 2012 promulgating the Labor Law in the Private Sector, violators may be subject to imprisonment of up to three months and/or a fine of BD500 to BD1,000.
Compliance Rate
According to the Ministry of Labor, compliance in past years has been exemplary, with at least 98 percent of businesses adhering to the summer shutdown ban. Last year, compliance reached 99.7 percent.
According to Humaidan, the increasing compliance with the decree reflects the prestigious position Bahrain enjoys in the field of respect for human rights, especially those of workers participating in the nation-building and development journey.
The ministry’s specialized teams carried out 13,658 surprise and routine inspections of workplaces during the two-month ban and reported violations involving 42 workers at 30 establishments. Legal action has been taken against all violators.
Labor Statistics
According to Bahrain’s labour market indicators, employment of foreign workers reached 594,944 by the end of the second quarter of 2019. In the construction sector, Bahrain is reported to have around 150,000 workers in more than 30,000 construction sites.
Bahrain has an estimated 55,000 illegal foreign workers, according to reports, but that number has declined since the COVID-19 outbreak. The ban, initially limited to construction workers, was later extended to include workers in all other sectors.
