UAE: Midday break rule ends tomorrow

DUBAI: United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has announced that the midday break rule period – which started on June 15, prohibiting any outdoor labour work between 12:30 pm and 3:00 pm – will end on September 15.

The mandatory annual midday work break aims to ensure the well-being and safety of labourers working under direct sunlight and to protect them from heat during summer months.

During this period, MoHRE has issued several rules and procedures and has organised a number of awareness activities and programmes, in cooperation with its partners, to ensure that workers are protected against heat exhaustion, heatstroke and coronavirus infection.

The ban rule excluded companies responsible for works which must continue for technical reasons. Employers of exempt companies must provide cool drinking water in proportion with the number of workers and in accordance with the requirements of public safety and health, as well as thirst-quenching items, such as salts, lemon and etc., as used by the local authorities.