NHRC concludes anti-heat exhaustion campaign

The National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) concluded its anti-exhaustion campaign, which started on Aug. 1, as part of many meetings, lectures, and field awareness seminars, distributing awareness-raising publications to workers in three languages: Arabic, English, and Urdu, providing them with tools and supplies that provide protection from the sun's rays and contribute to reducing the severity of the heat.On this occasion, HE Secretary-General of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Sultan bin Hassan Al Jamali said that the campaign managed to reach around 10,000 workers and had a wide resonance in the community, over social media platforms, and with accredited embassies to the state. He reviewed the most important observations about the level of workers' and employers' awareness of the laws and decisions related to working conditions in outdoor spaces during the summer period, presenting some conclusions and recommendations regarding protecting workers from the dangers of heat exhaustion and awareness mechanisms.During the closing conference of the campaign, Al Jamali pointed out that the NHRC annually carries out dozens of media activities to spread the culture of human rights, and also implement an awareness campaign regarding the decision of HE Minister of Labor Dr. Ali bin Smaikh Al Marri No. 17 of 2023 regarding the necessary precautions to protect workers from heat exhaustion.He added that workers and employers did not have abundant information about the heat exhaustion decision other than that related to the ban on working at noon in open spaces during the summer period, pointing out that the decision includes other provisions such as placing a schedule of daily working hours in a visible place that is easy for all workers to see, developing a joint plan with workers to assess the risks of heat exhaustion and place it in a visible place, providing training to workers by May of each year on dealing with heat exhaustion, as well as providing free drinking water, shaded rest areas, and appropriate personal protective equipment, and conducting medical examinations to diagnose and manage chronic diseases at no cost to the worker.He emphasized that companies of course provide drinking water, protective gear, and shaded places for rest, but not all employers are aware that these requirements have become mandatory law, praising the Public Works Authority and Qatari Diar, which are role models in protecting workers from heat exhaustion.Al Jamali presented the committee's recommendations based on the conclusions of the necessity of continuing awareness campaigns about heat exhaustion to raise awareness for both employers and workers and prevent the use of ignorance of the law as an excuse, saying that during May of each year, extensive media campaigns must be carried out about heat exhaustion in close cooperation between all competent authorities, including distributing publications, holding seminars, and using large screens in the streets (especially in the industrial area) to present the provisions of the ministerial decision in a simplified manner in English and in the workers' main languages of Hindi, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Nepali, Swahili, and Arabic.He also noted the necessity of providing awareness-raising publications and introducing the hotline to receive heat exhaustion complaints, which the Ministry of Labor announced on all social media platforms, which ensures maintaining the worker's privacy and the confidentiality of the complaint to enable workers or their representatives to confront any actions that violate the law and prevent them from occurring.He highlighted the continuity of efforts to ensure that workers' rights develop in accordance with human rights and in close cooperation with the competent authorities, expressing his gratitude to the coordinators of participating communities for their cooperation and to the representatives of the Ministry of Labor, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), Qatari Diar, and guests of foreign embassies.For his part, Technical Specialist (OSH) at the ILO Project Office for the State of Qatar Michael Kandarakis stressed the need to raise awareness and launch behavior change campaigns targeting workers, employers, and the general public regarding risks associated with high temperatures and measures to be taken under such circumstances.Kandarakis said that the State of Qatar has adopted the most advanced and comprehensive legislation on heat exhaustion in the region, and perhaps the world, indicating that alleviating heat exhaustion and protecting workers from conditions associated with it is a complex issue that requires in-depth scientific research and guidance, adding that the ILO always calls for developing evidence-based policies and legislation.Regarding the application of Qatari law, the Technical Specialist said that the ILO praises labor inspection campaigns that ensure the suspension of work during prohibited hours, thanking the NHRC and the Ministry of Labor.For his part, Ministry of Labor representative Zayed Suhail Al Mazroui reviewed the Ministry's contributions in the field of occupational safety and health, which includes labor inspections, occupational safety and health, the adoption of a national policy for labor inspection and for occupational safety and health, the training of inspectors, conducting inspection visits and campaigns, collection, analyzing, and disseminating data and findings, in addition to administrative efforts to protect workers from the risk of heat exhaustion.Al Mazroui said that the Ministry organizes annual awareness and inspection campaigns to ensure compliance with the ban on working in open spaces during the summer period to protect workers from heat exhaustion, adding that the occupational safety and health administration has set a strict inspection plan for the summer period, in which legal measures are taken against violating companies.The Ministry of Labor representative explained that the penalty for violating the ministerial ban consists of a partial or complete closure of the violating workplace by a minister decision.In turn, Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) representative Dr Ahmed Idlibi said that this campaign is proof of the administration's interest and contribution to joint efforts that aim to build a safe and healthy society, stressing that together with all other partners. He added that QRCS endeavors to reach the common goal of protecting workers from the risks of heat exhaustion, in addition to improving their health in accordance with human rights, the most important of which is the right to work in a safe and healthy environment, and the protection of workers and employers alike, improving health conditions and increasing productability.Dr. Idlibi added that QRCS represented by the Medical Affairs Division provides a wide range of high-quality healthcare services to single male workers in the State of Qatar through the four Workers' Health Centers it manages and operates in accordance with an agreement with the Ministry of Public Health. He noted that all services are provided free of charge, except for medication, where patients bear 20 percent of the price of medication.