The Labour Inspection Department of the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs, carried out a number of intensive inspection campaigns recently to ensure compliance by companies with Ministerial Decision No16 of 2007 fixing outdoor working hours during the summer.
The Ministry said the field visits carried out by its inspectors from July 5 to 16 resulted in the closure of 33 worksites for three days because they violated the ministerial decision.
It said that most of the violating companies work in the contracting sector in Al Ebb, Al Wakrah, Rawdat Al Hamama, Al Kharaitiyat, Lusail, Umm Al Saneem, Al Kheesa, Al Thumama, Azghawa and Al Khor.
The decision obliges companies and institutions that have open workplaces to set a schedule specifying the daily working hours in accordance with the provisions of the decision, a place that is easy for all workers to see and for the Ministry inspectors to observe during their inspection visits, in addition to providing air-conditioned spaces for the workers' comfort, providing chilled drinking water and light clothing, and giving them rest periods at different times in order to protect them from heat.
The Ministerial Decision No16 of 2007 bans work between 11.30am and 3pm from June 15, to August 31 every year.
The Ministry called on all companies in different sectors to respect the decision in order to avoid the workplace's closure.
From June 15 to July 16, 173 worksites in various parts of the country were closed for violating the provisions of the decision.
