Dh10,000 fine for companies violating midday break rule

Ras Al Khaimah: Many construction companies are fined by the Labour Department for failing to observe the midday break rule.

A senior official said the companies are based in various areas of Ras Al Khaimah and were found to be violating the law, which stipulates that outdoor workers must be allowed to rest from noon to 3pm in July and August.

 

The official said that every company found violating the rule has been fined Dh10,000 and has been added to a special violation list.

The fine will be tripled if the violation is repeated and violating companies will be denied the right to obtain work permits for at least six months. The department has divided its inspecting staff into four groups, the official said.

 

In a single inspection visit to the southern Al Dhait area, six companies were found violating the law and heavy penalties were imposed on them.The official explained that the inspectors' visits are not limited to the midday break timings, but that they visit labourers and explain to them the law and instruct them to avoid working during the break.

 

While briefing the workers, the inspectors make sure that sponsoring companies comply with the law and do not ask them to work under the sun during the break.

 

The official stressed that the inspectors also inquire whether companies provide their workers with first aid, cold water, juices and sun shields.The companies should also provide their labourers with booklets in several languages to inform them of the safety measures. The booklets explain how workers can avoid falling ill while working in hot temperatures, and the different types of diseases and conditions that they could face.