UAE’s Midday Break Initiative Ends with 99.9% Compliance, Says Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced that the Midday Break initiative, which bans working under direct sunlight and in open spaces from 12:30 to 3:00 pm, will conclude on September 15. This initiative started on June 15 and aimed to create a safe working environment during the hot summer months.
MoHRE reported a 99.9% compliance rate among companies during the ban period. The initiative also included 6,000 rest stations for delivery service workers to use during the Midday Break hours.
High Compliance and Inspections
Mohsin Al Nassi, Assistant Undersecretary for Inspection Affairs at MoHRE, praised the high compliance rate, noting that the Ministry conducted around 1,34,000 inspection visits and found only 51 violations. He emphasized that the private sector played a crucial role in adhering to these regulations, which positively impacted the work environment and employee productivity.
Community and Company Initiatives
Al Nassi highlighted that many companies went beyond just following the regulations by launching their own initiatives to reduce heat stress for workers. Community members also supported the initiative by distributing food and cold drinks to workers during the Midday Break hours.
The Ministry’s partners in government and the private sector implemented various initiatives to raise awareness about the ban and improve workers’ wellbeing. These included providing shaded areas, cooling equipment, sufficient water, hydration supplements, and first aid equipment at work sites.
Members of the community engaged with the Ministry through online platforms, a smart application, and a call center to submit suggestions and report violations.
Doubts Revealed
UAE -: UAE stands for the United Arab Emirates, a country in the Middle East known for its modern cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Midday Break Initiative -: The Midday Break Initiative is a rule in the UAE that stops people from working outside in the hot sun from 12:30 to 3:00 pm during the summer to keep them safe from heat.
Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) -: MoHRE is a government department in the UAE that looks after workers’ rights and job-related rules.
Compliance -: Compliance means following the rules or laws. In this case, it means that almost everyone followed the Midday Break rule.
Inspections -: Inspections are checks done by officials to make sure that people or companies are following the rules.
Violations -: Violations are instances where the rules were broken. Here, it means some people or companies did not follow the Midday Break rule.
Rest stations -: Rest stations are places where workers can take a break and stay cool during the hot midday hours.
