NEWSFLASHES

Gulf: Summer heat leads to cuts in expat working hours

Restrictions have been imposed on the working hours of foreign workers in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain due to high summer temperatures. The restrictions prohibit all outdoor work between midday and 4 pm in Bahrain until September.

Those who violate the restrictions face fines of up to 300 Bahraini Dinars ( or 800 dollars) per worker, Arab media said.

In 2008, 500 companies in Bahrain were taken to court for allegedly violating the rules, Bahraini daily Gulf Daily News said on Wednesday.

Workers in the UAE will also be subject to a work ban between 12:30pm and 3 pm until 31 August, said the country's Labour Ministry.

Summer temperatures in Bahrain and the UAE average between 38 and 48 degrees celsius.

The number of accident and cases of heat stroke have halved since measures were adopted in 2007.

The glitzy emirate of Dubai has also launched a campaign to educate workers on precautions to take during summer.

The campaign - launched by the Dubai municipality - is being carried out in Hindi, Urdu, Malayalam, English and Arabic language.

Most migrant workers in the Gulf come from Pakistan and India and are primarily employed in the construction industry.

Source: http://www.adnkronos.com
Date of publication: the 8th of July 2009

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