Qatar has introduced strict summer working-hour restrictions to protect outdoor labourers from heat-related illnesses during the country's hottest months. The restrictions, which apply to workplaces where employees are directly exposed to sunlight and high temperatures, prohibit outdoor work at exposed sites between 10am and 3:30pm from June 1 to September 15 every year. This move aims to reduce the risk of heat stress among people working in exposed environments, particularly construction and other outdoor occupations.
The Ministerial Decree No. 17 of 2021, issued by the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs, extended the country's previous summer work ban by six weeks, widening the period during which workers receive protection. Under the decree, employers are required to provide workers with training on heat stress and how to prevent heat-related illnesses. They must also supply appropriate personal protective equipment and arrange annual health checks for workers.
In addition to restricting working hours and providing heat-stress training, employers in Qatar are required to stop work at exposed sites whenever the Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) exceeds 32.1°C, regardless of the time of day. The WBGT is an environmental heat-stress measurement that considers factors such as air temperature, humidity, wind speed and exposure to sunlight. This measure helps assess the risk that working conditions pose to the human body.
Qatar has established several channels through which employees can report workplace violations and raise complaints. The Ministry operates a hotline available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, allowing workers to report concerns at any time. The ministry has also installed 11 electronic complaint kiosks at ministry branches across the country, supporting 11 languages to make them accessible to workers from different nationalities and language backgrounds.
The summer restrictions are designed to reduce the risk of heat stress among people working in exposed environments, particularly construction and other outdoor occupations. By combining restricted working hours with temperature-based work stoppages, employer safety obligations and accessible complaint channels, Qatar's decree establishes several measures aimed at protecting workers during periods of extreme heat.
Employers in Qatar must take responsibility for their workers' health and safety during the summer months. They are required to provide a safe working environment and ensure that workers are aware of the risks associated with heat stress. This includes providing workers with regular breaks, access to cool drinking water and shade.
The introduction of strict summer working-hour restrictions in Qatar is a significant step towards protecting outdoor labourers from heat-related illnesses. The measures, which include restricted working hours, heat-stress training and accessible complaint channels, demonstrate Qatar's commitment to ensuring the health and safety of workers during periods of extreme heat.
Key points
- Qatar has introduced strict summer working-hour restrictions to protect outdoor labourers from heat-related illnesses during the country's hottest months.
- Employers in Qatar are required to provide workers with training on heat stress and how to prevent heat-related illnesses, as well as supply personal protective equipment and arrange annual health checks.
- Qatar has established several channels through which employees can report workplace violations and raise complaints, including a 24-hour hotline and electronic complaint kiosks.
