The commencement and implementation of plans that aim to prevent work-related injuries and ailments in the summer
are expected next year, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has said.
The ministry has just held an “enlarged meeting” with the participation of the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs, Primary Health Care Corporation, Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, Qatar Red Crescent Society and MoPH representatives.
Ways of ensuring the effective application of laws on limiting working hours at open sites during the summer were discussed at the meeting.
In a statement, the ministry has said it works closely with the relevant parties to develop actions plans in order to prevent work-related injuries and health hazards during the summer, particularly heat stress.
During the meeting, Dr al-Anoud said the MoPH and other parties concerned are keen to ensure workers’ good health and contribute to making all workplaces free of injuries, occupational diseases and deaths.
She commended the efforts exerted by the relevant bodies to reduce high temperature- and work-related ailments and injuries, in addition to the various programmes that aim to improve workers’ health in the country.
“The ministry is also keen on supporting these joint ventures and ensuring the ideal application of national programmes in this regard,” she added.
A number of issues were discussed at the meeting, including ways of ensuring the effective application of laws and resolutions related to limitation of working hours at open sites during the summer, the statement noted.
The relevant resolution states that work in direct sunlight or open workplaces shall not exceed five hours in the morning, until 11.30am, from June 15 to August 31. Also, the evening shift shall not start before 3pm.
The meeting also discussed means of holding more workshops dedicated to training occupational health and safety supervisors and workers as well as ways of reporting injuries and how to handle them, in addition to other plans.
HE the Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs Dr Issa Saad al-Jafali al-Nuaimi has stressed that companies in Qatar that continue to violate government directives on summer work hours will be publicly named.
The authorities had also penalised 60 companies with three-day site closures for violating restrictions on summer working hours.