Completing (11342) inspection visits and monitoring (22) establishments in violation of the decision .. Humaidan announces the percentage of establishments' commitment to the "work ban" decision this

31-08-2021

His Excellency the Minister of Labour and Social Development, Mr. Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan, announced that the compliance rate with Ministerial Resolution No. (39) of 2013, regarding the prohibition of working under sunlight and open places during the afternoon period from 12 noon until 4 pm in July and August of this year has reached 99.8%. The work ban period ended today, Tuesday, August 31st, at noon, as companies and institutions resume their normal work, while the Ministry carried out (11342) inspection visits at work sites throughout the ban period, in order to supervise the implementation of the decision and the extent of the facilities and workers’ commitment to it. Accordingly, only (22) violating establishments were monitored, while the number of violating workers reached (33) workers, and those violations were referred to the judiciary. In this context, Humaidan praised the commitment towards the afternoon work ban by many institutions and establishments, which were concerned with implementing the decision. The minister pointed out that this commitment reflects the keenness of employers on the safety and health of workers in various circumstances, praising the optimal implementation of the decision, which carries with it many human and human rights aspects. The Minister also shed light on the economic gains that employers gain by reprogramming their working hours in open places in a way that does not affect productivity levels and the completion of tasks and at the same time contributes to reducing the cost of human injuries at work sites. He noted that through the inspection visits, it became clear the extent to which the establishments adhere to the decision and provide the necessary tools to spare workers heat exhaustion and heat strokes during the summer period, when Bahrain is witnessing a rise in temperature and humidity The Minister stressed that the Kingdom of Bahrain is proceeding to update the occupational safety and health legislation in line with the latest shifts in the risks in the workplace to reduce injuries, accidents, as well as occupational diseases accordant with international Labour standards. Noting that this will constitute a motive for more legislation that protects the work environment from the economic risks caused by occupational accidents at work sites. This attention also reflects Bahrain's high status in respect to human rights, especially for those workers who participate in the construction and development sector. Furthermore, he pointed to the ministry's keenness to provide the optimal application for such regulatory decisions to ensure the health and safety of workers and the sustainability of a healthy and productive work environment. The ministerial decision regarding the afternoon work ban states that “anyone who violates the provisions of this decision shall be punished with the penalties stipulated in Article (192) of the Civil Labour Law promulgated by Law No. (36) of 2012, which stipulates that whoever violates any of the provisions of the chapter (15) and the issued verdicts shall be punished by imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months and a fine of no less than 500 dinars, and not more than a thousand dinars, or either one of these two penalties.