UAE 3-month midday break rule announced from June 15

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has announced the start of the midday break for labourers at project and construction sites from June 15 to September 15.

Under the rule, working under direct sunlight will not be allowed from 12:30-3pm. This is to ensure a safe working environment for labourers and to protect them from the risks of exposure to high temperatures during the summer months.

Mohsen Al Nassi, Acting Assistant Under-Secretary for Inspection Affairs at MOHRE said the midday break – being implemented for the 18th consecutive year – comes under the ministry’s continued implementation of its integrated system for occupational health and safety. The regulations aim to provide a safe working environment for workers and spare them the risk of exposure to high temperatures during the summer months.

Some jobs are exempted from the work ban in the afternoon for technical reasons, which require work to continue uninterrupted. These include project works such as spreading the asphalt mixture or pouring concrete or other work necessary to ward off danger, repair, damage, malfunctions or accidental emergency losses, including work to repair obstruction in water supply lines, sewage lines, electric lines, or obstruction of traffic on public roads, and gas or oil pipelines.

It also excludes works whose implementation requires a permit from a competent government agency due to their impact on the flow of traffic and services, such as cutting off electricity and telecom lines.

The ministry also said that it receives reports from community members about any violation of the midday break through the call centre on 600590000, from Monday to Saturday (8am to 8pm) in several languages, in addition to receiving reports through the smart app of the ministry.