Health and safety at workplace

Construction and industrial workers are not permitted to work during the hottest hours of the day during the summer. Workers should be provided with safety gear and suitable clothing to protect them against injuries and dangers. They shall undergo medical examination to detect any occupational disease they may have contracted.

Provisions for safety and health of workers

According to Clause 13 of Article 13 of Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations in the Private Sector (the UAE labour law) (PDF, 2 MB) the employer is obliged to provide a safe and appropriate work environment to his employees. Both, the employer and the employee must comply with all controls and procedures issued by Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) and other competent authorities of the country regarding occupational health and safety.

Prevention of injuries and occupational hazards

This section deals with employer and worker obligations to prevent injuries and occupational hazards.

Employer’s obligations

It would be the employer’s obligation to:

provide the necessary means of protecting workers from the risks of occupational injuries and diseases that may occur during work
place instructional boards with awareness materials
provide appropriate training to workers to avoid such risks
conduct periodic evaluations to ensure that all parties to the employment contract comply with occupational health and safety requirements.

Worker’s obligations

It would be the worker’s obligation to:

use the protective equipment and clothing provided to him.
comply with all instructions given by the employer to protect him from danger.
refrain from any action contrary to these instructions.
follow orders and instructions relating to occupational health and safety.
use protective equipment properly and take care of the equipment in his/her possession.

Workers must not commit any act which violate the aforementioned instructions, or misuse the protective equipment designed for the workers' health and safety, or damage or destroy such equipment.

Read more about workers’ safety, protection and health care on the following links:

Guidelines for reporting work injuries and occupational diseases

Channels for reporting work injuries and occupational diseases

All establishments are required to report work injuries and occupational diseases to Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE). Reporting can be done through any of the following channels:

MoHRE website
business service centres, which are approved by MoHRE
the MoHRE’s app on App Store and Google Play
other channels specified by MoHRE.

In case of an injury or death at workplace, the employer/s must inform MoHRE within 48 hours from the incident.

Obligations of the employer

Establishments with 50 or more workers must have a special system for monitoring work injuries and occupational diseases. The system should include:

a record of work-related injuries and occupational diseases
necessary preventive tools and training programmes for workers engaged in high-risk activities
an inventory of all activities that are dangerous to the health and safety of workers
number of workers performing hazardous jobs
a mechanism to:
- carry out periodic health examinations of workers engaged in hazardous activities
- promptly report incidents of work injuries and occupational diseases within the establishment
- investigate incidents of work injuries, occupational diseases and taking the necessary measures to protect other workers
- obtain a report from the competent medical committees that shows the level of disability in the event of a work injury or occupational diseases
a log for periodic medical examination of workers
a record of workers exposed to occupational hazards for a period of not less than 5 years after the termination of their service.
documentation confirming the worker’s period of employment in high-risk professions upon their departure.

Additionally, the employer should:

provide the worker with proof of his employment in the firm performing such a hazardous job
inform the medical authorities as soon as becoming aware of the occurrence of a work injury or suspecting an occupational disease
report immediately to the competent police station, in the geographic location of the firm, any work injury or occupational disease.

Compensation for work injuries and occupational diseases

An employer is obligated to treat and compensate an injured worker for any work-related illness or injury. The compensation is paid according to Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 Regarding the Regulation of Employment Relationship, and its amendments (PDF, 918 KB).

The worker receives compensation within a maximum period of 10 days after the issuance of the medical report indicating the percentage of disability as illustrated in the schedules annexed to Cabinet Resolution No. 33 of 2022 Concerning Work injuries and Occupational diseases (PDF, 478 KB).

Amount of compensation

If the work injury or illness results in the worker’s death, the compensation is equal to the basic wage of the worker for 24 months, provided that the compensation amount is not less than AED 18,000 (eighteen thousand) and not more than AED 200,000 (two hundred thousand). The compensation amount is calculated according to the basic wage that the worker was receiving before his death. The compensation is paid to his /her legal heirs in accordance with applicable laws, or as specified by the worker prior to his death.

If a worker sustains a permanent complete disability, the compensation will be equal to the amount due in the event of death.

If a worker sustains a partial disability, compensation will be based on the percentages defined in the tables annexed in Cabinet Decision No. 33 of 2022, calculated from the death compensation amount specified in Clause 3 of Article 37 in Federal-Decree Law No. 22 of 2022.

For more information about reporting and handling work injuries and occupational diseases, refer to the Ministerial Resolution No. 657 of 2022 on Rules and Guidelines to Deal with Work Injuries and Occupational Diseases (PDF, 733 KB).

Mid-day break during summer

All work performed under direct sunlight and in open places shall not be allowed between the peak hours of 12.30 pm and 3 pm, from 15 June to 15 September of every year.

This decision aims to protect workers’ health and safety and to reduce risks they may face during the year’s hottest climate.

However, some workers are exempt from the mid-day break due to the technicality involved in their jobs, which include:

laying asphalt or pouring concrete, in the event where it is not feasible to postpone these tasks until after the break
urgent work necessary to prevent hazards or repairing failures that affect the public, such as water supply line disruptions
work that requires a permit from a relevant government authority to be implemented due to their impact on traffic flow or similar considerations.

Refer to Article 3 of Ministerial Resolution No. 44 of 2022 and the mid-day work ban section in Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023 relating to Occupational Safety and Health and Labour Accommodation (PDF, 334 KB) for more details on the mid-day work ban provisions.

Read awareness material from MoHRE relating to the mid-day break.

Read more about the 'Safety in heat' programme of Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre.

Occupational health and safety officer

Every industrial establishment, and all establishments operating in the construction sector employing 100 workers or more, must appoint an Occupational Health and Safety Officer (HSO) who is technically qualified for this purpose. The HSO is responsible for hazard prevention and for supervising the implementation of relevant safety provisions.

For more information on the provisions of the occupational health and safety officer, see Article 2 of Ministerial Resolution No. 44 of 2022 and the responsibilities of the health and safety officer in Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023 Relating to Occupational Safety and Health and Labour Accommodation (PDF, 334 KB).

Insurance

Both the emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai mandate health insurance for all public and private sector employees, whether they are citizens or residents. The Government of Sharjah provides health insurance for all its employees and retirees. The government of Ajman also provides health insurance for all its employees. Read the section on health insurance on our website.

Medical check-up

Employers must assign one or more doctors to regularly examine workers exposed to the risk of occupational diseases, as determined by the ministry. These examinations must take place at least once every six months, with results recorded in both the employer’s records and the workers’ files.

Doctors must immediately report confirmed cases of occupational diseases or related deaths to both, the employer and the ministry after conducting the necessary medical and laboratory tests. The employer is also responsible for notifying the ministry.

A doctor conducting periodic examinations may request a re-examination of any worker suspected of having an occupational disease before the next scheduled check-up, if deemed necessary.

Prohibition of alcohol on work premises

No employer may bring or allow others to bring any kind of alcoholic drinks for consumption on work premises. They must also not allow any person to enter or remain in the establishment while intoxicated.

* Text provided by MoHRE

Updated on 01 Sep 2025

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