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

Articles 91 to 101 of the UAE Labour Law specify the provisions for employees' safety and health care.

Mid-day break rule for workers under the sun

Construction and industrial workers are not permitted to work during the hottest hours of the day during the summer. Any firm found to have staff working during the designated break time would be fined AED 5,000 per worker up to a maximum of AED 50,000.

Also, employees are entitled to work 2 hours less every day during the holy month of Ramadan.

Insurance

Abu Dhabi and Dubai applies compulsory insurance coverage for all employees: nationals and expatriate residents. Read about insurance in the health section.

Medical check-up

At least once every six months, employers have to assign at least one physician to examine thoroughly the employees who are exposed to the possibility of contracting one of the occupational diseases. The results of such examination should be recorded on the employees' files.

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.

Protection against injuries

Employers should provide their employees with suitable means of protection against injuries and dangers such as a fire which may result from the use of machinery and other work equipment and against occupational diseases which may be contacted during work.

Employers shall display in a permanent and visible place at the work site, detailed instructions regarding the means of preventing fire and the means through which employees can protect themselves from hazards to which they might be exposed during work. These instructions shall be in Arabic, and if necessary another language understood by the employee.

Employers must keep a first aid kit or kits containing medicines, bandages and other first aid material readily available.

In case of an injury or death at workplace

According to Article 149 of the Labour Law, the compensation for death at work is equal to the basic wage of the worker for 24 months, provided that the amount of compensation is not less than AED 18,000 or more than AED 35,000.

The amount of compensation is calculated on the basis of the last wage received by the worker prior to his death.

Read about what to do in case of an injury or death at workplace.

Working in remote areas

Every employer who employs staff in remote areas that are not served by public means of transportation must provide his employees with the following services:

suitable transportation
suitable accommodation
suitable drinking water
suitable food
first aid services
means of entertainment and sports activities.

All the above services apart from food material will be on the employer's account.

Updated on 20 Feb 2020

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