Introduction

The UAE is known for its scorching summers, with temperatures increasing rapidly form June to September months. For laborers, coming from the comfort of their staff accommodations to the worksites, these months can be a tough test of endurance. Fortunately, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiritisation, MOHRE UAE has formulated a mandatory mid-day break in the year 2004 for the workers wellbeing and preventing them from heatstroke. The comfort of this mid-day break ensures the workers don’t sweat under the hardest mid-day sun. This summer break is crucial between 12.30pm to 3.00pm.

This blog post will unveil some useful tips, especially if you are a worker and have just embraced a new form of life shuffling between you labor camp and the worksite.

Protecting the Workforce- A Shared Vision

MOHRE policy of protecting workers goes beyond the break, UAE’s law outlines a specific set of responsibilities for employers which includes:

• Keep a Work-Life Balance: UAE’s law establishes a fixed 8-hour workday. Any work that exceeds this stipulated time, requires overtime compensation to ensure a fair treatment of laborers.
• Cool-Down during Mid-Day: Every employer is legally bound to provide a shaded space suitable for resting during the break. This makes sure that the workers can protect themselves from the sun’s scorching heat and refresh for the afternoon.
• Staying Hydrated: There must be an easy access to cool drinking water to combat dehydration. The employer must make sure that the water supply is readily available at the worksite throughout the working day in order to keep his workers hydrated and safeguard them from any heat-related medical conditions.
• Intake of Fresh Juices and Fruits: Fresh fruits are good way of hydrating and for essential for body’s vitamins requirements. Employer must ensure the provision of fruit juices and fresh fruits at the worksite for keeping his workers energized.
• Electrolytes Shots: Offering your workers with thirst-quenching items like lemon and salt at their work-sites can help your laborers and workers stay hydrated throughout the day.
• Educate Your Worker: While understanding the risks of heatstroke, employers should educate their workers on the importance of taking enough water, dangers of heatstroke and benefits of sun protection.

Workers’ Self-Care Regime

While Employers can play a key part, self-care stands equally important. Here are few important points for workers to remember:

• Heat & Food Safety: Extreme hot weather increases the risk of food-related illness. You must avoid to sit in the hot cars or vehicles for extended time span. It is better to park your vehicles in shaded area if possible. Wash hands before you eat food. Practicing good hygiene habits are essential to ensure your own health and wellness.
• Careful Food Choices: Role of food in our overall health is undeniable. Choose those foods which are rich in potassium and electrolytes. Buttermilk, coconut water and fresh fruits like cucumber and watermelon are excellent foods in the extreme summers. These foods keep you energetic, fresh and hydrated throughout the day.

Being Vigilant Works in All Conditions

You must have a deep understanding of the signs of heat-related illnesses. If you are vigilant, you would better be able to tackle it as early as possible before it complicates. Be careful if you experience these symptoms:

• Sunburns
• Heatstroke
• Muscle Cramps
• Eye Irritation & Redness
• Fungal skin infections
• Dehydration

Responding to these Symptoms Effectively

In case if you experience any of these above listed signs, you must take few immediate steps:

• Limit Caffeine Intake: Just avoid the intake of excessive tea or a coffee as they can dehydrate you further and your situation may get worsen.
• Hydrate Yourself: Take plenty of water, fluids and fresh juices throughout the day.
• Protect Against Sun: You must wear the sunglasses and a sunscreen before you expose to the sun. That will protect you and your skin from heat burns.
• Keep Food Safety Measures: Eat properly cooked foods and maintain good hygiene practices to minimize the risk of food poisoning.
• Let Yourself Cool Down: Remove any tight-fitted clothes or apply cool towels on your body and face to keep it cool.
• Seek A Cool Place: Move to a cooler place. Immediately find a shaded area and let your body rest.
• Go Back to Your Staff Accommodation: If you need further rest, take the rest day off and go back to your labor camp. Giving your body required rest in cool atmosphere of your labor accommodation will impact your condition in a positive way.

Additional Considerations

• Medical Care: Be more careful if you take any type of medication that can affect your body’s ability to hydrate or regulate temperature. In case you do, take the advice from a medical specialist available within your labor camp.
• Chronic Condition: Those individuals who already have medical conditions, should be extra cautious in extreme hot weathers. They must avoid excessive heat exposure and must seek medical attention if they observe any symptoms of overheating.
• Adaptation Factor: Workers who are new to hot climate of Dubai, they must increase their workload slowly and gradually as they are not well-adapted to extreme heat and are more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses.

Conclusion

UAE scorching heat poses summer challenges for the laborers and workers to the harsh sunrays. Thanks to MOHRE for establishing a law of a mandatory mid-day break for the workers between 12.30pm to 3:00pm which prioritizes their overall health and well-being.

While going beyond this mid-day break, MOHRE establishes few more particular responsibilities for UAE employers to strictly adhere to them. Their core responsibilities include, providing them shaded areas to rest during the break. Ensuring workers work for 8 hours with proper compensation with overtime. They must provide col drinking water on their work-sites. The availability of fresh fruit juices, lemons and salt should be must on the worksites for keeping workers hydrated and energized. First aid kit and educating your workers on the importance of self-care are among their key responsibilities.

For workers, it is imperative that they should eat selected summer foods which are rich in potassium and electrolytes like butter milk, coconut water watermelon. You must practice best hygiene and healthy life style habits. Eat properly cooked foods and remain vigilant for any signs of heat stroke.  In case if they observe any signs, they must take plenty of water, seek cool place, let their body cool down and must go back to their labour camp in UAE for required rest. By working together, employees and employers can sustain in the scorching heat of Dubai and yet be safe and productive.