Fatima Muhammad

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — The Ministry of Labor has warned of tough action against contracting companies found to be ignoring its directive banning outdoor work during 12 noon to 3 p.m. because of the scorching heat.



The ban started on June 15 and will end on September 15.



Abdul Minim Al-Shihri, the head of the labor office, has tasked several teams to monitor strict abidance of the ministry’s directive and to increase awareness among workers of their right to refuse work during the specified period.



“We are striving to provide a work environment that is suitable to humans and that comes even before the interests of contracting companies,” he said.



Al-Shihri said 30 teams have been assigned to monitor the establishments and penalize violators. Punishments, he said, include fines and even closure of the erring establishment. Any worker found to be working during the banned period, even on his own free will, the company will be held responsible and punished, said Al-Shihri.



However, contracting companies maintain that if a worker wants to continue working during the banned hours, it should be his responsibility for which they cannot be questioned. Many workers prefer to work during the heat so that they can complete the assigned work and leave early, they said.



Sameer Ridwan, a member of the contracting committee at the JCCI, said: “Workers refuse to stop working and prefer to end the work early. This is up to them.



“Of course, when the worker is tired he will stop work. We will not force him to work or take rest. It all depends on him,” he said.



Work during these hours, said Ibrahim Al-Sibai, another contractor is not much and constitute only 15 percent of the total effort. “Work can be finished in cooler times when workers can be fresh and more productive,” he said.



A field trip by Saudi Gazette on Sunday, the first day of the ban , revealed that some workers were still working in the heat. Abdul Mouti, an Egyptian, said they normally get a rest time between 12 noon to 2 p.m., which they use to have lunch, pray and rest.



“I have worked in the Kingdom’s construction sector for three years and have never heard of the ban directive,” he said.



Ahmed Akber, Abdul Mouti’s colleague, said he was not aware of any work break except that for lunch and prayer.



Several other workers said their bosses were forcing them to work under the heat without any protection tools.