Heat stress awareness campaign launched in Abu Dhabi

UAE

ABU DHABI, 9th July, 2017 (WAM) -- In accordance with relevant laws stating that employers must not allow workers to perform any outdoor activities during noon hours period from June 15 through September 15, the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, ADDED, has launched its annual heat stress campaign to boost awareness among workers in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi about safety requirements of working during summer months.

The campaign, organised by the ADDED Industrial Development Bureau, IDB, featured a workshop that grouped together representatives of the industrial establishments based in Abu Dhabi's Musaffah Industrial City. Further workshops will be held as well at Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi, KIZAD, the Higher Corporation for Specialised Economic Zones, ZonesCorp, and a number of plants, factories and industrial facilities in Al Ain City.

The campaign is part of the Safety in Heat Programme launched by the Abu Dhabi Occupational Safety and Health Centre in collaboration with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation in accordance with the law that states that employers must not allow workers to perform any outdoor activities from 12:30pm until 3:00pm. This law is applied for three months from June 15 to September 15.

Ahmed Hilal Al Bloushi, IDB's Acting Director General, underscored the importance of the campaign to provide education and training for employees to help them understand the effects of heat stress, how to prevent it and to make it clear for employers to take all necessary measures in this regard, including providing rest periods in shaded places and a permanent supply of drinking water.

He pointed out that the Industrial Development Bureau has conducted a comprehensive program to raise awareness amongst industrial facilities and their workers about the requirements of the ban on work at noon during summer as per the ministerial resolution and the health risks on workers if they work during this period of time. The program includes a number of workshops to bring together all industrial facilities across the emirate, in addition to distributing publications on the subject, including booklets and posters in several languages.