The midday break for outdoor workers during the summer months will begin on June 15 and run until September 15, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has announced.
The break, introduced in 2004, prohibits work under direct sunlight and in open-air spaces between 12.30pm and 3pm.
The annual initiative gives employees respite from the midday heat during the hottest months of the year. Companies will be fined Dh5,000 for each time a worker breaches the midday ban, up to a maximum of Dh50,000 if several cases take place.
The safety measures will come back into force after the UAE recorded its hottest April and May on record.
A National Centre of Meteorology forecaster said on Tuesday the average maximum temperature for May was 40.4ºC – compared with overall maximum averages from 2003 to 2024 of 39.2ºC. The average temperature for May was 33.2ºC – compared with the historical average of 32.2ºC.
“Now in its 21st consecutive year, the Midday Break is rooted in a sustainability-centred approach that the UAE implements in line with its commitment to providing a safe working environment as per international best practices and occupational health and safety standards, protecting workers from injuries and illnesses caused by working in high temperatures during the summer months,” the ministry said on social media.
The ministry said 51 infractions were uncovered in 2024 as a result of 134,000 inspections, down from 96 the previous year.
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