Saudi midday ban shortest in the Gulf region
Ministry of Labour to send out inspection teams to enforce the ban and protect outdoor workers
Saudi Arabia introduced its ban on midday working on Sunday informing companies that construction work must be suspended between midday and 3pm.
The Kingdom joins Qatar, the UAE and Oman in freezing work as tempertures soar in the summer months. However the Ministry of Labour ban up until 31 August is the shortest in the Gulf, coming several weeks after similar restrictions on working practices were introduced elsewhere.
Saudi companies were criticised by human rights groups last year for not doing enough to crack down on companies flaunting the rules. The Saudi Ministry of Labour told Arab News that it is stepping up its site inspection programme this year.
“This, year we will send out inspection teams to construction sites to enforce the ban and protect the kingdom’s outdoor workers,” the Ministry of Labour spokesman Hattab al-Anizi said.
