By Faten Omar
KUWAIT: According to resolution no. 535/2015, workers are prohibited to work in open areas in direct sunlight from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm from June till August to guarantee the health and safety of all workers at worksites and to abide by international work regulations and subsidiary laws. But many companies violate the Public Authority of Manpower (PAM) decision and continue to force workers to work in open areas and construction sites.
Abdulrazzaq Al-Azazi, Communication Officer at Kuwait Society for Human Rights (KSHR), told Kuwait Times that the KSHR team goes on field trips to monitor violations. The number of violations has reached 730 in June, with 254 construction workers, 272 delivery workers, 113 cleaners, 27 road construction workers and 64 house security guards found working in the heat.
Azazi said the team observes and reports the violations, both the ones they witness during the field tours or reported by people who record the violations and tag the society. "We have 'The Heat Kills Them' campaign that allows people to tag us and contact the authorities to report the violation," he said.
Azazi noted that the campaign launched by the KSHR to monitor violations is a contribution by the society to support government efforts in addressing violations that workers are exposed to while performing their work, in addition to involving the community in monitoring violations and informing the competent authorities.
"KSHR received today a complaint about a medical test center for expatriate workers in Al-Sabah Health Zone, where people are asked to stand in queues outside the center in the heat of the sun with their children, which is unacceptable," he pointed out.
Since June 1, PAM has been conducting surprise campaigns to round up violators who do not comply with the authority's decision to make sure the law is applied. It enforces the ban on employees working under direct sunlight, and ensures that the work is shifted to the evening, calling on people to contact the hotline 99523590 to report any violations.