By Majd Othman

KUWAIT: Kuwait is considered one of the hottest countries in the Middle East, and every year workers in jobs that require them to work under the burning sun struggle to bear the temperatures that are rising due to climate change. The mercury exceeds 50 degrees Celsius between June and September, along with dust storms and severe humidity, or sometimes both together.

Although Kuwaiti authorities have set a law that prevents companies from forcing their workers to work under the sun from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm from June till August to prevent them from being exposed to serious health consequences that can lead to death, some people choose to work during that time to make ends meet. Kuwait Times spoke to some of them on the occasion of International Labor Day.

An Egyptian refreshment vendor told Kuwait Times he has been working in the searing heat for the past six years. He said despite his company not forcing him to work during the outdoor ban hours in summer, this is the only time he can sell his products due to rising demand from customers during the daytime as they drive home from work.

The worker, who looked sweaty and tired but was still smiling, said the first year was very hard on him, as he suffered from several health problems including becoming allergic to sunlight. The worker noted that standing daily in the heat for all these hours to sell a fixed number of products is not very profitable for him, but he is thankful to have a job that supports his family financially.

When Kuwait Times asked this worker and other vendors about their hopes and suggestions to improve the circumstances of their job, they said there are few solutions that could alleviate their problems, because this job requires them to be on the street. But the workers hope authorities allow them to use motorcycles instead of bicycles in the burning heat, despite the motorbikes being bought from their own pockets as they are not imported by their companies.

When Kuwait Times asked one of the workers if he is facing legal violations for working during the outdoor ban hours, he said his company has forced him and his colleagues to sign a resignation letter, so it will not be responsible for them if they are charged. They added they have to bear the cost of the violation, not to mention that they are not receiving the salary that is mentioned in their job contract and are only depending on the profits made from selling their goods.

Meanwhile, gas station workers are not exposed to the direct sun and companies have set up awnings that cover the work areas, claiming it reduces the heat. But workers at a petrol pump had a different point of view. A Bangladeshi worker told Kuwait Times he has been admitted to hospital many times due to dehydration. He said they have a break period during the day, but this is not a solution. “It is not only about the sunrays, but also the high temperature, humidity and dust. We understand that the country has a dry and hot weather, but the heat has worsened in the last couple of years,” he said.

He said his colleagues hope for an improvement in their working conditions by at least providing water misters, adding the heat is not only affecting their health, but they also cannot bear the cost of treatment due to their low wages. Another gas station worker said people in Kuwait are kindhearted, as many bring them cold water or food or give them money as a kind of support. But during summer, the heat affects them badly, as they lose muscle strength. Moreover, some of workers’ mental health is also affected due to the stress of working in the high summer temperatures.