Bahrain is planning to set up an electronic platform for citizens and residents to register summer work ban violations.
The move – set to be implemented next year – is in line with the Labour Ministry’s vision of collaborating with the community to improve the effectiveness of its projects aimed at protecting the nation’s workforce, Labour Ministry Occupational Safety Director Mustafa Al Shaikh said.
His remarks come as Bahrain successfully implemented the 15th edition of the 2007 law, which prohibits all outdoor work between noon and 4pm in July and August.
Bahrain, along with the rest of the GCC countries, enforces the law during these months when summer temperatures hit 50 degree Celsius. The law, which was amended through a ministerial edict in 2013, is intended to protect workers from potentially fatal heat-related medical conditions. Violators will face up to three months in prison or a fine of between BD500 and BD1,000, or both.
“Implementation of the summer work ban has been a resounding success,” Mr Al Shaikh said.
“We’ve seen increased compliance with the law over the years and we believe, it’s because we could convince employers on its effectiveness in terms of productivity.
“So it is not any more a law that is enforced, but willingly abided by, for the overall benefit of businesses.”
The GDN reported last week that labour officials conducted 19,841 inspections across Bahrain in the last two months. Only 27 violations involving 52 workers were registered during the period, revealing 99.87pc compliance with the law.
“We are planning to set up an electronic platform for members of the public to register summer work ban violations that they witness,” Mr Al Shaikh told the GDN.
“This is part of the ministry’s initiative to get community engaged in the cause, which is workers’ safety and better productivity. Community engagement in all projects is also the ministry’s goal as we believe it would add to the effectiveness of the work ban.
“We already have a hotline – 32265727 – to report work ban violations and the electronic platform will add to our efforts and take us closer to the target of 100pc compliance and zero worksite accidents.
“We will also engage more with non-governmental organisations and civil societies,” he said, adding that the ministry remains committed to safe work environment for all its workers from all backgrounds.
The GDN earlier reported in July on the ministry’s ambitious goal to record zero fatal worksite accidents, and total compliance with the midday work ban, this summer.
Ministry’s assistant under-secretary Ahmed Al Hayki said his team was actively engaged in educating employees and employers besides organising public outreach programmes to accomplish the goal.
Bahrain has witnessed remarkable progress in the implementation of the law over the years, as reflected in the ministry’s statistics. The compliance rate in 2014 was 98.06pc which shot up to 99.87pc this year.
Inspectors checked 19,597 sites in 2014 recording 380 violations involving 911 workers, which drastically dropped this year, with 27 infringements involving 52 workers from 19,841 sites.
In 2015, the compliance was 98.4pc with 16,563 sites inspected – 265 violations involving 630 workers were registered.
The following year 10,035 sites were inspected and 106 violations involving 235 workers were registered, with compliance rate hitting 99pc.
In 2017, the rate went up to 98.9pc with inspectors checking 7,491 sites and recording 89 violations involving 171 workers.
In 2018, 10,341 sites were visited with 156 violations involving 323 workers, resulting in 98.5pc compliance.
The next year, 11,235 sites were checked with 56 violations involving 148 workers being recorded. The compliance rate rose to 99.5pc.
During the pandemic year, inspectors checked 13,658 sites, registering only 30 violations involving 42 workers and the compliance rate touched 99.7pc.
Last year the compliance rate hit 99.8pc, with 22 violations involving 33 workers being recorded from 11,342 sites.
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