A number of construction workers lamented the circumstances that force them to work under severe weather conditions such as high temperatures and humidity, reports Al-Qabas daily.
During an interview with the daily, several workers affirmed that their eagerness to earn their livelihood forces them to yield to the timings set by the contractors or employers even if the timings fall within the banned period during the day, which exposes them to severe suffering due to the severe weather conditions.
Regarding the continued violation by some business entities of the law that prohibits outside work during the period between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm, the workers of a project stressed that they are forced to work during this period.
They explained that they were isolated in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh and Khaitan areas throughout the coronavirus crisis. After the lockdown ended, they returned to work but are required to work more within less time in order not to fall into the contractual fines window.
The workers said, “We do not bear the fines of the violations imposed by the Public Authority for Manpower. The contractor or the company is referred for investigation after the inspection team visits the site. However, the workers are incapable of doing anything in this regard in the end.
Meanwhile, a source from the National Center for Occupational Safety affirmed that efforts are ongoing to ensure the requirements for employment are applied.
He said the most prominent violations are recorded in the new construction areas such as West Abdullah Al-Mubarak area in addition to industrial zones or ongoing construction sites.
The sources explained that there is a large percentage of projects, especially of the government, that are committed to the decision to ban work during the period between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm. However, many of such violations are committed by some subcontractors or construction workers working in private plots. The workers complain about the contractor’s lack of commitment, but unfortunately most of their residencies are not under the contractor who holds the contract.
Source : Arab Times
