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Heat takes toll on workers

AJMAN — Despite the four-hour mid-day break rule, the incidence of heat-stroke cases among construction labourers in Ajman has gone up by over 40 per cent this year, Dr. Abdul Karim Mamoud Hilmi, Head of the Emergency Section of Khalif Hospital, has said.

He said that since the beginning of summer, three to four cases are being reported at the hospital every day. Summer temperatures in the UAE soar beyond 40 degrees Celsius, exposing the workers to intense heat and consequent risk of suffering heat-stroke.

“Heat-stroke can be fatal in many cases because it happens so quickly that there is not much time to react,” Dr Hilmi said, adding that workers exposed to the sun and heat for more than eight hours are in danger of suffering a heat-stroke.

Dr Abdul Salam, also from the same hospital, said construction companies should put supervisors and foremen through a training course on immediate first aid measures to be taken while waiting for help to arrive.

“Supervisors should also be familiar with heat-stroke symptoms which include headache, dizziness, dry skin, disorientation, seizures, high body temperature and rapid heart beat,” he said.

Dr Abdul Salam said that unfortunately, most construction companies do not abide by the rules and regulations of protecting the rights of these workers or even bother to provide them with necessary medical emergency aids that can save their lives.

R K Mohan, a labourer who suffered heat-stroke, said his company didn’t provide the workers with any kind of safety equipment to prevent heat-strokes. His co-workers used to buy sodium chloride from the pharmacy to maintain salt levels in their body, but he couldn’t afford it every day. “We work for over eight hours everyday and get only two breaks,” he said.

M Shafeeq, another worker, said: “We cannot communicate with our Arab supervisor since he doesn’t understand Hindi or Urdu. No water has been provided to us, forcing us to walk long distances to drink water. Ten of us stay in a small room which doesn’t have even fans, leave alone air-conditioner.”

A municipality official said the civic body, on learning about the high incidence of heat-strokes in the emirate, warned companies to improve their labour housing standards and conform with rules set by the civic body.

An inspection campaign by the Public Health Department has also warned a number of companies against cramped, unhygienic and unhealthy housing provided to labourers.

• UAE