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Workers in the Capital get a know-how of heat stress

Workshop was held in an effort to raise the awareness of those responsible for managing construction sites as well as environment, health and safety specialists.

Abu Dhabi - The Abu Dhabi City Municipality has kick-started a campaign targeting workers to educate them about heat stress and the law restricting the working hours during midday, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Occupational Safety and Health Center (Oshad), and the Ministry of Labour. The midday work ban starts from today.

Symptoms of Heat Stress  > Excessive sweating > Headaches > Nausea > Dizziness > Muscles cramps > Weakness and fatigue > Drowsiness > Dark colour urine > Loss of concentration > Irritation > Low blood pressure.

To this effect a workshop has been held under the theme: Heat Stress and Midday Work Ban, attracting a participation of 650 contractors and consultants. The workshop was held in an effort to raise the awareness of those responsible for managing construction sites as well as environment, health and safety specialists, and urge them to play their roles in enforcing and monitoring the compliance with the Decree, and providing the requirements that ensure the safety of workers and protecting them from being exposed to direct sunlight or heat exhaustion.

The municipality has launched an extensive educative campaign aimed at training and educating all those working at construction sites with the aim of broadening the scope of knowledge about the midday work ban in summer from 12.30 pm to 03.00 pm during the period from 15 June to 15 September.

The municipality has distributed educative brochures in five languages at all working sites sensitising workers and engineers about the health risks caused by excessive exposure to direct sunlight among other heat strain issues, besides giving first aid care to heat-stricken workers.

Heat stress, as stated in the informative brochure, may cause serious health risks. It may also cause fainting, heat stroke and even death in some cases.

In such a case they have to take necessary measures including first aid, moving to cool and shady place and trying to reduce body heat by fanning or applying a damp cloth, taking a cool salinised drink to replenish lost fluids and before notifying the supervisor on-site and visiting the clinic to take necessary first aid.

The municipality has called upon consultants and contractors to take all appropriate measures and provide all the requirements to mitigate the adverse effects of the heat strain as set forth in the decision of the Ministry of Labour.

The municipality will undertake inspection campaigns to verify the compliance with the Decree banning midday work, and take appropriate legal actions against offenders who risk the lives of workers through allowing them to work under direct sunlight during the ban period.

reporters@khaleejtimes.com

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