MANAMA, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Bahrain announced on Monday a two-month ban on outdoor work during hot weather in the country starting July 1.
All outdoor work is prohibited from midday to 4 p.m. between July 1 and Aug. 31, to protect workers from heatstroke and other conditions, according to Labour and Social Development Minister Jameel Humaidan.
The minister also said inspections will be conducted to ensure the enforcement of the ban.
"All private companies are urged to comply with the ban which aims at protecting workers and ensuring their safety to prevent fatal accidents," Humaidan said in a statement.
He pointed out that violators could be jailed for up to three months, or fined from 500 Bahraini dinars (1,325 U.S. dollars) to 2,000 dinars.
The outdoor ban was first introduced in 2007 to enhance productivity and protect the health of labourers at construction sites.
The latest figures by Bahrain's Labour Market Regulatory Authority indicate that foreign workers in the tiny island state increased to 630,071 by the end of 2016, compared to 566,785 a year ago. Enditem
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