Safety, Protection, Health and Social Care of Employees

Safety and Protection of Employees

The Law specifies certain provision regarding employee safety and health care, which are stipulated under Articles 91 to 101 . The Provision of the Law require the following measures and procedure to be adhered to:

According to Chapter V Article 91 of UAE LABOUR LAW –Protection:

Every employer must provide adequate means of protection for the employee from the hazards of injuries and vocational diseases that may occur during work as well as the hazards of fire and other hazards arising from use of machines and other tools, and he must apply all other means of protection as approved by the Ministry of Labour & Social Affairs, and the employee must use protective equipment and clothing provided to him for such purpose and he must abide by all instructions of the employer aiming at his protection from dangers and must not act in a way that may obstruct the application of said instruction.

According to Chapter V Article 92 of UAE LABOUR LAW–Instructions:

Every employer must display at a conspicuous point in the place of business detailed instructions concerning methods to prevent fire and protect employees from dangers while they perform their duties. Said instructions shall read in Arabic and, if necessary, in another language understood by the employees.

According to Chapter V Article 93 of UAE LABOUR LAW-First Aid:

 Each employee has to arrange for one medical aid box(s), supplied with medicines, bandages disinfectants and other relief aids, to be fixed in a conspicuous place within the reach of employees and to be used by a specialist in handling first aids, and every one hundred employees should be provided with an aid box. Each first- aid box shall be sufficient for every 100 employees.

According to Chapter V Article 94 of UAE LABOUR LAW – Cleanliness:

Without prejudice to the provisions of by-laws and regulations issued by concerned government authorities the employer must provide proper cleanliness and ventilation in each place of business and must provide such places with adequate illumination, potable water and toilets.

 According to Chapter V Article 95 of UAE LABOUR LAW – Medical Representative -Physician:

The employer must appoint one physicians(s) to do full medical checkup at least once each 6 months regularly for his employees who are exposed to the danger of infection with any of the occupational diseases reserved in the schedule attached hereto, and to record the results in his registers and in the personal files of such employees and the cases of occupational diseases must be reported instantly by the doctors to the employers and the Labour Department after these become certain through medical and laboratory analysis. The physician in charge of regular medical checkup may ask for a second medical checkup for any employee who is exposed to occupational diseases before the lapse of the time limit stated in the para. under this article if the case of the employee so requires.

According to Chapter V Article 96 of UAE LABOUR LAW – Medical Care:

The employer must provide employees with means of medical care according to the standards decided by the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs in collaboration with the Minister of Health. The Minister of Labour and Social Affairs has the capacity in consultation with the Ministry of Health, to determine the general Measures for health prevention applicable to all establishments having staff and in particular such measures relating to safety, illumination, ventilation and dining rooms, as well as supply of potable and cleaning water and measures relating to purification of atmosphere form dust and smoke and to stipulate precautionary measures against fire and electric current

According to Chapter V Article 97 of UAE LABOUR LAW-Information:

The employer or his representative at the time of appointment must keep employees informed of the dangers related to their profession and preventive measures they have to take. Moreover, the employer must display detailed written instructions in this respect at places of business.

According to Chapter V Article 98 of UAE LABOUR LAW-Information:

The employer or his representative at the time of appointment must keep employees informed of the dangers related to their profession and preventive measures they have to take. Moreover, the employer must display detailed written instructions in this respect at places of business.

According to Chapter V Article 99 of UAE LABOUR LAW-Prohibition of Alcohol:

Employers, agents of the employers or any other persons having authority on employees may not permit entry of any kind of alcoholic drinks into the places of business for consumption threat, and they may not permit entrance into or stay at the establishment or any intoxicated person.

According to Chapter V Article 100 of UAE LABOUR LAW –Precautionary Method:

The employee shall abide by instructions and orders related to business safety and precautions, and adopt precautionary methods and pledge to care for items thereof in his possession. It is prohibited for an employee to act in any way that may contravene enforcement of said instructions or misuse methods placed for health and safety protection of employees or which may cause loss or damage to the same.

According to Chapter V Article 101 of UAE LABOUR LAW-Benefits:

Each employer who employs employees in areas that are remote from cities where there is no access to normal means of transportation shall provide employees with the following facilities: 1. Adequate means of transport 2. Adequate accommodation 3. Drinking water 4. Proper foodstuff 5. Medical aid equipment 6. Entertainment and sports amenities.

Areas to which all or part of the provisions of this Article apply shall be stated by decision of the Minister of Labour & Social Affairs. With exception of foodstuff, all services referred to in this Article shall be at the expense of the employer and nothing hereof is to be borne by the employee

In addition to above there are more health and safety regulations employer must adhere to which are stipulated in various laws (Industrial and Free zone). Contracting companies are subject to Municipality rules.