The society urged the ministry to take punitive measures against companies that are yet to implement the directive.
The society’s warning came amid reports that several companies failed to implement the directive after it came into force last Friday, Al-Watan Arabic daily reported. The ministry has decided to prohibit companies from making their employees work under the sun from noon to 3 p.m. in the peak summer months of July and August starting this year.
Al-Qahtani noted that the monitoring and follow-up committee under the society had noticed violations of the regulation by some companies. “We noticed that some companies are still deploying their employees to work under the scorching sun in open spaces in various regions of the Kingdom,” he said, while criticizing the ministry for its inaction to prevent such violations.
He drew attention to the fact that the NSHR had earlier demanded the ministry to issue necessary directives to protect people working under the blistering sun in summer season.
“The ministry responded favorably by introducing a two-month ban effective from the beginning of this month. But, apparently, the ministry is not keen on enforcing the regulations strictly,” he said.
Al-Qahtani also urged the ministry to intensify the awareness campaign with regard to implementation of the directive. Apart from punitive measures against companies that violate the regulation, “incentives may be given to those who strictly adhere to the directive,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hotab Al-Anzi, spokesman for the Ministry of Labor, said that the ministry's inspection teams would intensify efforts to detect any violations of the directive.
“Punitive measures will be taken against firms violating the regulation. The shortage of inspection staff made it difficult for the ministry to detect all violations taking place in various regions of the Kingdom,” he admitted, while urging the laborers to report to the ministry if any one of them was forced to work under the sun in violation of the rule.
According to the ministry’s decision 1559, those who violate the directive will be penalized with fines ranging from SR3,000 to SR10,000, in addition to closure of the firm either for 30 days or for good.
Workers of oil and gas companies as well as workers doing emergency maintenance works are exempted from the directive.
