Companies found guilty of making their laborers work under the sweltering sun will face punitive action, including closure and fines, said Muhammad Al-Falih, general manager of the Labor Ministry's branch in the Eastern Province.

Around 18 people were arrested for making workers do their jobs in the heat during inspection campaigns carried out by the Al-Khafji labor office, led by Nayed Al-Rashidi, office director and assistant chief of the inspection department.

Inspections were made in collaboration with preventive security services.

Violations were referred to an inspection and work environment agency for further action.

Al-Rashidi said that these campaigns came with unlimited support and directives from Al-Falih, who stressed the importance of applying these protective laws in order to protect the lives of foreign laborers.

The new law had been recently issued by the Ministry of Labor through ministerial decree.

Hamad Al-Soqour, director of the Inspection Department in the Eastern Province, said that the campaign will continue and intensify across the Eastern Province in compliance with Article 22, which strictly prohibits workers slaving away under the sun.

Al-Falih called on members of the public to report violations on 920001173.