The Eastern Province municipality has ordered that all women employees working at establishments catering for females must have vaccinations for typhoid, meningitis and hepatitis.

This directive covers hairdressers, bakeries and restaurants and would later include gyms and massage parlors, said Najd Al-Dousari, director of the health department at the municipality.

The ministry is currently drafting regulations that would cover Moroccan baths and gyms, she said at a meeting of the Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s women’s workshops committee. Several businesswomen present said they would comply.

Al-Dousari said the department is working with the Health Ministry to enforce the decision.

Violations uncovered by inspectors include owners not renewing health certificates, expired hair dye, and workers staying at the premises, she said.

New workers would be given three months to comply with the decision. She said some complaints about hygiene standards have been “malicious” so every effort must be made to check each one.

She said the penalty for inadequate buildings and equipment starts at SR500,000 and may be doubled. There is a SR500 fine for workers who do not have health certificates. These workers are not allowed to work until they get the proper documentation.

“If a worker has any sign of illness, or even the simplest skin disease, the establishment will be fined SR200. If the violation is repeated, the establishment will be shut down for a week,” she said.

Workers who display poor personal hygiene would be fined SR500 each. A firm would be fined between SR2,000 and SR5,000 for displaying food in unregulated places, or which are from unknown sources, she said.

She said that if the workplace is used for sleeping, or workers do not comply with the dress code, the fines would be from SR100 to SR500. Firms operating without licenses would be fined SR10,000.

Any environmental heath violation would result in a SR600 fine, and if the establishment hinders the work of health supervisors, the fine would start at SR2,000.

Shuaa Al-Dehilan, chairwoman of the committee, urged firms to get health certificates annually, not every three years as allowed currently. “This is extremely important to prevent the spread of diseases.”