Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Labour launched on Monday, June 1, 2026 a comprehensive awareness campaign to protect workers from heat stress during working hours, in cooperation with several partners from both the public and private sectors, in preparation for the implementation of Ministerial Decision No. (17) of 2021 concerning the regulation of working hours in open workplaces during the summer to protect workers from heat stress risks. The decision enters into force annually from June 1 until September 15.
The decision prohibits work in outdoor open areas and shaded areas that are not equipped with ventilation facilities from 10am until 3:30pm, with work resuming during the evening period after the restricted hours have ended, thereby ensuring workers are protected from direct exposure to high temperatures.
In addition to the Ministry of Labour, participating entities include the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the Public Works Authority, Qatar Red Crescent, Snoonu, Talabat, Rafeeq, and Keeta.
The Ministry of Labour stressed that the decision requires employers, companies, and establishments operating outdoor worksites exposed to direct sunlight to establish a clear work schedule specifying daily working hours in accordance with the provisions of the decision. This schedule must be displayed prominently in a location easily accessible to all workers, thereby promoting transparency and ensuring compliance with the approved legislation.
In this regard, Saad Rashid Al Nabit, Assistant Director of the Occupational Safety and Health Department at the Ministry of Labour, stated that the 2026 Heat Stress Prevention Campaign forms part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the risks associated with working in hot conditions and to promote a culture of prevention in workplaces. He added that the campaign focuses on educating employers and workers on the necessary preventive measures, thereby helping to reduce heat stress-related injuries and promote safe and healthy working environments in line with the highest occupational safety and health standards.
The Ministry will implement an integrated inspection plan to monitor establishments’ compliance with the provisions of the ministerial decision concerning the prohibition of work in open workplaces during peak summer hours, through intensified field inspection campaigns and the immediate handling of reports and violations. These efforts aim to ensure the protection of workers and enhance compliance with labour market legislation, thereby reinforcing safe and sustainable working environments across various sectors.
In parallel, the Occupational Safety and Health Department intensified its field efforts through the implementation of a proactive awareness campaign prior to the commencement of the decision’s enforcement across various worksites in the country, in cooperation with partners. These efforts will continue throughout the implementation period from June 1, 2026 until September 15, 2026 and will include distributing guidance materials in multiple languages and organising awareness and training seminars for workers and employers, with the aim of raising awareness of heat stress risks and methods of prevention.
The Ministry of Labour called on employers to comply with the provisions of the decision in order to safeguard workers’ health and safety, stressing that legal action will be taken against non-compliant companies, which may extend to suspending work at sites found to be in violation. This reflects the Ministry’s commitment to applying the highest occupational safety and health standards in support of the National Strategy for an Effective and Highly Productive Workforce 2024-2030.
The Ministry continues to strengthen the heat stress prevention framework by directing employers to develop joint plans with workers to assess risks associated with working in hot conditions and update them regularly, in addition to providing annual training to workers on prevention mechanisms and heat stress response procedures. Employers are also required to provide cold drinking water, shaded rest areas, and personal protective equipment suitable for hot weather conditions, thereby ensuring safer and healthier working environments during the summer season.
Preventive measures also include conducting regular medical examinations for workers, training first aid responders and occupational safety and health supervisors to deal with emergency situations, in addition to adopting the measurement of the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index to monitor heat stress levels at worksites. Work must be suspended at sites where the index exceeds 32.1°C, in order to safeguard workers’ safety.
The annual Heat Stress Prevention Campaign forms part of the Ministry of Labour’s commitment to implementing comprehensive awareness campaigns throughout the year targeting workers, employers, companies, and establishments operating in the country, with the aim of reducing workplace injuries, ensuring compliance with locally and internationally recognised occupational safety and health standards, and providing safe and healthy working environments for all workers in the country, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.
