49 firms in Muscat fined for violating midday break rule

MUSCAT, JULY 7

Muscat reported 49 Labour Law violations, one month after the compulsory midday break came into force, according to a statement from the Ministry of Labour which issued fines to the companies that failed to fully adhere to the three-months noon break.

The Ministry has urged all construction, facilities management, maintenance and other sites where people are employed in the open areas to allow labourers break from work between 12.30pm to 3.30 pm from June 1 to August 31 as per the ministerial orders as heat stress is a common issue in Oman especially during the summer months when temperatures rise above 43 degree Celsius.

Accordingly, the Ministry carried out as many as 143 field visits and carried out 72 awareness sessions for both employers and employees in and around the capital region and found 49 companies violating the labour law.

In North Al Batinah, the Ministry conducted 54 field visits and carried out 17 awareness sessions for both employers and employees while in Al Dakhiliya, 24 field visits and 147 awareness sessions for both employers and employees were carried out.

In Al Dhahirah, 26 field visits were made and 50 awareness sessions were delivered for employers as well as employees while 7 awareness sessions and 14 field visits were conducted in Dhofar region, and 16 field visits and 16 awareness sessions were given in Al Buraimi.

In Musandam, the Ministry of Labour fined 15 companies for non-adherence or violation of any of the labour law terms and conditions after conducting 45 field visits and 2 awareness sessions for both employers and employees.

A statement from the Occupational Health Section at the Ministry of Labour suggests stringent measures against violators of the mid-break rule to ensure that it is implemented at all outdoor work premises.

According to the Section 118 of the Labour Law, anyone who breaks the mid-day break law shall be punished with a fine ranging from RO 100 to 500 or imprisonment of up to one month or both, depending upon the severity and frequency of the offence.