The UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has officially concluded the UAE Midday Break 2024, the annual summer outdoor work ban that ran from June 15 to September 15. Under the programme, workers were prohibited from working outdoors between 12:30 PM and 3:00 PM each day — a safeguard against the dangers of extreme summer heat that can push temperatures near 50°C.
Record-Breaking Compliance in 2024
This year's campaign achieved a 99.9% compliance rate across the country. MoHRE conducted more than 134,000 site inspections during the three-month period, uncovering just 51 violations — a significant drop from the 96 recorded the previous year. The result reflects growing buy-in from employers and an increasingly robust enforcement framework.
6,000 Rest Stations for Outdoor Workers
A standout feature of the 2024 campaign was the rollout of approximately 6,000 dedicated rest stations across the UAE. These facilities gave outdoor labourers and delivery workers access to shaded areas, cooling equipment, drinking water, electrolyte supplements, and first aid resources during the hottest hours of the day.
Companies were also required to ensure their own compliance by providing shaded break areas and maintaining adequate hydration supplies on worksites throughout the summer months.
MoHRE: Private Sector Going Beyond the Rules
Mohsin Al Nassi, MoHRE's Assistant Undersecretary for Inspection Affairs, highlighted the collaborative effort behind the campaign's success. "Commitment from private companies in the UAE has gone beyond merely implementing regulations, with establishments launching their own initiatives to mitigate the risk of heat stress for their workers," he said.
Al Nassi noted that businesses had proactively set up cooling stations, maintained water supplies, and equipped worksites with first aid kits — steps that go beyond the statutory minimum and reflect a broader cultural shift toward worker welfare in the UAE.
A Two-Decade Pillar of UAE Labour Law
The Midday Break initiative has been an integral part of UAE labour legislation for more than two decades, operating every summer since 2004. It is widely regarded as one of the most effective heat-stress protection measures in the Gulf region, and its near-perfect compliance rate in 2024 underscores the UAE's long-term commitment to maintaining a safe, productive, and competitive labour market.
