Business & Money | Saturday 6 August, 2016 7:00 am |

The Ministry of Labor and Social Development imposed fines of around a SR250,000 on a number of companies in Madinah that forced laborers to work under the midday sun in violation of a ban currently in place.
The director of the ministry's branch in Madinah, Awad Al-Hazmi, said inspectors identified 70 violations of Article 236 of the Labor Law by companies. Penalties include a fine of between SR3,000 and SR10,000, as well as temporary closure for 30 days, or permanent closure. The fines were imposed on companies allowing laborers to work under the hot sun, with temperatures moving into the mid-40s Celsius.
Al-Hazmi said the penalties are in line with ministerial decree no. 4786, and necessary measures were taken by Labor Office inspectors to apply sanctions against violating companies. “The ministry receives complaints about companies violating application of the decree through the customer service hotline 19811, and accordingly responds to complaints to deal with violating entities,” he said. He stressed the need for companies to comply with the rules aimed at protecting employees from working under the hot sun during the summer months, especially since many employees on construction sites throughout Madinah have been spotted working continuously during the hot daytime hours.
Outdoor work is banned between noon and 3 p.m. from June 15 to Sept. 15 across the Kingdom. Oil and gas workers as well as maintenance workers on emergency duty are exempted from the regulation, provided measures are taken to protect them from the effects of scorching sun.