Bahrain Free Labour Unions' Summer Safety Campaign Concludes, Calls for Extended Work Ban

TDT | Manama

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The Bahrain Free Labour Unions (BFLU) has announced the successful conclusion of the 12th edition of its annual campaign to improve working conditions and labour rights during the summer months.

The campaign, which ran throughout July and August, involved a series of awareness and rights-based events and activities across various sectors in the Kingdom, in collaboration with relevant government and private entities.

The campaign focused on a range of summer safety-related topics, including recognizing the symptoms of heat stress and how to manage it, preventing sunburns, and navigating hot weather safely.

The BFLU's Summer Safety Campaign is a crucial initiative aimed at creating a safe and healthy environment for the community during the summer months. It promotes public awareness of the importance of safety and proper preparation to address the challenges associated with hot weather.

Sarah Al Nuaimi, Vice President for Occupational Health and Safety, highlighted that the 12th edition of the campaign included numerous activities and awareness initiatives to educate workers about their rights and warn them of the risks of working under the scorching summer sun.

She expressed her sincere gratitude and appreciation to the companies and institutions that collaborated with the campaign, emphasizing their significant contribution to its success and the benefit hundreds of workers derived from its diverse activities.

Al Nuaimi added that the campaign focused on heat stress, protection from harmful sunlight, and proper summer nutrition.

She reiterated the BFLU's call for official authorities to extend the midday work ban to three months, starting from mid-June to mid-September each year. This, she argued, is necessary due to the high temperatures during this period, which significantly impact the health and safety of workers while performing their regular duties.

Meanwhile, Yaqoub Yusuf Mohammed, President of the BFLU, stated that the campaign aimed to reaffirm workers' rights and promote a safe working environment through several key areas: emphasizing the provision of occupational health and safety requirements, launching awareness programmes for workers regarding their legal rights and grievance procedures, conducting workshops and educational seminars on labour and worker issues, disseminating media materials, and distributing awareness leaflets in workplaces.

He added that the current edition witnessed widespread participation from government and private institutions, contributing to positive results in strengthening workers' rights and improving their working conditions.

Yusuf emphasised that the BFLU will continue its efforts throughout the year to protect workers' rights and raise awareness about them, urging all parties to cooperate and adhere to labour legislation to contribute to a safe and fair working environment.

He expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the BFLU's Occupational Health and Safety Committee, all teams and volunteers, and all supporting companies, institutions, and official entities, including the Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Works, and Ministry of Information, for their contributions in facilitating access to workers and ensuring the success of the campaign, which provided essential guidance and effectively educated workers.