Sharjah hosts heat stress awareness week

The Salama Training Center for Preventive Training, in partnership with the Prevention and Safety Authority (SPSA), hosted the Heat Stress Awareness Week event.

This initiative was directed at over 500 private sector workers whose roles involve working outdoors under the sun. The primary objective was to educate these workers on the importance of preventing heat stress, protecting themselves from heat-related illnesses, and knowing how to manage such conditions if they arise.

The event featured a series of awareness sessions and interactive workshops led by trainers and experts from the Salama Training Center. These activities were designed to promote a culture of occupational health and safety, encouraging workers to follow health and safety guidelines to protect against heat stress. These guidelines include maintaining a normal body temperature, drinking adequate water to prevent heat stress, and wearing protective gear to shield against direct sunlight.

Engineer Hamid Al Zarouni, CEO-SANED, said, “Organising this event emphasises the importance of concerted efforts by all stakeholders and the necessity for employers and workers to implement the legal decisions and regulations enacted by the state regarding the prohibition of work in high-temperature areas. This is based on the law issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, which prohibits performing work under direct sunlight and in open areas during the summer. This ensures occupational health and safety requirements at work sites, preventing injuries and protecting workers from heat stress, especially those in the construction and industrial sectors, as they perform their duties during the afternoon hours in the summer months.”

Al Zarouni emphasised, “Through this event, we aim to educate and raise awareness among workers about all aspects of occupational health and safety.” He noted that the state has paid significant attention to occupational health and safety issues by formulating comprehensive policies, strategies, and plans to reduce work-related accidents, injuries, and illnesses”.