New ruling states that a facility employing more than 500 people must have at least one local occupational health and safety officer from 2017
The UAE's Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) announced earlier this year that all construction facilities that employ a workforce of 500 or more must appoint a local occupational health and safety officer. It is assumed that this law will come into effect on 1 January 2017 as no further comments have been made by the ministry.
According to Lexology, "the Resolution has been published on the Ministry’s website but has not yet been published in the official gazette. On the assumption that it is gazetted this year, the requirement will come into effect on 1 January 2017."
Construction Week Online have quoted Saqr bin Ghobash Saeed Ghobash, the UAE's Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, saying that the decision to implement this requirement followed a "strategic plan to promote employment opportunities for locals in the private sector."
"The ministry aims to Emiratise the occupational health and safety profession following careful consideration of the sectors involved in the construction industry and major industrial enterprises, where the possibilities were found to provide attractive and stable opportunities for Emirati job seekers," Ghobash added.
