On Sunday, Human Rights Watch issued a warning regarding the precipitous situation of migrant workers in Gulf countries, who are endangered by the region’s extreme high temperatures. It strongly recommended that these countries improve the protective measures for workers exposed to increasingly severe heat.
Countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait, which employ a considerable portion of migrant labor, are situated in one of the world’s most scorching zones. The summer temperatures in these regions have recurrently neared the 50 degrees celsius (122 degrees fahrenheit) mark.
Human Rights Watch Deputy Director for the Middle East, Michael Page, expressed concern over the prevailing situation. He noted that every advancing summer is a stark reminder that ongoing climatic changes are exacerbating the occupational hazard for numerous migrant workers who are at peril from extreme heat.
Page further criticized the sluggish pace at which Gulf states were implementing labor policies grounded in scientific evidence. The absence of these protections, he said, unnecessarily places migrant workers at a risk that could lead to fatalities, kidney failure, and other severe health conditions.
Rich Gulf countries, due to their extensive development projects, predominantly rely on a vast number of migrant workers, with the majority coming from India and Pakistan. These workers are primarily employed in the construction sector, often working in sweltering, exposed conditions.
Just last month, the UAE exceeded its historic May temperature record for a concentration of two successive days, witnessing a sky-rocketing temperature of 51.6 degrees celsius. This unusual surge in heat sets a worrying precedent for vulnerable laborers working outdoors.
Presently, to safeguard their workers, the Gulf states enforce suspended worktimes under direct sunlight and in open-air spaces during the peak heat hours. This has resulted in the implementation of a so-called ‘midday break’ policy which extends from mid-June through to mid-September.
However, given the increasing vulnerability of the Gulf to climate change, Human Rights Watch has expressed concern that extreme heat conditions are becoming frequent and prevalent as early as May, a timeframe that precedes the implementation of the midday break policy.
Thus, Human Rights Watch urges that a revision of policies is imperative. It advocates for a shift from calendar-dependent midday bans to a more risk-appropriate approach that duly accounts for occupational heat stress even before the traditional ‘midday break’ period.
There is mounting scientific evidence, which underscores that recurrent heatwaves are a distinctive symptom of the escalating global warming crisis. Unsurprisingly, these studies predict that heatwaves are predicted to become more prevalent, long-lasting, and intense, posing a growing threat to laborers.
Pedantically decimalizing the past three decades, global warming skeptics need to bear witness to the fact that the number of extremely hot days has nearly twofold spiked. This harsh reality is a flashing alarm of the urgency to adapt protective labor policies.
According to a study from the International Labour Organization (ILO), an official United Nations agency, outdoor workers in Arab states are confronted with some of the severest exposure to heat stress, globally. It revealed that about 83.6 per cent of these workers are suffering from excessive heat exposure during their working hours.
This disturbing reality testifies to the pressing necessity to reassess and upgrade the protective labor policies and prevention measures. After all, the wellbeing and safety of millions of migrant workers, irrespective of the sky-rocketing temperatures, should be the uttermost priority.
Human Rights Watch’s warning serves as a clarion call to Gulf nations and globally involved businesses to abandon archaic policies and advance towards a more dynamic approach that is risk-based rather than calendar-bound. This is a crucial but challenging step in securing the safety, health, and ultimately the rights of migrant workers exposed to extreme heat.