Dubai Municipality is considering converting field tasks to night periods

Dubai Municipality confirmed that it is currently studying the transformation of a number of field tasks to night hours instead of the day, with the aim of reducing the exposure of the heat stress, resulting from high temperatures during the summer.

She explained that these proposals target the tasks that do not require direct interaction with the public or to rely on a natural light, such as cleaning trees, sidewalks, containers, and weeds on the roads, as work during the night periods contributes to improving performance efficiency and ensuring the safety of workers.

The municipality confirmed to «Emirates Today» work on developing long -term plans to meet the effects of climate change in the nature of field work, most notably enhancing dependence on smart mechanisms, and integrating thermal sensors and frequently mobile refrigeration systems within the equipment used in the field.

The municipality stressed its commitment to implement the decision to prohibit work at noon issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, which provides for the prohibition of work under direct sunlight from 12:30 pm until three in the afternoon during the period from June 15 to September 15 of each year.

She explained that she rescues the field tasks to be carried out in the early morning hours or after the end of the ban, while giving priority to internal work during the peak of heat, ensuring the continuity of work without violating the instructions or exposing workers to any health risks.

She pointed out that it applies an integrated package of precautionary measures to protect workers from direct exposure to sunlight and heat stress during work periods in the day, and includes “providing hats for workers with shawls, distributing refrigerated drinking water and compensatory salts in the sites, and enhancing field control to ensure the implementation of preventive measures, and providing breaks equipped with fans and coolers in all gathering points.”

The package also includes “educating the field teams through periodic educational bulletins and workshops about the symptoms of heat stress and preventive methods, daily weather control and immediate measures regarding modifying or suspending work in the event of high heat warnings, and using mechanical equipment to reduce direct physical effort, especially in waste loading or container cleanliness.”