National Human Rights Committee Organizes Workshop on Dangers of Heat Stress

Doha: The National Human Rights Committee organized a workshop to raise awareness among delivery drivers and all those involved in dealing with the risks of heat stress, as part of a campaign on the right to health for workers. The workshop aims to raise awareness among the most vulnerable segments to these risks, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labor, the Primary Health Care Corporation, the Qatar Red Crescent, and the World Health Organization office in Qatar. Nasser Marzouk Al Marri, who is the Director of the Legal Affairs Department at the National Human Rights Committee, said that the committee's awareness campaign holds great significance in achieving its goals, including raising awareness among workers about their rights to healthcare and occupational safety according to national legislation and international human rights instruments. This campaign also aims to promote a culture of safety and occupational health, ensuring a healthy work environment for workers. Al Marri added that the collabo rative effort with various governmental bodies, such as the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Public Health, and international organizations like the International Labour Organization and the World Health Organization, in addition to the Qatar Red Crescent and all stakeholders including companies, community centers, universities, among others, embodies the value of international cooperation in supporting national efforts to promote and protect human rights, including the right to health and healthcare in the workplace. Ali Al Khalaf, who is the Head of the Awareness and Guidance Department at the Labor Department, emphasized the Ministry of Labor's commitment to providing a healthy environment for all workers, especially during the summer period. He highlighted the crucial role of delivery workers in safely delivering food and medicine, urging them to avoid working during the midday heat. During the workshop, efforts by the Ministry of Labor to monitor the implementation of Ministerial Decision No. (17) of 2021 regarding the necessary precautions to protect workers from heat stress were reviewed. This decision includes a ban on outdoor work from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm during the summer period from Jun. 1 to Sep. 15. Al Khalaf also stressed the companies' obligation to conduct annual medical examinations to diagnose and assess chronic diseases in workers, which may contribute to the risk of heat stress. Dr. Rayana Ahmed Bou Haqqa, Representative of the World Health Organization in Qatar, commended the National Human Rights Committee for its collaboration with the organization. She emphasized the importance of the workshop and the activities provided by the committee to raise awareness among delivery drivers about the risks of heat stress and the right to health during this critical period of climate change. Source: Qatar News Agency