Rules on staff accommodation and safety

Rules on staff accommodation and safety October 25, 2012 - 6:15:33 am What are the rules companies have to follow while providing accommodation to their employees? 1) In shared rooms, area provided for each worker should not be less than four metres. 2) In each room, no more than four workers should be housed in normal housing camps, and eight workers in temporary dwellings. 3) Entrances, corridors, roofs and cellars should not be used as lodging areas for workers. 4) Windows must have wire mesh so that no insects or dust may enter the lodging. 5) Rooms must be well-ventilated and have natural lighting and adequate provision of electrical light. (A) Employers must provide lodging with the following basic furniture and appliances: 1) Beds with mattresses and appropriate covers and cupboards to keep clothes. No double beds allowed. 2) The provision of enough air-conditioners and ventilation fans. 3) One water cooler for every 20 workers provided with three candle ceramic filter; no fiber or threads filters allowed. 4) Refrigerator for storing food, size depending on number of workers. 5) Trash bin with lid, and strong trash bags. 6) Employer should assign a worker for cleaning the lodging, and a supervisor to inform the employer of maintenance requirements. 7) First Aid box, with enough antiseptics and bandages. 8) One toilet, well-ventilated, with sufficient light and water heater for every 8 workers. 9) Employer must properly maintain the lodging, and no deductions should be made for maintenance or provisions from the workers’ wages. (B) Temporary dwellings must include the following: 1) Dining hall with adequate furniture for the number of workers staying at the temporary lodging provided with mesh screen on doors, windows, together with insects’ catchers. 2) If there are more than 100 workers in the lodging, a special first aid room must be maintained by a qualified nurse. 3) They must have proper systems for disposal of sewage and garbage regularly, with manholes and garbage collection units. 4) It is illegal to use workers lodgings for other purposes. 5) Employer is bound to provide fire alarm and extinguishers according to fire department regulations. 6) Lodging should be provided with first aid boxes with enough bandages and antiseptics. What are vocational safety conditions? Labour law and ministerial decrees in this regard oblige employers to take all necessary precautions for safety at the work place. Most important of these include the following: l The employer should inform you of all work-related risks and dangers and you must be made aware of all precautionary measures to guard you against such dangers in a language that you understand. l The employer should provide you with protective garments and gear. l In case there are openings or excavations in the work area that people may fall into or which may prove hazardous, such openings must be lined with protective fence. l In case of work platforms, they should be erected as per technical specifications, must be fenced and provided with safe method for climbing to it. l Permanent stairs should be made with anti-slip materials, and provided with safety precautions. l Scaffolds must be made of strong materials, have enough room with fencing and safety equipment to prevent workers from falling. l Precautions should be taken during the use of equipment with high level of noise and vibration, like providing ear protectors to workers, making sure that noise is not over permitted levels and for very long periods. l Closed areas must have exhaust fans for operating equipment that produce dust, smoke or harmful gases. l Electrical equipment must have circuit breakers. What precautionary measures should be taken when using or storing work tools and equipment? Labour law and ministerial decrees issued in this regard oblige employers to take precautionary measures, most important being: l Provision of appropriate mechanical lifting equipment, ensuring the safety and usability of chains and hooks and their periodic inspection. l Lifting equipment must display a notice indicating maximum lifting capacity. l Provide lifting equipment operator’s cabins with a communication device. l Operator’s cabins in lifting cranes must be provided with mains of communications. l It is illegal for non-qualified and unauthorised people to operate lifting, hauling, and transportation equipment. What electrical safety precautions are necessary? Labour laws and ministerial decrees issued in this regard oblige employers to take many precautionary measures, most important being: l Electrical distribution panels must be placed in safe and easy to use locations, switches must be of non-sparking type. l Conducting regular check on cables, wirings, and connections. What fire protection precautions are mandatory? Employer must take precautionary measures to prevent fire, in accordance with the direction of authorities, and according to the nature of activities in the work place and the nature of production materials. Care must be taken as following: l Providing enough emergency exits, installing alarms with necessary training on use. l Abiding by necessary technical standards in constructing ovens, boilers and other sources of heat, insulating hot gas pipes and internal combustion engines exhausts. l Prohibiting smoking in work areas and punishing anyone who does not abide by the prohibition. l Leaving enough space between work units to prevent the occurrence of fire, especially in areas containing flammable material and not leaving any fire source in these areas. l Educating workers on fire sources and methods of fire prevention and training them on how to use fire extinguishers. What precautions must be taken against natural hazards? Employers must take necessary precautionary measures against natural hazards, the most important being the following: l Stopping work at noon time in open areas during summer -- from 15th of July to 31st of August -- so that morning working hours do not exceed five hours a day and do not extend beyond 11:30 am. In the afternoon, work must not start before 3:00 pm, and employer must keep a schedule directing this in an obvious place so that it can be read and seen by labour inspectors during their inspection visits. l Workers must be provided with protective gloves, socks, shoes, and heavy clothes in winter. l They must be provided with protective coats during the rainy seasons l They must provide you with head cover and cold drinking water during work in open areas. The Peninsula