Safeguarding the Workforce: The Evolving Legal Framework for Health, Safety and Welfare in the UAE

Across the United Arab Emirates, workplaces, public facilities, and service providers are under increasing scrutiny as the government strengthens laws to safeguard people and promote well-being. What was once dismissed as “accidents happen” is now treated as a matter of legal responsibility.


The UAE’s regulatory authorities enforce rigorous standards that compel organisations to identify risks, take preventive measures, and maintain proper documentation to prove compliance. Today, compliance is judged not only by the absence of incidents but by the effectiveness of systems and policies designed to prevent harm. Inspections and enforcement actions are more comprehensive, and penalties for negligence have become stricter.


Employers, contractors, and service providers are required to adopt structured safety frameworks, conduct regular risk assessments, train employees, and keep detailed records. The law emphasises proactive accountability, where failure to demonstrate due diligence may lead to fines, legal action, or reputational damage.


These responsibilities extend to contracts, daily operations, and public interactions. By fulfilling these legal duties, organisations in the UAE not only protect employees and clients but also build trust, enhance credibility, and ensure sustainable business growth. In the UAE, safety and well-being are not optional; they are a legal duty and a cornerstone of professional excellence.

Construction Safety

The UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (Labour Law) states that each employer must provide appropriate safety measures to protect workers from occupational injuries, diseases, fire hazards, and risks arising from machinery and work tools. Employers must also adopt all other safety measures required by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Every worker must use the protective gear and clothing supplied for this purpose, comply with all instructions given by the employer to protect against hazards, and refrain from taking any action that might obstruct the enforcement of such instructions.

Ensuring employee health and safety is a cornerstone of modern labour regulation, and first-aid preparedness plays a critical role in this framework. Article 6 of Federal Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023 regarding the Guidelines on Occupational Health and Safety mandates that every workplace must be equipped with one or more medical aid boxes according to the size of the workforce, containing essential supplies such as medicines, bandages, disinfectants, and other relief items. The workforce must also include personnel trained in first-aid procedures.

Occupational Injuries

Occupational injuries remain a major public health and economic concern, particularly in high-risk sectors such as construction, manufacturing, logistics, and industrial operations. In fast-paced workplaces, employee health is the silent backbone of progress, and risks exist from construction sites to offices. Protecting workers is both a legal requirement and a sound strategic decision.


The UAE’s legislative system has undergone significant reforms, led by the Labour Law, creating a more modern and robust occupational safety framework. Alongside sector-specific systems such as the Abu Dhabi Centre for Occupational Safety and Health System Framework (ADOSH-SF), these reforms reflect efforts to align with international labour and safety standards.

In Abu Dhabi, ADOSH-SF Version 3.1 sets out comprehensive technical standards applicable to all entities operating in the emirate. Dubai also provides specific codes of practice covering work at height, machinery safety, scaffolding, confined spaces, electrical safety, and construction-site management.

Preventive Measures Under the Latest UAE Amendments

Recent UAE regulatory amendments impose several mandatory preventive requirements aimed at reducing occupational injuries:

i) Periodic risk assessments for all workplaces, with enhanced obligations for high-risk sectors.
ii) Mandatory safety training delivered in languages understood by workers.
iii) Strict controls for work at height, including guardrails, harness systems, and scaffolding certification.
iv) Machine and equipment safety protocols, including lock-out/tag-out (LOTO) procedures.
v) Heat-stress mitigation programmes, particularly during the summer months, reinforced through the annual Midday Work Ban, in line with Ministerial Resolution No. 44 of 2022 on Occupational Health and Safety and Labour Accommodation.
vi) Establishment of workplace safety committees in establishments with 50 or more workers.
vii) Mandatory reporting of serious injuries and fatalities to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (“MoHRE”) within 48 hours.

MoHRE Enforcement Measures and National Initiatives

MoHRE has intensified enforcement actions as part of its 2022–2024 national Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) strategy. Key measures include:

i) Deployment of an enhanced digital occupational-injury reporting platform.
ii) Increased field inspections across construction sites, industrial zones, and worker accommodation.
iii) Introduction of national OSH training certification standards for safety officers and supervisors.
iv) Public awareness initiatives targeting migrant workers in multiple languages.
v) Annual heat-stress protection campaigns, including mandatory hydration, shaded rest areas, and work-rotation requirements.
vi) Implementation of stricter administrative penalties for non-compliance, including suspension of work-permit services and fines under Cabinet Resolution No. 21 of 2020 concerning service fees and administrative fines imposed by MoHRE.

These reforms collectively strengthen the UAE’s occupational safety system and highlight the government’s commitment to reducing workplace accidents and enhancing worker protection.

Prevention of Heat-related Illnesses

The UAE’s multinational workforce, characterised by diverse education levels, experience, beliefs, and cultures, makes the development of occupational health and safety programmes in multiple languages particularly challenging. Outdoor labour has long faced some of the most extreme working conditions in the world. During the summer months, temperatures often exceed 45°C. When combined with high humidity and direct sunlight, workers in construction, infrastructure, delivery, and other outdoor roles face serious risks of heat-related illnesses, ranging from rashes and cramps to heat exhaustion, heat injury, and fatalities. A key regulatory protection is the annual “midday break” implemented by MoHRE. From 15 June until 15 September each year, employers are prohibited from requiring outdoor work under direct sunlight between 12:30 pm and 3:00 pm. Now in its 21st consecutive year, this rule underscores the UAE’s commitment to worker safety in extreme conditions.

Employers are required to provide shaded rest areas, cooling equipment such as fans or air-conditioned shelters, sufficient drinking water and electrolyte supplements, and on-site first-aid facilities. Violations of the midday ban can result in fines per worker for multiple infractions. In the 2024 cycle, the ban concluded after 134,000 inspections, with only 51 infractions recorded, reflecting a high level of compliance.

For labour and safety professionals in the UAE, outdoor work must be carefully scheduled with appropriate shade, cooling, hydration, monitoring, and documented training. For companies, compliance is both a legal obligation and essential for worker safety and business continuity. As heat-stress risks increase, the UAE’s time-bound work bans, employer obligations, and compliance monitoring provide a model framework for protecting workers in hot climates.

Challenges to Improving Health and Safety Awareness

Early occupational health studies in the country, including the well-known 2010 assessment of cement-industry workers in the UAE, revealed that inadequate awareness of job-related hazards, inconsistent use of personal protective equipment, and limited safety training were major contributors to injury incidence. The study documented that fewer than one-third of workers consistently used safety masks, despite universal provision, and only 12% had received training on proper mask use. Similar findings across foundries, farms, and cement factories highlighted widespread deficiencies in safety compliance, leading to impaired vision, hearing, respiratory function, and musculoskeletal problems.


Since 2020, employers have been required to maintain clear records of safety protocols, risk assessments, and worker training. Reforms such as the Wage Protection System and standardised contracts enhance safety by reducing disputes and encouraging hazard reporting. Ministerial Resolution No. 44 of 2022 improves worker well-being through proper housing standards, while stricter penalties and awareness campaigns led by MoHRE are fostering a stronger safety culture across workplaces.

Prevention of Injuries Caused by Falling Objects

Falls from height and injuries caused by falling objects remain leading causes of fatalities in construction, maintenance, oil and gas, and industrial sectors. Over the past decade, MoHRE has strengthened regulations, technical codes, and awareness campaigns to reduce such preventable accidents.

Where risks cannot be fully eliminated, workers must be provided with certified full-body harnesses, shock-absorbing lanyards, approved anchorage points, hard hats, and protective footwear for personnel working beneath elevated areas. Employers must maintain inspection logs, ensure proper fitting, and retain training records. Compliance is enforceable through inspections, fines, and liability for workplace harm. Employers are encouraged to adopt a documented OSH management system aligned with federal law and emirate-level guidance to reduce legal, financial, and human risk.

Penalties or Punishment for Violations of Workplace Safety

Workplace safety is a cornerstone of labour regulation, aimed at protecting employees from hazards and ensuring a secure working environment. Violations of safety protocols can lead to serious accidents, financial losses, and legal consequences. Employers are mandated to implement preventive measures, including safety training, provision of personal protective equipment, and strict adherence to operational guidelines, while workers are expected to comply with safety instructions to prevent accidents and injuries.

The Labour Law establishes a structured framework for disciplinary penalties applicable to workers who breach labour regulations or internal company rules. Employers or their representatives may issue written notices or warnings, deduct wages for up to five days per month, impose suspension without pay for up to 14 days, withhold periodic bonuses for a period not exceeding one year, deny promotions for up to two years, or terminate service while ensuring the worker’s entitlement to end-of-service benefits.

The resolution emphasises that penalties must correspond to the severity of the violation and that workers must be notified in writing of any alleged breach. Employees are given the opportunity to present their defence, and all disciplinary actions must be fully documented. Sanctions must be imposed within 30 days of discovering a violation and no later than 60 days after completion of the investigation. Employees retain the right to file complaints with MoHRE or through internal grievance mechanisms, with formal responses provided within specified timeframes.

Employers with 50 or more workers are required to implement comprehensive internal work regulations. These regulations cover work instructions, disciplinary measures, promotions, rewards, and termination procedures. They must also outline working hours, rest days, official holidays, and safety measures designed to prevent work-related injuries and fire hazards. Compliance with the Labour Law is mandatory, and employees must be informed of these regulations in a language they understand.

Article 40 of the Labour Law allows for the temporary suspension of workers charged with deliberate crimes affecting life, property, honour, or honesty, as well as those involved in strikes. During suspension, wages are typically withheld, but full pay must be restored if the employee is cleared or prosecution is not pursued. In disciplinary investigations, temporary suspension may last up to 30 days, during which the worker is entitled to half their wage. If the investigation reveals no wrongdoing, the employer must pay full wages for the suspension period. The combination of preventive measures, transparent disciplinary procedures, and criminal accountability for serious violations underscores the region’s commitment to maintaining high standards of occupational health and safety.

Welfare

Employee welfare is anchored in a modernised labour-law framework that ensures dignity, equality, and fair treatment for all workers. Central to this is the Labour Law, which repealed Federal Law No. 8 of 1980 and introduced a comprehensive, rights-based approach. The 2021 law emphasises the protection of workers’ rights, labour-market flexibility, non-discrimination, and safe, healthy workplaces. Welfare, including adequate facilities, medical care, accommodation standards, grievance channels, and fair contractual practices, forms a fundamental statutory duty for employers.


Employers must provide workplace welfare facilities necessary for the safety, health, and well-being of employees, including sanitation, rest areas, potable water, medical services, and appropriate accommodation. In 2023 and 2024, amendments addressed recruitment transparency, protection from illegal deductions, enhanced accommodation standards for low-income workers, and stricter penalties for welfare violations. These reforms reflect the UAE’s commitment to aligning labour practices with international standards, reinforced through its membership in the ILO and the Arab Labour Organization.

Recent MoHRE reports from 2024–2025 show intensified inspection campaigns across high-risk sectors such as domestic work, construction, and recruitment agencies. MoHRE has imposed fines on unlicensed recruitment offices, taken action against illegal employment practices, and launched multilingual complaint channels accessible to workers. These measures reflect an increased reliance on inspections to ensure compliance and address systemic issues such as contract substitution and worker exploitation. The UAE has also expanded digital compliance tools, including real-time reporting systems for wage protection and workplace violations.

4 Civil Damages

Civil damages form the backbone of liability and compensation mechanisms in the UAE. The concept, rooted in Federal Law No. 5 of 1985 on Civil Transactions (“Civil Code”), establishes the principle that every harm, whether material or moral, must be compensated. In workplace relations, civil liability operates alongside employment and health-and-safety legislation, ensuring protection for workers and accountability for employers. Under the Civil Code, delictual liability for wrongful acts is firmly established. Article 282 states that any harm caused to another renders the person responsible liable to make good the harm, even if lacking discretion. Article 293(1) further provides that compensation includes moral damage, covering infringements of liberty, dignity, honour, reputation, social standing, or financial condition.

In the workplace, companies and individuals may incur liability for acts or omissions that cause injury, illness, or death. The doctrine of vicarious liability recognises that an employer may be held liable for wrongful acts committed by an employee in the course of, or because of, their duties.

While employment relationships are governed primarily by the Labour Law, civil liability provisions operate concurrently. Compensation paid under the Labour Law, such as in cases of workplace injury or death, does not preclude an additional civil claim, although courts may deduct statutory compensation to avoid double recovery. Civil claims may also arise from the same facts as criminal cases, in which event civil proceedings are typically suspended pending the criminal outcome. Findings of fact in final criminal judgments are binding in subsequent civil proceedings, ensuring consistency and preventing contradictory outcomes.

MoHRE Ministerial Resolutions on Work Injuries

In 2022, Ministerial Resolution No. 657 of 2022 was issued to standardise procedures and compensation for workplace injuries and occupational diseases.

• Mandatory reporting of workplace injuries or fatalities to MoHRE within 48 hours.
  • Compensation for death or permanent total disability equal to 24 months of the employee’s basic wage, subject to statutory minimum and maximum limits.
  • Proportional compensation for partial disability based on medical assessment scales.
  • Employer liability for treatment costs and continued wage payments during medical leave.

Non-compliance attracts administrative fines, civil liability, and potential criminal prosecution where negligence is established.

Administrative Sanctions for Employee Welfare in the Workplace

In addition to criminal penalties and civil compensation, employers in the UAE are subject to a distinct regime of administrative sanctions, which function as preventive and corrective measures rather than punitive judicial actions. These sanctions arise from MoHRE’s administrative authority and are aimed at ensuring compliance with occupational health and safety obligations and protecting employee welfare. While the earlier framework under Federal Law No. 8 of 1980 offered limited administrative control, the Labour Law modernised this system and strengthened enforcement mechanisms to align with international labour standards.

Under Article 13 of the Labour Law, employers are required to provide a safe and appropriate working environment and take all necessary preventive measures to protect employees from workplace hazards. This duty is complemented by Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023 on occupational health, safety, and labour accommodation, which sets out detailed employer obligations, including internal safety systems, record-keeping, appointment of qualified safety officers, and compliance with accommodation standards.

Administrative sanctions may be imposed for failures such as inadequate safety measures, failure to report workplace accidents or occupational diseases, or failure to remedy accommodation or safety breaches within specified timelines. Sanctions range from suspension of work-permit services and financial penalties to, in severe or repeated cases, suspension or cancellation of commercial licences. These measures operate independently of criminal proceedings and are designed to encourage prompt compliance.

MoHRE applies a structured framework linking penalties to the severity and recurrence of violations. Repeated breaches can lead to downgraded establishment classification, higher fees, and recruitment restrictions. Monetary penalties, previously capped at lower levels, now reach up to AED 100,000 per offence, reflecting a shift towards proactive and preventive enforcement.

This modern framework balances deterrence with corrective action, promoting transparency, accountability, and a culture of safety, and reflects the UAE’s commitment to a fair, safe, and responsible labour market.

Conclusion

The UAE’s rapidly evolving legal landscape demonstrates that ensuring the health, safety, and welfare of workers is a core responsibility of employers, reflected in strengthened legislation, rigorous enforcement, and comprehensive standards across multiple sectors, particularly construction. The legal framework prioritises prevention, accountability, and the dignity of workers. Employers must integrate safety rules into daily operations, training programmes, and long-term planning.


With increased inspections, penalties, and awareness initiatives, it is clear that organisations adopting robust occupational safety systems benefit from reduced risk, enhanced trust, and sustainable growth. Ultimately, safeguarding people is both a legal duty and a defining marker of professional excellence in the UAE.

 

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