As temperatures above 50°C, Saudi Arabia will apply its annual midday outdoor work restriction from June 15 to September 15, restricting labour under the hot sun between 12 PM and 3 PM. The policy is intended to safeguard millions of workers from heatstroke and dehydration during the kingdom’s toughest season.
Key details:
Scope: This applies to all outdoor work (building, agriculture, utilities).
Penalties: Firms violating the ban face fines up to SAR 10,000 (~$2,666) per worker
Safety Requirements: Employers must provide cooling stations, hydration, and shaded rest areas
Saudi Arabia’s developing megaprojects (such as NEOM and Qiddiya) rely largely on migrant labour, therefore heat safety is vital. The government has also implemented AI-powered heat danger notifications, as well as mandated heat disease prevention training.
“Worker health is non-negotiable,” said a representative for the Ministry of Human Resources, noting that the restriction had reduced heat-related occurrences by 42% since its implementation in 2001. As climate change exacerbates Gulf summers, such solutions are becoming a regional model.
