The rule

Ministerial Resolution 44 of 2022, Article 3, bans all work directly under the sun and in open places between 12:30 pm and 3 pm, from 15 June to 15 September each year. No one may restart before 3 pm. The dates are fixed in the resolution, so plan for them again in 2027.

The rule is about where the work happens. Workers in the open need to be out of the sun for those hours.

What is exempt

Administrative Decision 19 of 2023, Article 11 lists the work that may continue for technical reasons:

  • concrete pouring and asphalt mixing that can't be completed in the afternoon;
  • repairs and maintenance needed to avert danger, damage, breakdown or loss, including cuts to water, sewer, electricity, gas or petroleum lines and blocked major roads;
  • projects that need a permit from the authorities because of their impact on traffic and services, where the permit requires work 24 hours a day.

Shade, water and rest

All employers must provide shaded areas for workers to rest during the break (Art. 11). Bring them close to the work, with enough room for the whole crew.

Where exempt work continues, the employer must provide:

  • enough cold drinking water for the number of workers;
  • hydration fluids, such as lemon juice and minerals, approved by the health authorities;
  • first aid materials on site;
  • enough air conditioning;
  • canopies and sun shades.

On Dubai construction sites, the Code of Construction Safety Practice adds that workers may need 5 to 10 litres of cold water a day in summer. It also asks for shade over the task area where possible, and heavy jobs in the coolest part of the day.

Penalties

MoHRE has stated the fine is AED 5,000 per worker, up to AED 50,000 where several workers are involved. Khaleej Times reported the same figures in July 2026. It also reports that a company's file can be suspended, its MoHRE rating downgraded, and serious cases referred to prosecutors.

Anyone can report a breach to MoHRE's call centre on 600590000, which MoHRE says runs 24 hours a day in 20 languages.

How to plan for it

  • Put 12:30 pm to 3 pm into every summer program before you price or schedule the work.
  • Move heavy outdoor tasks to the early morning or later in the day.
  • Check any planned concrete pours against the exemption before the day. Record why the work can't finish in the afternoon, and have the required supplies on site.
  • Set the rest area and transport before 15 June.
  • Brief workers in a language they understand. Tell them when work restarts and who to tell if asked to work through the ban.
  • Have supervisors check for stragglers at 12:30 pm.

The heat doesn't stop at 3 pm

The ban covers one window. Heat illness can happen before 12:30 pm, after 3 pm, outside the summer dates, and indoors in hot workshops and plant rooms. Your general duty to protect workers still applies.

Run a full heat plan alongside the ban: acclimatise new workers, give water and rest, watch each other, and know the signs of heat stroke. See our heat stress guide, checklist and toolbox talk.

Common mistake

Treating an exemption as permission to carry on as normal. Exempt work still needs cold water, hydration fluids, first aid, cooling and shade on site.

Sources and further reading

  1. Ministerial Resolution No. 44 of 2022 and its amendments, English translation, MoHRE.
  2. Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023, English translation, MoHRE.
  3. UAE to implement midday work break, with penalties (June 2023), MoHRE.
  4. Health and safety at the workplace, UAE Government portal.
  5. The Safety Guide for Construction Works in the Emirate of Dubai (Code of Construction Safety Practice), July 2026, Dubai Municipality.
  6. Midday outdoor work ban returns across UAE for 22nd year, Gulf News.
  7. UAE midday break: violators face up to Dh50,000 fine, file suspension, legal action, Khaleej Times.
  8. Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023, archived copy, Internet Archive.
  9. Ministerial Resolution No. 44 of 2022, archived copy, Internet Archive.

This is practical guidance, not legal advice. Laws and codes of practice change; always check the current official text and your site's own procedures.