Samir El Azrak represents Al Moutawaa Wa Al Azrak, Advocates and Legal Consultants. Readers may e-mail their questions to ktedit@emirates.net.ae or send it to Khaleej Times Dubai P.O. Box 11243.

Q: I work in a big private company dealing with water production. The company has around 1,600 employees. What are the company’s obligations as regards workers’ medical treatment, daily injuries, and illness?

A: Industrial safety, preventive measures, workers’ health and social care are enshrined in many articles of the labour law.

Every employer, as per Article 91, shall provide adequate preventive equipment to protect workers against the dangers of employment accidents and occupational diseases that may occur on duty, and also against fire hazards and other hazards that may result from using machines and other equipment. He shall also adopt all the other preventive methods ordered by the Ministry of Labour. Every worker shall use the protective equipment and clothing supplied to him for this purpose. He shall also comply with all the employer’s instructions to protect him against all hazards and shall not take any action liable to hamper compliance with such instructions.     

Every employer, as per Article 92, shall display detailed instructions in a conspicuous position at the workplace indicating the measures to be taken to prevent fire and protect the workers against hazards to which they may be exposed while performing their work. Such instructions shall be in Arabic and, if necessary, in another language understood by the worker.

Every employer, as per Article 93, shall provide one or more first-aid boxes containing medicines, bandages, anti-septics and such other first-aid material as may be ordered by the Ministry of Labour.

There shall be one first-aid box for every 100 workers. The box shall be located in a conspicuous place and within workers’ reach. Use of the box shall be entrusted to a person specialised in giving first aid.

An employer, as per Article 95, shall arrange for one or more medical practitioners to carry out periodic, general and thorough examinations, at intervals of not more than six months, to his workers who are exposed to the danger of contracting any of the occupational diseases specified in Schedule (1) attached to this Law and shall enter the findings of such examinations in his records and in the workers files.

The medical practitioners shall immediately inform the employer and the labour department of any occupational disease cases occurring among workers besides the deaths resulting therefrom, yet following the facts’ ascertainment by means of medical and laboratory tests, and requisite procedures. The employer shall in turn report these findings to the labour department.

The medical practitioner responsible for periodic examinations may require any worker exposed to occupational disease to be re-examined after a period less than the interval prescribed if he finds that the worker’s conditions so warrants.

An employer shall provide his workers with medical facilities corresponding to the standards laid down by the Minister of Labour in cooperation with the Minister of Health. 

Q: One of my relatives had a quarrel with his wife following which she tried to commit suicide. She was rushed to the hospital where she was luckily saved. I would like  to know if somebody instigated her to end her life, is that a violation of law?