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Beirut: Human Rights Watch said on Sunday that migrant workers in the Gulf were at risk from extreme heat, urging countries to extend protections for labourers exposed to soaring temperatures.
"Every summer reveals that the climate crisis aggravates the occupational health and safety catastrophe for the millions of migrant workers exposed to extreme heat," said Michael Page, HRW's deputy Middle East director.
Recently, the UAE breached its May temperature record for the second day in a row, hitting 51.6 degrees Celsius.
To protect labourers, the states ban work under direct sunlight and in open-air areas at peak heat hours from mid-June until mid-September as part of a longstanding "midday break" policy.
Scientists have shown that recurring heatwaves are a clear marker of global warming and that these heatwaves are set to become more frequent, longer and more intense.
The number of extremely hot days has nearly doubled globally in the past three decades.
According to a 2024 report from the International Labour Organization, a United Nations agency, outdoor workers in Arab states face some of the highest exposure to heat stress in the world, with 83.6 percent suffering from excessive heat exposure on the job.
