Employee Rights, Obligations and Safety Conditions in the Construction Industry

Overview

  • Bahrain's Ministry of Labour has implemented a multitude of laws and Ministerial Orders to protect construction workers and regulate their working conditions.

  • Bahrain Law No. 36/2012 on the Issuance of the Labour Law in the Private Sector has specific provisions relating to occupational health and safety of construction workers.

  • Employers are responsible for ensuring a safe working environment whereby all workers are qualified, trained and aware of their duties.

  • High and medium hazardous risk establishments are required by law to hire occupational health and safety offices to ensure the safety of all construction workers on site.

  • Hazard evaluation is required by Bahraini law on each site before workers commence their duties.

  • Bahraini law protects workers against harsh weather conditions and also provides regulations for high-risk scenarios such as elevated places and sloping roofs.

Definitions

  • Building works: All works pertaining to the construction of buildings including rebuilding, maintaining, cleaning, demolishing and re-ornamentation.

  • Construction works: All steel and reinforced construction works with the exception of building works (as defined above). This incorporates road works, wave breakers and harbours, airport runways, pipeline works, sewage and docking works as well as any civil or construction works of a comparable nature.