Qatar has worked relentlessly for years with various international organisations to ensure the well-being and safety of all workers, and it is false and misleading to suggest otherwise, Sheikh Jassim bin Mansour al-Thani, deputy director for Planning at the Government Communications Office, has said in a statement in response to a Human Rights Watch (HRW) article published on Thursday.
"Our work with international organisations and partners has resulted in Qatar leading the region on workers’ health and safety across the board. Summer working hours have been strictly implemented and enforced through regular workplace inspections. This has resulted in more than 300 cases of work suspension ordered by inspectors during the summer of 2019," the statement noted. "We recognise the challenges that exist around heat stress during the summer months and we have developed, in partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), specific guidance for employers to conduct risk assessments to mitigate any possible risk of heat stress.
"As part of our commitment to workers' welfare, we are currently leading a comprehensive review on the impact of heat stress together with the ILO and the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy. The findings will feed into our future work on all matters related to health and safety."