UAE Midday Break and Summer Heat Rules: Employer Obligations and Fines

In the UAE, summer temperatures often exceed 45°C, putting outdoor workers at high risk of heat stress. To protect health and productivity, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) enforces the UAE Midday Break each year. The 2025 cycle renews the rule with clearer employer obligations and stronger enforcement. If you run a construction site, manage facilities and landscaping teams, or deploy delivery riders, understanding the summer heat rules is essential for compliance and for avoiding fines that can disrupt projects and cash flow.

This guide distills the current legal framework, outlines employer duties, highlights inspection procedures and penalties, and shares practical compliance steps drawn from health authorities and our work with clients at Arabian Business Center.

What Is the UAE Midday Break? Key Dates, Hours and Scope

The main legal instrument is Ministerial Resolution No. 45 of 2022, renewed for 2025 with clarifications on shade standards and temperature monitoring. The UAE mid day break  resolution mandates a daily work stoppage for all outdoor and open-site activities between 12:30 pm and 3:00 pm from 15 June to 15 September.

Who Must Comply

The UAE Midday Break applies to:

• Construction and infrastructure projects
• Oil and gas field operations
• Landscaping and facilities maintenance
• Delivery riders and other open-air service roles

Office staff are exempt, but employers must ensure building exteriors and rooftops respect the ban during restricted hours. Free zones follow federal labour law, so companies in Jebel Ali, DIFC, and Abu Dhabi Global Market are required to comply.

Legal Framework and 2025 Updates

Resolution and Clarifications

Ministerial Resolution No. 45 of 2022 continues to govern the rule in 2025. Minor clarifications address shade requirements and the use of temperature-monitoring devices to verify compliance for a smooth UAE mid day break experience.

Smart Thermometers and Record-Keeping

Companies with more than 50 field employees must install smart thermometers connected to the MOHRE inspection app. Device logs must be retained for two years and produced upon request. Failing to maintain documentation is a standalone violation, even if workers actually observed the UAE mi day break.

Health and Productivity Rationale

Medical evidence underpins strict enforcement. A 2023 Dubai Health Authority analysis found heat-related hospital admissions increase by 149 percent when Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) exceeds 34°C for two consecutive hours. Symptoms of heat stress range from dehydration and cramps to heatstroke, which can cause organ failure in under 30 minutes. During the 2024 season, MOHRE recorded a 70 percent drop in reported heat exhaustion cases versus 2019, showing that robust implementation works. Protecting workers is not only a legal requirement, it also reduces sick days and compensation claims.

Employer Obligations: Your Compliance Checklist

Complying with the UAE Midday Break goes beyond simply stopping work during restricted hours. Employers must:

Mandatory Provisions on Site

• Provide shaded rest areas with ventilation or evaporative cooling
• Make at least 2 litres of chilled drinking water per worker available each hour
• Supply oral rehydration salts and first-aid kits on-site
• Ensure appropriate PPE and sun protection consistent with job hazards

For teams housed in leased accommodations or labour camps, keep tenancy paperwork current and recorded where required. If you need help registering tenancy contracts, consider streamlined []( Ejari services)Ejari services so accommodation records are inspection-ready.

Training, Communication and Signage

• Deliver certified training on heat-stress symptoms and prevention in languages workers understand
• Display the break schedule in Arabic and at least one other language at the worksite entrance
• Brief supervisors on escalation protocols and when to halt work based on WBGT thresholds

Documentation and Evidence

• Install and maintain smart thermometers if employing more than 50 field staff
• Archive temperature logs and toolbox talk attendance for two years
• Keep bilingual notices, policies, and training records accessible for inspectors

Inspections, Reporting and How Enforcement Works

Site Inspections and Hot-Spot Mapping

MOHRE inspectors, supported by municipal safety teams, conduct surprise checks throughout summer. In 2024, the ministry carried out 67,000 site inspections. The tally is expected to surpass 75,000 in 2025 thanks to drone surveillance and AI-powered hot-spot mapping.

Worker Hotlines and App Alerts

Employees can report violations anonymously via the 600590000 hotline or the MOHRE app. When an alert is filed, a duty officer is typically dispatched within 90 minutes. To prepare, many employers work with a trusted uae typing center like ours to produce bilingual notices, update labour contracts, and upload health and safety attestations on the MOHRE e-channel.

Fines and Penalties for Non-Compliance in 2025

Financial penalties escalate quickly. The base fine for forcing staff to work during restricted hours is AED 5,000 per employee, up to a maximum of AED 50,000 per incident. An additional AED 1,000 per worker applies if drinking water, shade, or first aid is absent. Repeat violations can trigger recruitment bans and downgrade a company’s classification, increasing visa security deposits.

Reputational and Commercial Risks

Beyond cash penalties, MOHRE may publish the names of non-compliant firms on its website, damaging reputation and limiting access to government tenders. Banks sometimes reassess credit lines when a company loses Category A status. For SMEs dependent on seasonal projects, one breach can derail schedules and morale.

A Practical Compliance Plan for Summer Heat Rules

Plan, Equip and Empower Supervisors

• Map all outdoor tasks and assign a competent supervisor empowered to stop work when WBGT reaches 37.5°C, even outside the mandated hours if risk demands it
• Use the MOHRE heat-stress toolkit and multilingual posters that arabian business center can laminate within a day
• Update employment contracts to reflect midday break pay entitlements. Our typing center dubai desk drafts bilingual addenda aligned with Labour Law Decree No. 33

If you are launching operations or expanding your footprint ahead of the summer season, align health and safety planning with your corporate licensing. New entities can streamline licensing through our support for setting up a business in dubai and broader business setup across the UAE, ensuring compliance frameworks are built in from day one.

Centralise Records and Run Weekly Briefings

• Schedule toolbox talks every Monday morning and record attendance in the same portal used for emirates id typing
• For overseas HQs, a local PRO obtained through our Amer sheik zayed road branch can file attestations online to save travel time
• Store training, inspection and sensor data in one place so evidence is ready for MOHRE checks

Confirm that permits and immigration documents are current for all staff who will be active on outdoor sites during the season. If you need guidance on eligibility or processing, our team can assist with timely work visa applications.

If You Receive an Inspection Notice

Act within the 5-day grace period. An amer typing center dubai consultant can draft your objection in Arabic, attach temperature logs, and book a re-inspection slot online. Responding quickly and providing complete documentation often avoids fines before cases escalate to the Public Prosecution Department.

New in 2025: Incentives and Digital Compliance

Two innovations debut in the 2025 cycle:

• Voluntary live environmental data sharing with the MOHRE dashboard. Participants receive a digital badge that can speed up subsequent work-permit approvals
• Labour camps with smart cooling corridors are eligible for a 25 percent rebate on annual inspection fees under Cabinet Decision No. 36 of 2025. File between 16 September and 31 October using the “summer compliance” e-form. Early adopters in 2024 reported 48-hour processing when submissions were routed through our digital platform

Where labour housing is inspected, having up-to-date accommodation records and tenancy registrations helps demonstrate readiness. If you need assistance completing or renewing these registrations, explore our Ejari services.

The Bottom Line

Heat-stress management is now a board-level risk in the Gulf, and the UAE Midday Break is the central control measure. The rule saves lives, safeguards productivity, and reinforces the UAE’s reputation for fair labour practices. Compliance works best when it is documented and auditable. By integrating schedule planning, IoT thermometers, and accurate Arabic documentation, employers can turn a regulatory requirement into an operational advantage.

At Arabian Business Center, we have supported contractors, logistics operators, and facility managers for more than a decade with visa processing, labour quota management, and government liaison. Our secure portal, which also powers visa and residence visa Dubai applications, stores midday break evidence so you are inspection-ready at all times.

If you are formalizing a new entity, registering accommodation or mobilizing staff for summer projects, we can help you coordinate the essentials, including company setup in Dubai, Ejari tenancy registration, and work visas.

Get Expert Help With UAE Midday Break Compliance

Preparing for the summer heat rules is simpler with the right partner. Book a complimentary compliance audit with Arabian Business Center. Our PRO team can create bilingual policies, configure documentation workflows, and manage MOHRE submissions through our secure e-channel. Keep your workforce safe, your project schedule on track, and your brand clear of penalties. Visit our uae typing center to get started today.

kflows, and manage MOHRE submissions through our secure e-channel. Keep your workforce safe, your project schedule on track, and your brand clear of penalties. Visit our uae typing center to get started today