KUWAIT CITY, May 20: The Public Authority for Manpower has issued a new ministerial resolution banning the employment of workers in open areas during peak daytime hours from June 1 to August 31 each year, as part of enhanced measures to protect workers from extreme weather conditions.

Under Ministerial Resolution No. 3 of 2026, outdoor work will be prohibited daily between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm. The authority said the decision aims to strengthen occupational safety and health standards amid rising temperatures and changing climatic conditions.
The resolution was issued by Sheikh Fahd Al-Yousef, who also chairs the board of directors of the Public Authority for Manpower.
Director General of the authority, Rabab Al-Osaimi, said the new rules give the authority powers to amend the timing or duration of the curfew depending on climatic and environmental changes.

She added that the ban may also be enforced during hazardous weather or environmental conditions that threaten worker safety, including dust storms, heavy rain, exceptionally high temperatures or humidity, natural disasters, epidemics, and emergency situations.
The decision exempts certain urgent and technical operations that cannot be postponed, provided prior approval is obtained from the Labor Inspection Department and all occupational safety requirements are met. These include emergency maintenance work, public services, and operations linked to vital facilities.
Al-Osaimi said employers will be required to provide cold drinking water, shaded rest areas, first aid supplies, and suitable rest periods for workers without violating legally permitted working hours.

She stressed that authorities would take legal action against violators and urged business owners to fully comply with the new regulations to ensure worker safety and support a sustainable and humane work environment in Kuwait