For more than 30 years Amarjeet Singh, 54, has toiled away in the punishing UAE heat to support his family in India.
And he said it doesn’t get any easier. In fact, despite the introduction of the midday break, and his firm having its own nurse and medical bay, he said it seems to get hotter every year.
“As soon as we get our breaks, we go to the resting rooms and sleep, that is the only way to get through the day because I cannot bear the afternoon heat when I am awake. There is no point staying up,” he told 7DAYS as he guzzled water on Monday afternoon.
The mercury hit about 45C when this newspaper visited the site on Monday, and the NCMS weather centre said humidity hovered between 30 and 80 per cent.
“Every year it keeps getting hotter, and we make sure we have a good breakfast before we start every day, otherwise we will collapse during work,” he added.
READ MORE: Workers suffer in heat despite midday break
He and his colleagues have little choice but to go on and hold out until the cooler months arrive.
For Pakistani worker Mohammed Ali, 21, Ramadan was the most challenging time. The midday break kicked in on June 15, meaning there was about a week when Muslim workers were fasting but not given the break.
“During the first few days of Ramadan there was no midday break, which was the hardest part. The rest right now helps,” he said.
“It gets very hot by the afternoon, so much so that even if we are not working, we feel very hot. Throughout the day we look forward to going into the AC rooms during the break, that keeps us going.”
For Mohammed Ameer, 20, also from Pakistan, it was his first summer in the UAE. He said: “If there is a fan and water available, the heat does not affect us that much.
“When we move away from that, we feel the actual heat. But the facilities make the conditions workable.”
Mohammed Aslam Ansari, 36, said the most challenging part of construction work is working on the upper floors, when they are in direct sunlight.
He said: “So far in my 12 years of work, I have not had any health issues during the summer, because I make sure I eat well, drink well, have a heavy breakfast and add a lot of salt to my meals which I heard helps keep the body strong and hydrated.”
SEIDCO holds workshops to educate labourers and they are urged to drink at least two litres of water every two to three hours.
Ibrahim Al Ammari, Director of the labour ministry’s Occupational Health and Safety Department, said: “Construction sites are not obliged to have a medic or nurse on site, however, they are urged to take the wounded to the nearest clinic or hospital as soon as possible.
“But all labour camps and construction sites have to be equipped with sufficient first aid materials.”
‘There can be no delay in treatment’
A human body typically loses two per cent of its water when sweating in the heat. But when that rises to six per cent, you’re in trouble.
The body develops heat cramps and the patient becomes tired, dizzy, has headaches and feels sick.
This is the early stages of what is known as ‘heatstroke’ – far more serious than the ‘sunstroke’ you might get on holiday.
Heatstroke means the body can no longer cool itself.
Dr Zeeshan Khan, from Medeor 24×7 Hospital, said: “A heatstroke is the end result of the above symptoms and if not treated properly in time, a heatstroke can be fatal.”
Dr Mohammed Mostafa Ibrahim, from Burjeel Hospital, urged all companies to have an onsite nurse. He said: “A nurse can differentiate between serious and mild cases and decide who should be taken to the hospital. This way there will be no delay in treatment.”
