Doha, June 28 (QNA) - The Ministry of Public Health recently organized an awareness workshop on heat stress, with the participation of around 160 occupational health and safety officials from companies.
The workshop aimed to raise awareness among occupational health and safety officials and employers of the risks of heat stress, and to enhance knowledge of effective preventive measures, contributing to protecting workers' health and reducing heat-related injuries, particularly in outdoor work environments during the summer season.
Director of the Health Promotion Department at the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Salah Abdulla Al Yafei, affirmed that the workshop was organized as part of the Ministry's efforts to build a safer, healthier work environment that is more capable of addressing the challenges resulting from high temperatures. He noted the importance of joint awareness campaigns between the Ministries of Public Health and Labour, which target workers in the private sector to enhance health awareness and protect the health and safety of the workforce.
Head of the Occupational Health Section at the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Mohammed Ali Al Hajjaj, explained that the workshop addressed a number of key topics, including the definition of heat stress, its associated risk factors, its symptoms and methods of prevention. He added that the workshop discussed best practices in work environments for monitoring heat stress and heat indicators, in a manner that enhances workers' safety and reduces health risks associated with heat exposure.
The workshop presenters from the Emergency Department at Hamad Medical Corporation discussed the first aid that must be provided at worksites when a worker suffers from heat stress. They also presented statistics on heat stress-related cases that presented to emergency departments during 2025, which showed a decrease in the number of cases compared with previous years, while emphasising the need to exercise caution, particularly during August each year.
Specialists from the Occupational Health and Safety Department at the Ministry of Labour highlighted the most prominent approved controls and requirements for protecting workers, including the ban on work in open outdoor areas from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during the period from 1 June to 15 September each year, in addition to providing sufficient drinking water and shaded rest areas at worksites.
The method of measuring temperature and humidity in work environments using various devices was also explained, and the early warning signs of heat-related illnesses were reviewed, along with effective prevention methods such as gradual acclimatization to heat, adherence to drinking fluids, organization of work and rest periods, and the use of appropriate personal protective equipment, in addition to presenting printed and electronic awareness materials containing information on the symptoms of heat stress and methods of preventing it. (QNA)