ILO and Bahrain Ministry of Labour validate the country's first ever occupational health and safety profile

MANAMA, 14 September – The ILO Regional Office for Arab States, under the FAIRWAY Programme, concluded an inclusive and participatory tripartite meeting in collaboration with the Bahrain Ministry of Labour (MOL), focusing on the validation of the country’s first national occupational safety and health (OSH) profile.

The national OSH profile serves as a foundational blueprint outlining Bahrain's goals, strategies, challenges and practices related to OSH. The validation process is pivotal to ensure the profile is comprehensive, actionable, and aligned with the objectives of the government and social partners.

The meeting, which took place on 13 and 14 September, was inaugurated by His Excellency the Minister of Labour Mr. Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan. Mr Humaidan stressed that the changing context of OSH challenges, as a result of environmental and technological changes, required a new generation of skilled and trained OSH officials capable of keeping pace with changes, developing standards for measuring skill and efficiency, supporting companies and continuing monitoring and assessment efforts.

From the ILO, Sophia Kagan, Programme Manager of the FAIRWAY Programme, echoed the changing nature of OSH risks in her remarks. “Increasing global temperatures have affected workers in many parts of the world, elevating the risk of occupational heat‐related illnesses and injuries”, Kagan said. In Bahrain, migrant workers working outdoors are especially exposed to hot and humid conditions, which can cause significant heat strain. The recent International Conference on Occupational Heat Stress in Doha demonstrated the urgent need to reconsider whether existing policies on extreme heat are sufficient in light of rapidly changing weather conditions, and to strengthen institutions, regulations, and enforcement at the national level, Kagan explained.

The workshop featured presentations by the ILO Labour Inspection and OSH Specialist, Dr Amin Al-Wreidat, as well as government and private sector experts on key themes such as heat stress, safety in labour accommodation and preventing falls from height, such as during constructions. The groupwork led to a number of key areas of discussion, which will contribute to strengthening the OSH profile.

The event promises to be a significant step towards fostering a resilient and robust OSH framework for Bahrain, benefiting employers, workers, and the broader economy.