Health and safety at work in the UAE: what employers and workers must do

Under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), the employer must provide a safe work environment, and both employer and worker must follow the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s health and safety rules. The key deadline: an injury or death at work must be reported to the Ministry within 48 hours.

What the employer must do

• Provide the means to protect workers from occupational injuries and diseases.
• Put up instruction boards with awareness material.
• Train workers to avoid the risks of their work.
• Check periodically that everyone complies with health and safety requirements.

What the worker must do

• Use the protective equipment and clothing provided, properly, and look after it.
• Follow the employer’s safety instructions and not act against them.
• Not misuse, damage or destroy safety equipment.

Reporting injuries and occupational diseases

Every establishment must report work injuries and occupational diseases to MoHRE, through the Ministry’s website, its approved business service centres, or the MOHRE app. An injury or death at the workplace must be reported within 48 hours.

Establishments with 50 or more workers must also keep a system that includes a register of injuries and occupational diseases, a list of hazardous activities and the number of workers doing them, periodic health checks for those workers, a way to investigate incidents, a medical examination log, and records of workers exposed to hazards kept for at least 5 years after their service ends.

How compensation is calculated (24 months’ basic wage for death or total disability, between AED 18,000 and AED 200,000) is explained in work injury compensation in the UAE.

Medical check-ups

Workers exposed to the risk of occupational diseases must be examined by a doctor the employer appoints at least once every six months, with the results kept in the employer’s records and the worker’s file. The doctor can call a worker back earlier if an occupational disease is suspected, and confirmed cases must be reported to the employer and the Ministry immediately.

Health and safety officer

Every industrial establishment, and every construction company with 100 or more workers, must appoint a technically qualified Occupational Health and Safety Officer to prevent hazards and supervise the safety rules.

The midday break

Work in direct sun and open places is banned from 12:30 pm to 3 pm between 15 June and 15 September every year, with limited exemptions such as asphalt and concrete work that cannot be postponed and urgent repairs. Details in the UAE midday break.

Alcohol at work

No employer may bring, or allow others to bring, alcoholic drinks onto work premises for drinking there, or let anyone enter or stay on the premises while intoxicated.

Health insurance

Abu Dhabi and Dubai require health insurance for all public and private sector employees. Sharjah and Ajman governments provide health insurance for their own employees.

If your employer breaks these rules, you can file a complaint with the Ministry: see how to file a labour complaint. Housing rules for workers are in labour accommodation standards.

Checked against the UAE government portal (u.ae), text provided by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, on 26 September 2026. General information, not legal advice. See our editorial policy.