Global Research Highlights Deadly Heat Hazards for UAE’s Migrant Workforce

Human rights researchers have highlighted that migrant workers in the UAE risk their lives by being forced to work up to 14 hours a day in deadly temperatures.

Equidem, a human rights organization, interviewed hundreds of workers in the UAE and other Gulf countries between 2021 and May 2024 to prepare a new report on their working conditions, including exposure to extreme heat and long working hours.

The organization noted that speaking with workers was challenging, as both workers and researchers risked arrest, detention, or deportation if caught conducting interviews.

According to The Guardian, Equidem’s research is carried out by migrant workers who document the conditions faced by their peers.

The Gulf region is a leading global destination for migrant workers from some of the world’s poorest countries, brought in to work on large-scale projects such as Saudi Arabia’s Neom project and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

As part of its research, Equidem calculated the wet-bulb temperatures workers are exposed to across the region. These measurements assess the combined impact of temperature, wind speed, humidity, and solar radiation on the human body.

The UN states that all outdoor physical work should cease when wet-bulb temperatures reach 32°C (89.6°F), as the body can no longer cool itself and organ failure may begin.

However, Equidem’s research found that workers in the UAE are increasingly forced to labor in wet-bulb temperatures exceeding 45°C.

Sheikha Silliman Bhattacharjee, Director of Research at Equidem, stated, “People often talk about mitigation in [UN climate talks], but for vast sections of the population, the climate crisis is already here. We are sending migrants to work in deadly heat day after day.”

Many workers interviewed for the report perform outdoor labor-intensive tasks on construction sites, work as delivery drivers, or serve as domestic workers, exposing them to some of the world’s highest temperatures between April and September.

Workers reported limited access to water and inadequate rest periods, alongside heat-related health issues such as rashes, dehydration, and heatstroke.

Some workers also reported illegal work hours of up to 84 hours a week, with shifts as long as 14 hours without overtime pay.

Nathan, a Kenyan security guard working for a subcontractor in the UAE’s renewable energy sector, told researchers: “Sometimes, I’m forced to stand for over 10 hours under the scorching sun, which gives me a constant headache. I take painkillers to cool it down, but it’s not good for my health.”

Another testimony came from Sahil, an Indian food delivery driver, who recounted: “I received an order around 1 p.m. While approaching the area, I felt dizzy. I stopped my bike, but as I tried to grab my water bottle, I collapsed. People around moved me to the shade, poured water on my face, and revived me. Doctors later diagnosed me with heatstroke.”

Previous reports have suggested that as many as 10,000 migrant workers from South and Southeast Asia die annually in the Gulf region, with human rights groups pointing to overwork, abusive labor conditions, and extreme heat as primary risks.

Bhattacharjee described the pressure on workers due to extreme heat as a form of “workplace violence” and called for greater emphasis on adaptation measures at UN-hosted climate talks beginning November 11 in Azerbaijan.

“These conditions leave migrant workers with long-term damage to their bodies, at best,” she added. “They cannot sustain these harms for more than a few years but trade their long-term health for short-term work under such conditions.”