The Labour Inspection Department has 350 young inspectors who are keen to implement the rules and work standards, says the Minister.
By Mohamed Osman
Doha: The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs yesterday launched a two-week training course for 130 labour inspectors.
The Minister of Labour and Social Affairs H E Dr Abdullah Mubarak bin Saleh Al Khulaifi said at the launch function that the Ministry is working to implement the labour law quite strictly to improve work environment in the country in line with the Qatar National Development Strategy 2011-2016.
Speaking at the opening of the training workshop he said the ministry is determined to strengthen the Labour Inspection Department which, currently, has 350 young inspectors who are keen to implement the rules and work standards. This workshop is the beginning of a series of training courses that will be held in collaboration with the Arab Labour Organization (ALO).
The ministry has plans to conduct four training courses in collaboration with ALO, and is keen to enhance bilateral cooperation with it to train the inspectors in accordance with local, global and Arab standards.
Al Khulaifi said the ministry is keen to provide job opportunities to legal expatriate workers. He also highlighted that the law No 1/2015 issued by the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani included amendments of some provisions of the labour law, especially worker’s wage protection system.
The law was successfully implemented in last November.
The minister said the Emir also issued law No.21/2015 which regulates the entry and exit of expatriates into the country and will be enforced next year in order to allow companies to rectify employment contracts accordingly.
The ministry began to implement from the beginning of last year a two-year plan to create job opportunities for the youth, especially in the private sector.
The practical training course for 130 labour as well as health and occupational safety inspectors continues until January 21, followed by another course for a new batch of inspectors.
Training is being provided by five experts from ALO and trainees will be in two classes according to their area of specialisation and include field visits.
Faiz Ali Al Mutairi, Director-General, ALO, said at the opening of the course that labour inspectors are economic and social safety valves as they implement rules and regulations properly. He said it is important to build their capacity, equip them with advanced technology and update them with latest information in this regard.
There is growing global concern about labour inspections due to the advanced technology which can give rise to the possibility of occupational diseases, which need to be detected and treatment and protection should be provided to workers, in addition to a healthy work environment, he added. All these together led to the expansion of labour inspector’s duties, rights and roles which have great social and economic impacts he stressed.
Al Mutairi said inspectors need to check workers’ situation, their work condition, enforce the law, protect workers’ rights and give advice and care for their health and safety. Creation of suitable work conditions and health work environment ensure social security and protect workers’ rights and this depends on the inspectors’ effective performances, he added.
On the sideline of the meeting, he said “I wondered with what I have seen during my visits to some works sites here because of the high concern about work environment and occupational safety and the advanced equipment they are using.”
It is a very good initiative to take advantage of available experiences of this organisation which goes back to 50 years because implementation of the law requires training and preparation of inspectors, he said.
There is need for complying with all ratified Arab and International agreements and work standards which give the labour market in any country the due respect and creditability.
Khalid Abdullah Al Ghanim, Director, Labour Inspection Department at the ministry, told this newspaper that it is the first training course being organised in collaboration with ALO, followed by another course for labour as well as health and safety inspectors after two weeks.
Courses will be conducted by same experts and inspectors will be trained in batches. These experts have conducted similar courses in many Arab countries.
The Peninsula
