A new health system for workers in the UAE for citizens and foreign residents, especially for occupational diseases and work

Abdallah Shahin 2 months ago

A new health system for workers in the UAE for citizens and foreign residents, especially for occupational diseases and work injuries.

Reporting work injuries and occupational diseases

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation issued Ministerial Resolution No. 657 of 2022 regarding the rules and procedures guide for dealing with work injuries and occupational diseases, which defines the channels for reporting injuries and diseases and the responsibilities of the employer.

Identify risk factors in the workplace

The decision, which aims to strengthen the occupational health and safety system in the private sector, reviews guidelines related to the system. It also clarifies the mechanisms for documenting work injuries and occupational diseases within a database that allows for dealing with related challenges and identifying risk factors, which contributes to providing a safe work environment free from occupational hazards. And enhance the psychological stability of workers in the establishments, and thus raise the level of their productivity and efficiency.

Channels for reporting work injuries in the UAE

The Ministry provides several channels to report any injury or occupational disease to which the worker is exposed, whether by contacting the call center on the number 600590000, businessmen centers, or the Ministry's smart application. and its degree, a brief description of the accident and its circumstances, and procedures for first aiding and treating the worker. The report is automatically included in the national system for work injuries.

Governance of work institutions dealing with work injuries and occupational diseases

The decision targets the governance of establishments that employ 50 workers or more with work injuries and occupational diseases, as it stipulates that establishments create a special system for monitoring these injuries and diseases, provided that this system includes a record of work injuries and occupational diseases, and provides preventive tools and rehabilitation programs for workers in hazardous activities, and inventory All activities endangering the health and safety of workers, conducting an inventory of workers, establishing mechanisms for periodic health checks for workers and mechanisms for reporting within the facility and for investigating cases of work injuries and occupational diseases.

The employer undertakes treatment and pays compensation to the worker

It is decided that the employer will undertake the treatment and compensation of the injured worker for work injuries and occupational diseases, and the value of the work injury compensation is calculated based on the last basic wage received by the worker who receives his compensation after the issuance of the medical report specifying the percentage of disability within a maximum period of 10 days, and if the work injury or Occupational disease leads to the death of the worker. Compensation is paid to his heirs according to the legislation in force in the country, or according to what the worker determines before his death.

Compensation for work injuries

But if the worker’s occupational injury or illness leads to his partial disability, he shall be compensated with a percentage of the value of permanent total disability equal to the percentages established in Cabinet Resolution No. 33 of 2022, while the amount of compensation payable to the worker in case of permanent total disability is the same amount due in the case of Death, and in both cases, whether it is total or partial disability, a specialized medical committee will decide on it.

For example, if the percentage of partial disability was 25% and the last basic wage the worker received was 1,000 dirhams, then the compensation would be as follows: percentage of partial disability x basic wage for a period of 24 months, i.e. 25% x 24 thousand dirhams = 6000 dirhams.

Cases of termination of the employment contract of the injured worker

It is mentioned that the employer must not terminate the work relationship and cancel the contract of the injured or occupationally ill worker until after he has received all his entitlements, and in the event that the worker wishes to cancel the work contract before the issuance of the report of the medical committees, his rights are preserved according to the report issued by the concerned committee.