Occupational safety and health in United Arab Emirates: law, authorities and employer duties

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), occupational safety and health (OSH) in the private sector is governed by the federal labour law, Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 Regulating Labour Relations, its Implementing Regulation (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022), and resolutions of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), which inspects and penalises. There is no stand-alone federal OSH act. Emirate frameworks, above all Abu Dhabi's OSHAD-SF, Civil Defence fire rules and product-conformity schemes add further layers.

This guide sets out the legal instruments with their official names, who enforces them, the employer's and worker's duties, OSH officers and medical care, reporting of injuries, penalties, chemicals, explosive atmospheres and major hazards, and how the UAE compares with the EU and Türkiye.

Key points

• The core federal texts are Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (in force since 2 February 2022), Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022 (Article 22 on workers' safety, protection and health care), Cabinet Resolution No. 33 of 2022 on work injuries and occupational diseases, Ministerial Resolutions No. 44 and No. 657 of 2022 and MOHRE Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023, which replaced Administrative Decision No. 28 of 2022.
• Every industrial establishment, and every construction establishment employing 100 or more workers, must appoint a technically qualified OSH officer (Ministerial Resolution No. 44 of 2022, Article 2, as worded on the government portal u.ae).
• Work injuries and occupational diseases must be reported to a medical authority, to the police at once, and to MOHRE within 48 hours at the latest (Cabinet Resolution No. 33 of 2022, Article 3); serious accidents such as collapse, fire, explosion or a fall from height go to MOHRE urgently (Ministerial Resolution No. 657 of 2022).
• Outdoor work in the sun is banned between 12:30 and 15:00 from 15 June to 15 September every year (Ministerial Resolution No. 44 of 2022, Article 3), with listed technical exceptions.
• Breaches of the labour law not penalised elsewhere carry a fine of AED 5,000 to AED 1,000,000, multiplied by the number of workers affected up to AED 10 million, and doubled or combined with imprisonment for a repeat within one year.
• Electrical equipment for explosive atmospheres falls under the regulation issued by Cabinet Resolution No. 23 of 2016 and the conformity scheme (known as ECAS-Ex) of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), which is also the UAE's IECEx member body.

The legal framework: federal law, Cabinet and ministerial resolutions

The UAE is a federation of seven emirates. Labour relations in the private sector, including OSH, are federal. The federal labour law applies to all establishments, employers and workers in the private sector, and does not apply to federal and local government employees, the armed forces, police and security, or domestic workers (Article 3). Some free-zone and emirate authorities add their own rules for the activities they license, so an employer should always confirm which regulator licenses the site.

The Decree-Law has been amended, among others by Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2022 and Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2024 (labour disputes and the penalties of Article 60); MOHRE publishes a consolidated English text. The Arabic text prevails over translations.

Emirate level: Abu Dhabi OSHAD-SF and others

Abu Dhabi has its own framework. A 2009 decree of the Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council (No. 42 of 2009) set up the emirate's environment, health and safety management system, and the Abu Dhabi Occupational Safety and Health System Framework (OSHAD-SF), whose current version 3.1 dates from March 2017, applies to entities in the emirate. The Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) supervises and monitors its implementation, and sector regulatory authorities enforce it in their sectors; for building and construction this is the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), with the three municipalities acting as sub-sector regulators. DMT supervises the OSH management systems of building and construction entities and checks their compliance with OSHAD-SF.

The other emirates rely mainly on the federal rules plus requirements of municipalities, Civil Defence and free-zone authorities. Details differ by authority and change, so confirm them with the body that issues the trade or building licence.

Who enforces OSH in the UAE

MOHRE officials authorised by a resolution of the Minister of Justice in agreement with the Minister of Human Resources have the capacity of law-enforcement officers: they may enter establishments, establish violations and write reports (Decree-Law Art. 57). Employers must give them the facilities and data they need (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, Art. 33).

Internationally, the UAE ratified the ILO Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) in 1982. Check ILO NORMLEX for its position on the fundamental OSH conventions C155 and C187.

Employer and worker duties

The Decree-Law obliges the employer to provide means of prevention against occupational injuries and diseases, training and periodic evaluation of OSH compliance (Art. 13(6)), and a safe and appropriate work environment (Art. 13(13)). Article 22 of Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022 turns this into concrete duties:

• prevention means against injuries, illnesses, fire and the risks of machines and tools;
• fire and safety instructions posted visibly in Arabic and, where needed, another language the workers understand, with warning signs at dangerous points;
• informing workers of the risks of their job before they start;
• first-aid supervision by a person specialised in medical care, and fully stocked first-aid kits;
• fire-prevention means and suitable extinguishers;
• continuous checks that workplace conditions protect health and safety, and practical measures to prevent, reduce or eliminate health hazards;
• precautions against falls, falling objects, hazardous substances, gases and electricity;
• guidance boards at machines, in Arabic and another language where needed.

The OSH management system and register

Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023 (Article 2) requires an OSH management system appropriate to the size and activity of the establishment, with 15 elements, among them policy and responsibilities, risk assessment and preventive measures, emergency and firefighting plans, training, OSH specifications for purchased equipment, control of contractors, inspection and medical check-up dates, incident investigation, worker participation and a list of penalties for OSH violations. An OSH register (Article 3), available to inspectors, records risks and controls, inspections and measurements, permits and certificates, fire drills, training, medical examinations, injuries and diseases, improvement plans and meeting minutes.

The same decision sets workplace rules on exits, floors, lighting, ventilation, noise, heat, stairs and ladders, fire systems compliant with Civil Defence requirements, machine guarding, boilers and pressure equipment, hazardous substances, cranes and hoists (lifting machines examined by an authorised specialist at least once a year, chains and ropes every six months), excavation (support for holes deeper than 1.5 m), demolition, scaffolds (inspected by a specialist at least once a week) and welfare facilities (Article 4). PPE must be suitable and provided at no cost to the worker (Article 5).

Worker duties and the right to leave

Workers must follow the establishment's OSH instructions (Decree-Law Art. 16(6)), use the protective equipment provided, and not misuse safety means (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, Art. 22(2)). Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023 (Article 9) adds duties to report hazards, use and maintain issued PPE, attend training, report exhaustion and not come to work under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A worker may leave without notice if a grave danger threatens safety or health and the employer, knowing of it, has not acted (Decree-Law Art. 45(3)); Article 26 of the Implementing Regulation lists examples such as ignition sources, live electrical wires, hazardous chemicals, loud noise and radiation.

OSH officer, medical care and health surveillance

Every industrial establishment, and every construction establishment employing 100 or more workers, must appoint a technically qualified OSH officer to prevent hazards and supervise compliance (Ministerial Resolution No. 44 of 2022, Art. 2). This is the wording of the government portal u.ae; the Arabic text is less clear, so a small industrial employer should confirm with MOHRE rather than assume it is exempt. Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023 (Art. 10) requires a licensed engineer or a graduate of an OSH institute, and lists the duties: risk assessment, plans and objectives, internal inspections including contractors, immediate reporting of accidents to MOHRE and the competent authorities, investigation reports and worker awareness.

Federal law does not require an occupational physician by name. The employer must, however, arrange:

• a medical examination before work starts, recorded in the worker's file;
• free medical care and medication under the state-approved arrangements, for example through health insurance;
• periodic examinations at least every six months for workers exposed to occupational disease risks, earlier where needed, with removal from exposure or a change of work when the medical authority advises it;
• an examination on transfer and at the end of service, with results kept for as long as the establishment exists;
• stocked first-aid boxes at workplaces and accommodation, and trained first aiders whose names are kept in a register (Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023, Art. 6).

Establishments with 50 or more workers must also run a monitoring system for injuries and diseases, list hazardous activities and exposed workers, keep a medical examination log and keep exposure records for at least five years after the worker leaves (Ministerial Resolution No. 657 of 2022). In Abu Dhabi, OSHAD-SF and the sector regulators may add requirements for OSH staff; check them with the sector regulator.

Risk assessment, training and heat stress

Risk assessment with preventive measures is a mandatory element of the OSH management system, recorded in the OSH register. Federal texts fix no review interval: review it after changes, after incidents and in the periodic evaluation under Article 13(6).

Training must suit the activities (Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023, Art. 2), workers must be told the risks before starting (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, Art. 22), and juveniles must be trained in the use of safety means (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, Art. 4). Crane operators need a valid licence from the competent authority and scaffolds must be erected and dismantled by qualified, licensed personnel (Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023, Art. 4).

Heat is a national specific. From 15 June to 15 September, work in the sun or open areas may not continue after 12:30 or restart before 15:00 (Ministerial Resolution No. 44 of 2022, Art. 3). Shade must be provided during the break. The exceptions are concrete or asphalt work that cannot be finished in the afternoon, urgent repairs to avert danger (for example to water, power, gas or petroleum lines) and projects whose permit requires 24-hour work; they need cold drinking water, rehydration fluids, first aid on site, cooling and sunshades (Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023, Art. 11). Worker transport must be licensed and air-conditioned, with no standing passengers (Art. 7).

Accident and occupational disease reporting

Under Article 3 of Cabinet Resolution No. 33 of 2022 the employer or its legal representative must:

1. report to the medical authority;
2. report to the competent police station immediately after the injury, or from first knowledge of a suspected occupational disease;
3. report to MOHRE through its designated channels within 48 hours at the latest, giving the worker's name, age, occupation, nationality, workplace and identity number, a brief description of the incident and the aid or treatment given.

Ministerial Resolution No. 657 of 2022 requires serious incidents, such as building collapse, fire, explosion or a fall from height, to be reported urgently, and Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023 (Art. 10) makes the OSH officer report accidents to MOHRE immediately. MOHRE accepts reports through its digital services, smart application, business service centres and call centre (600 590000). The police investigate whether the injury is work-related and whether exclusions apply (deliberate self-injury, misconduct, alcohol or drugs, deliberate breach of posted safety instructions); the medical authority decides.

The employer pays treatment until recovery or proven disability, full wage for up to six months during treatment and then half wage for up to six more months (Decree-Law Art. 37). Death compensation equals 24 months' basic wage, not less than AED 18,000 and not more than AED 200,000 (Art. 37(3)); permanent partial disability is paid as that amount times the disability percentage. Compensation must be paid within 10 days of the medical report (Ministerial Resolution No. 657 of 2022, Art. 3).

Inspections, penalties and liability

These penalties do not prevent a heavier penalty under another law (Art. 58), for example criminal liability where negligence causes injury or death. Amounts above are those of the consolidated text published by MOHRE, checked in November 2026; confirm the current text before relying on them.

Chemicals, explosive atmospheres, major hazards and PPE

Chemicals. Prior approval of the competent authority is needed to store or handle hazardous substances; containers must be labelled with warnings in Arabic and, if needed, another language the workers understand; concentrations must be measured periodically and logged; and Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023 attaches a schedule of maximum allowable concentrations (Art. 4). No federal rule applying the UN Globally Harmonized System (GHS) to all workplace chemicals was found; sector rules such as Cabinet Resolution No. 15 of 2026 require GHS symbols.

Explosive atmospheres. Electrical equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres is controlled by the UAE Regulation for the Control of Electrical Equipment Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres, issued by Cabinet Resolution No. 23 of 2016. Conformity is shown through the MoIAT scheme for this regulation (known as ECAS-Ex), commonly on the basis of IECEx certificates and test reports. No federal workplace rule comparable to EU Directive 1999/92/EC was found; zoning normally follows IEC 60079-10-1 as the operator's specification requires.

Major hazards. No federal regulation comparable to the EU Seveso III Directive or Türkiye's BEKRA regulation was found. Cabinet Resolution No. 15 of 2026 (18 March 2026) on safety requirements in industrial gas facilities, which covers free zones but excludes petroleum gas and natural gas facilities, requires a risk register, training on safety systems and emergency plans, automated leak detection and alarms, and compliance with the Ex regulation where explosive gases are handled; facilities have 365 days to comply, extendable by up to another 365 days. Oil, gas and petrochemical sites are controlled by their licensing authorities, Civil Defence and, in Abu Dhabi, OSHAD-SF.

PPE. PPE must be suitable, maintained and free of charge. No general UAE conformity mark for PPE was verified for this guide; project specifications usually name EN, ISO or ANSI/ISEA standards.

Comparison with the EU framework and Türkiye

The Türkiye column refers to Law No. 6331 on Occupational Health and Safety (İş Sağlığı ve Güvenliği Kanunu), the Regulation on OSH Risk Assessment (İş Sağlığı ve Güvenliği Risk Değerlendirmesi Yönetmeliği, Art. 12) and the Social Security Institution (Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu, SGK). Employers of fewer than 50 workers in less hazardous workplaces may, after ministry training, run the OSH services themselves except health examinations (Art. 6).

Common mistakes

• Treating the 48 hours as the deadline for every accident. Police must be told at once, and serious accidents must reach MOHRE urgently.
• Assuming no OSH officer is needed below 100 workers. As MOHRE's portal words it, the 100-worker threshold applies to construction, while every industrial establishment needs an officer; the general OSH duties apply to every employer.
• Forgetting emirate rules. In Abu Dhabi, OSHAD-SF and the sector regulators add their own requirements.
• Using only English signs. Instructions and warnings must be in Arabic and, where needed, in a language workers understand.
• Charging workers for PPE. It must be free.
• Relying on an IECEx certificate alone. Equipment in scope needs the MoIAT conformity certificate (ECAS-Ex); the IECEx documents support the application.

Frequently asked questions

Does the UAE have a separate occupational safety and health law?

No federal stand-alone OSH act exists. OSH duties sit in Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, its Implementing Regulation and MOHRE resolutions, with emirate frameworks such as Abu Dhabi's OSHAD-SF on top.

Who inspects workplaces for safety?

MOHRE inspectors, who have law-enforcement officer capacity, inspect for the labour law, while Civil Defence enforces fire safety and, in Abu Dhabi, sector regulatory authorities enforce OSHAD-SF. Municipalities and free-zone authorities may inspect activities they license.

When must an injury be reported to MOHRE?

Within 48 hours at the latest, and urgently for serious accidents such as falls from height, collapses, fires or explosions. The police must be informed at once and the medical authority notified.

Is the midday break the same every year?

Yes: Ministerial Resolution No. 44 of 2022 fixes it from 15 June to 15 September, 12:30 to 15:00, for work in the sun or open areas. MOHRE announces it each year and inspects compliance.

Are free zones covered?

Free-zone employers are part of the private sector, but some free zones have their own employment or EHS rules. Confirm the applicable regime with the free-zone authority that licenses the business.

Related on excodex

• What is the main OSH law in the UAE and who enforces it?
• How and within what time must a workplace accident be reported in the UAE?
• Must a UAE employer appoint a safety professional or occupational physician?
• How are explosive atmospheres and Ex equipment regulated in the UAE?
• Occupational safety and health in Saudi Arabia
• What are the midday outdoor work bans in Gulf countries?
• Which countries accept IECEx certificates directly?

Standards and further reading

• Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 Regulating Labour Relations (20 September 2021, in force 2 February 2022): uaelegislation.gov.ae; consolidated English text with amendments: mohre.gov.ae
• Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, Implementing Regulation: uaelegislation.gov.ae
• Cabinet Resolution No. 33 of 2022 on Work Injuries and Occupational Diseases (11 April 2022): uaelegislation.gov.ae
• Ministerial Resolution No. 44 of 2022 on OSH and Labour Accommodation (Arabic): government.ae
• Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023 on OSH and Labour Accommodation (23 August 2023, replaced Administrative Decision No. 28 of 2022): government.ae
• Ministerial Resolution No. 657 of 2022 on rules and guidelines for work injuries and occupational diseases (Arabic): government.ae; MOHRE news release of 3 January 2023: mohre.gov.ae
• UAE government portal, health and safety at the workplace: u.ae
• ILO, labour inspection profile, United Arab Emirates: ilo.org
• Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport, EHS and OSHAD-SF: dmt.gov.ae
• Cabinet Resolution No. 15 of 2026, safety requirements in industrial gas facilities: uaelegislation.gov.ae
• IECEx member countries: iecex.com
• IEC 60079-10-1, classification of areas, explosive gas atmospheres.

This article is general occupational safety and health information prepared by the excodex editorial team. It does not replace the applicable legislation, standards, manufacturers' instructions or the assessment of a competent OSH professional or occupational physician.