Qatar’s soaring temperature posing a big challenge for outdoor workers

Searing heat and strong winds swept across Qatar on Sunday making life more difficult for a large number of outdoor workers post-Eid holidays, reported Qatar Tribune.

Qatar Meteorology Department had forecasted on Saturday that northwesterly winds are expected to affect large parts of the country during daytime from Sunday to Tuesday.

The Met office has urged residents to be more cautious and avoid venturing into the sea during periods of strong winds as well as to avoid exposure to sunlight and to follow the latest updates through "various official social media accounts".

However, speaking to Qatar Tribune, Head of the Forecast and Analysis Section of Qatar Meteorology Department Abdulla Mohammed Al Mannai reassured the residents that the present high temperature was much expected during this time of the year.

Mannai said: "We cannot judge this season's temperature with a few days of rise in mercury. The average temperature expected in July, 2016, is 44 degree Celsius. But, the maximum temperature registered in Mesaieed in the year 2000 was 52.2 degree Celsius. Also, the maximum temperature recorded in Doha, in 2010, was 50 degree Celsius."

Barring a few, most of the construction companies reopened their work sites on Sunday after the Eid Al Fitr holiday weekend. But, owing to shortage of staff some construction sites have witnessed a slowdown. Work on most sites is expected to return to normalcy later this week, sources from the construction sector said.

Assistant human resource manager at a leading construction company said, "We couldn’t open some of our work sites on Sunday because of the shortage of manpower and severe heat conditions. Some of the staff members are on vacation. They’ve extended their leave citing reasons, including high summer temperature."

But, the few workers who were present at construction sites in Al Wakra and Mesaieed said that the existing summer schedule by the ministry was a "huge relief."

"A comfortable break allowed during the peak hours from 11am to 3pm is a huge relief," said a South Asian expatriate working on a Messaied road construction site.

The dusty conditions owing to strong winds will be the other challenge for workers and motorists in places like Al Wakra, Mesaieed, Industrial Area and the truck routes connecting Doha to Al Khor and Mesaieed.

Considering the high temperature forecast, most of the companies have ensured facilities such as adequate drinking water, first aid at work sites and proper air conditioning in buses for their transportation. "We’ve given instructions to our drivers to drive safely to construction sites and on the public roads covered by dust," said a safety and transportation in-charge at a construction company in Al Wukair.

Courtesy: Qatar-tribune.com