DOHA: Bigger construction companies should depute nursing staff at worksites even when they have provided health insurance to their workers, says the Ministry of Labour.
Deputing the nursing staff on worksites is necessary because they can report immediately cases of injury or death.
“Providing health insurance by a company is no excuse for stationing nursing staff at its site,” said a senior Labor Ministry official.
“It is mandatory for companies to provide at least one nurse at worksite if it has 100 laborers and set up a clinic with medical crew including doctor and nurse if its workforce totals 500,” said Khalid Al Ghanem, Director of the Inspection Department at the Ministry.
He was speaking in a workshop held to educate companies about the provisions of the labour law and health and safety rules applicable to worksites.
The workshop was attended by representatives of more than 20 companies having more than 100 labourers, Al Arab reported yesterday.
Providing medical staff at worksite is compulsory for companies so they could handle any emergency and provide first aid before transferring an injured worker to hospital.
Several cases of worksite injury are transferred by companies to the emergency unit of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). The injuries (including fatigue or minor burns) are minor so the doctors give them just painkillers. So if medical staff is deputed at a site, such cases can be taken care of at a worksite itself.
Medical staff at worksites and labor accommodations of the companies can save time and help reduce the pressure on the emergency unit of HMC.
Al Ghanem said that the Ministry of Labour is willing to help companies recruit nurses from abroad if they are facing any problems in this regard, said Al Ghanem.
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