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Post # 1
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Join Date: 04 Mar 2015
Location:  KuwaitPosts: 87 |
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Working outside in Kuwait’s summer – The plight of Kuwait’s outdoor workers |
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Working outside in Kuwait’s summer – The plight of Kuwait’s outdoor workers
Work, work, work! Whatever your work maybe, at the end of the day, you must work in order to live. Kuwait is fortunate to have many workplaces with fully equipped ventilation and air-conditioning but many are not so blessed. There are numerous outdoor jobs here that don’t enjoy such privileges. Some examples include street cleaners, valet attendants, construction workers, carpenters and even bricklayers. Their jobs are based outdoor but how many care about their struggles? Friday Times met with some Korean bricklayers at Mirqab district and was fascinated with how they were able to use their imagination and mathematical prowess to lay bricks with such accuracy and artistry. Many footpaths in Kuwait City have been replaced with bricks from simple first-layer concrete materials to new pieces of colorful bricks. “It is a better material compared to concrete because these can withstand the rain, sunshine and even sandstorms,†explained Lin, a Korean bricklayer who at that time was patiently laying bricks with five of his men near the KPTC main bus terminal in Mirqab. “Brick laying is real hard work,†admitted Lin but according to him he only needs a team to work with. “I cannot finish the 24 sq ft by myself in just one day, but if you have team of people to work, it becomes easier,†he added. Since the work is outdoors, in the summer his team would start from 7am-10am but take a break from 10- 4pm. “We come back again to work from 4-8pm,†he added. Another popular outdoor job is the construction worker. There are new government projects coming up all over Kuwait including skyways in Shuwaikh and Sabah Hospital areas and it’s the construction workers that are braving the exasperating summer heat. There are many companies in Kuwait who are strictly following the ban on outdoor-based work from 11am-4pm, however many firms and individuals defy these rules. HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS Nurislam from Bangladesh and Hussein, from Iran are two construction workers braving the 2pm heat in one of the construction sites in Kuwait City. “With all due respect to our company’s bosses, they told us to work only in the shade especially during the summer but we think we can confront the heat. I think it is okay as long as we have sufficient water to drink†Nurislam said. “We take turns in the afternoon with the rest of the workers. We only work one hour or half hour under the afternoon sun; then we switch with other workers,†explained Hussein, whose hands and face were fully covered with long sleeves and a construction head gear. If you think this job is easy, think again. Valet parking is no joke. This outdoor job is also exasperating and tiring. In fact, handling cozy cars of other people is no easy task. 40-yearold Frank, a valet worker at one of Kuwait City’s many 5 star hotels admitted that one of the most difficult tasks he’s ever handled in his career was his current valet job. “It’s not easy, customers leave their Lamborghinis, Porsches, Jaguars etc in your hands and you need to handle it with care, extra care for that matter. I haven’t had any accidents yet but yes it’s no easy task,†he pointed out. The hotel has its own valet parking for their customers but it is located in the open and outdoor areas. Frank will park the car and walk back by foot in the entrance side of the hotel regardless of the weather condition to wait for the next customer. “I don’t mind the heat anymore. I feel immune to it now but the risk of a sudden heat stroke is always there.†Frank said. Source:kuwait times http://news.kuwaittimes.net/working-outside-in-kuwaits-summer-the-plight-of-kuwaits-outdoor-workers/ |
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