AMMAN — Minister of Labour Khaled Bakkar on Sunday issued a directive banning agricultural workers and those whose jobs require them to work outdoors under direct sunlight from working between 12pm and 4pm during the ongoing heatwave.

 

Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Zayoud said that the ban would be enforced throughout the heatwave period announced by the Meteorological Department, starting Monday and continuing through Thursday.

 

Zayoud noted that the decision was grounded in the authority granted to the minister under the Agricultural Workers Law of 2021, as well as the Occupational Safety, Health and Hazard Prevention Law of 2023.

 

He also emphasised that employers are required to adhere strictly to measures regulating working hours to protect employees from direct exposure to the sun during the designated hours outlined in the decision.

 

Meanwhile, several universities have shifted to remote learning on Tuesday and Wednesday to protect students. The University of Jordan would move classes online while keeping scheduled exams in person.

 

Al Hussein Bin Talal University, Tafila Technical University, Al Balqa Applied University, Al Hashimiya University, and Al al-Bayt University have all suspended in-person classes during peak heat days, postponing some exams with new dates to be announced.

 

Also on Sunday, the Public Security Directorate (PSD) warned of flash flood risks in several southern areas of Jordan, caused by heavy rainfall from cumulonimbus clouds formed amid soaring temperatures.

 

The PSD also noted that floods have occurred in multiple areas, notably in the governorates of Tafila and Ma’an. Citizens were urged to avoid approaching or attempting to cross floodwaters on foot or by vehicle.