MINISTER OF MANPOWER ISSUES NEW OCCUPATIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 000500

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, G/TIP, DRL
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR FOR JRUDE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL KCRM KWMN SMIG ELAB KMPI MU
SUBJECT: MINISTER OF MANPOWER ISSUES NEW OCCUPATIONAL
HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS

REF: A. 06 MUSCAT 1635

B. MUSCAT 106

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Alfred Fonteneau, reasons 1.4 b/d.


1. (U) In a step that a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) official
told poloff was "directly related to stopping trafficking in
persons (TIP)," Minister of Manpower Juma bin Ali al Juma
issued new occupational health and safety regulations on July
1 that cover all private sector companies operating in Oman.
According to local press reports, the regulations took effect
immediately, setting minimum standards for conditions both on
the work site and in company-owned and operated residential
compounds locally known as "labor camps" (ref A). Omani
press further reported that the International Labor
Organization (ILO) had reviewed and commented on the draft
regulations prior to their release to make sure that they
conformed to "international work principles and standards."


2. (C) Comment: Post saw an early draft of the more than 200
pages of regulations, which included chapters on the space,
size and sanitation requirements for labor camps, as well as
the responsibilities of employers to protect workers' health
and safety while on-the-job. In previous meetings with the
Ambassador, Juma often has highlighted his Ministry's efforts
to develop these regulations as an anti-TIP measure on the
grounds that they provide Oman with a tool to prevent abusive
conditions often associated with labor exploitation (ref B).
The MOM now is faced with the challenge of quickly developing
its capacity to enforce the regulations, something with which
the USG could help as part of its ongoing efforts to prevent
TIP and support labor reform in Oman.
FONTENEAU