Manama, Jun 20 (IANS): The Bahrain government has announced a two-month ban on outdoor work during the hot weather starting from July 1.

All outdoor work is prohibited from midday to 4 p.m. between July 1 and August 31, to protect workers from heatstroke and other conditions, Labour and Social Development Minister Jameel Humaidan said on Monday.

The minister also said inspections will be conducted to ensure the enforcement of the ban, reports Xinhua news agency.

"All private companies are urged to comply with the ban which aims at protecting workers and ensuring their safety to prevent fatal accidents," he added.

He pointed out that violators could be jailed for up to three months, or fined from 500 to 2,000 Bahraini dinars.

The outdoor ban was first introduced in 2007 to enhance productivity and protect the health of labourers at construction sites.

The latest figures by Bahrain's Labour Market Regulatory Authority indicate that foreign workers in the island state increased to 630,071 by the end of 2016, compared to 566,785 a year ago.