Nearly 200 companies have violated Bahrain’s summer work ban, with 70 percent of offences registered at construction sites in the capital of Manama.

Labour Ministry Under-secretary Sabah Al Dossary said in comments published by Bahrain’s Gulf Daily News that total of 9,671 sites were inspected since the restriction was enforced on July 1.

The ban, which prohibits all outdoor work between midday and 4pm and runs until August 1, was violated by 192 firms that allowed a total of 428 labourers work outside during the ban hours, the paper said.

“Inspectors recorded 192 violations in total, most of them from outside work stations in Manama area – almost 70 percent,” he told the paper.

He added that no excuses from firms would be accepted and they would be punished.

Penalties for violating the work ban include fines ranging from BD500 to BD1,000.