The National Employment Authority (NEA) has warned Kenyans seeking jobs abroad to verify employment opportunities and ensure they understand workplace safety requirements before accepting job offers.
The warning comes after Dubai Police rescue teams freed several workers whose hands became trapped in commercial meat grinders at shopping centres and restaurants.
In a notice on Monday, August 10, NEA said Dubai Police rescue teams used specialist equipment to release the affected workers while minimising injuries after conventional medical tools proved unable to safely free them from the machines.
The authority said the incidents highlight the risks workers can face when operating industrial machinery, particularly in workplaces where adequate training and safety measures may be lacking.
Colonel Khalid Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Director of the Search and Rescue Department, said the incidents are typically caused by inattention, inadequate training or unsafe use of industrial machinery.
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According to NEA, to verify job opportunities, jobseekers can visit neaims.go.ke and click on 'apply jobs' on the homepage to access advertised employment opportunities.
Applicants can search for preferred jobs directly or use filters to narrow their search by location, category and experience level.
They can then click on 'view job' to access further details about a specific position before proceeding with an application.
NEA has also urged Kenyans seeking employment abroad to use licensed recruitment agencies and confirm that prospective workplaces have adequate safety measures in place.
He further encouraged jobseekers who require assistance or guidance to contact the authority through its toll-free number, 0800 222 223.
This comes months after NEA warned Kenyans against engaging with an unregistered recruitment agency identified as M-Ajira.
In a statement on Friday, May 15, the authority cautioned jobseekers and the public to remain vigilant when seeking employment opportunities abroad through private agencies.
"The National Employment Authority wishes to caution jobseekers and members of the public against engaging with a private recruitment agency operating under the name M-Ajira," the statement read.
NEA stated that the agency had not been registered as required under the Labour Institutions Act, therefore failing to meet the legal requirements regulating recruitment and placement services for migrant workers.
"The agency is not registered by the National Employment Authority (NEA) as required under the Labour Institutions Act, 2007 and has therefore not complied with the legal framework governing recruitment and placement of jobseekers in employment abroad," the statement added.
The authority urged Kenyans seeking jobs abroad to confirm the registration status of agencies before engaging them to avoid falling victim to fraud or illegal recruitment schemes.
"Job seekers and prospective migrant workers are encouraged to verify the authenticity of the registration status of any recruitment agency they wish to engage with," the statement concluded.
