Health and Safety News and Articles
Staying up to date with the latest news in health and safety is important for all those in the industry and beyond. OSHArabi covers updates on all main areas in the field of health and safety. We also cover some of the latest press releases from the Health and Safety Executive as part of our HSE news service
Saudi Arabia acts to protect workers in high-risk occupations
A new regulation tightening up the requirements for workers in high-risk occupations such as construction comes into effect on 3 July in Saudi Arabia
The regulation on Organising Work in High-risk Professions establishes an integrated system for licensing and accreditation for individuals and establishments working in occupational safety and health, defining the standards that need to be met, with the aim of ensuring the quality of services, and raising the competence of practitioners and specialised establishments.
In an insight article posted on law firm Pinsent Masons website, it noted that the regulation is highly relevant to employers operating in sectors where work involves elevated safety risks – such as construction, heavy equipment operations, welding, cutting, and mechanical work. (According to General Authority for Statistics Health and Safety at Workplace Statistics 2025, the leading cause of occupational injury in the Kingdom is exposure to mechanical forces). It raises the bar for workplace safety and compliance, the law firm commented.
The regulation provides a framework for the classification of certain occupations as ‘high-risk’, and associated obligations on both employers where employees and workers fall into that category, the article noted. Obligations also fall on individual employees and workers where they are considered to perform a high-risk role.
Saudi Arabia rolls out mandatory occupational fitness screening for workers
Saudi Arabia has introduced mandatory occupational fitness and non-communicable disease screenings for all workers and employees through a phased rollout covering the public, private and non-profit sectors, according to new guidelines issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.
The programme will be implemented in three stages, beginning with mandatory pre-employment medical assessments for new hires. During the first six months after the regulations take effect, employers will be required to conduct fitness examinations and submit the results through an approved electronic system.
The 12-month second phase will extend the screening programme to existing employees, with priority given to high-risk workplaces, while employers are integrated into the electronic platform.
Under the final phase, the regulations will apply fully across all sectors and economic activities, covering permanent and temporary employees, seasonal workers, trainees, people with disabilities and remote workers, regardless of their contractual arrangements.
The guidelines state that employees who fail to meet occupational fitness requirements will not be permitted to continue in their current roles. Employers will be required to take appropriate measures, including reassigning affected workers where necessary, while additional examinations may be conducted to determine their ability to perform specific duties.
Saudi Arabia plays an active role in promoting the importance of occupational safety and health globally
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a pioneer in the field of occupational safety and health in the region, taking continuous steps towards enhancing the work environment and ensuring the safety and health of workers in all sectors of the labor market through its efforts to reduce work-related injuries, occupational diseases and fatalities, and these efforts are manifested in a series of continuous successes that contribute to strengthening its regional and international position in this field.
The Kingdom’s efforts in the field of occupational safety and health are based on an integrated strategy that includes updating laws and regulations, strengthening control and supervision of health and safety practices in various sectors, and developing training and qualification programs in the field of occupational safety and health to enable workers to take the necessary preventive measures and deal safely with work hazards.
The ‘Occupational Health Services’ project aims to establish legislation for occupational health services to organize and develop occupational health services at the national level with the aim of protecting workers in establishments from occupational diseases.
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