Arabic
Issued by Council of Ministers Decision 328
Introduction
Whereas the promotion of occupational safety and health, in accordance with local standards and laws, international treaties and agreements to which the Kingdom is a party to, and with the best international practices, is a vital necessity to keep pace with the developmental renaissance and economic and social development witnessed by the Kingdom, and to promote a positive image of the Kingdom regionally and internationally.
Based on the objectives of the National Transformation Program and keeping pace with the Kingdom’s Vision (2030), in cooperation with the International Labor Organization and the relevant government entities, and in consultation with representatives of employers and employees, the National Occupational Safety and Health Policy was prepared to achieve the national vision in the field of occupational safety and health, which is based on the right of the employee to be protected from any danger that poses a threat to his safety or health, as this is one of the main priorities that the government of the Kingdom seeks to achieve.
Noting that the principle of prevention directly related to the protection, preservation, and promotion of the physical, mental and social health of the employee is considered a fundamental and guiding principle for the development, adoption, and application of standards for the protection of the work environment, while ensuring that compliance with these standards provides the promotion of the health and social status of members of society to the fullest extent, and the protection of elements of the general environment related to the work environment, and contributes to supporting the success of social and economic development programs, in order to achieve a safe, healthy, and sustainable work environment through the implementation of national programs and initiatives in accordance with effective governance that contributes to reducing occupational risks, and building preventive behavior for the human element that protects it from those risks.
The National Occupational Safety and Health Policy aims to strengthen and develop the occupational safety and health framework, and to enhance the protection of employees in various workplaces at the national level in accordance with local laws, the Kingdom’s obligations under international treaties and agreements, and the best international practices that are appropriate to the Saudi labor market, as the National Occupational Safety and Health Policy includes the following basic pillars:
First
The Principles of the National Occupational Safety and Health Policy.
Second
The General Objective and the Detailed Objectives of the National Occupational Safety and Health Policy.
Third
Commitment to the Promotion and Development of Occupational Safety and Health.
Fourth
Regulating Occupational Safety and Health, and Monitoring Performance Indicators Related to It.
Fifth
Developing Partnerships at the Regional and International Levels in the Field of Occupational Safety and Health.
First
The Principles of the National Occupational Safety and Health Policy
The National Occupational Safety and Health Policy is based on the following principles:
1․ The policy covers different work sites and sectors, and it covers all employees without discrimination.
2․ Protecting the right of employees in a healthy and safe work environment.
3․ Applying the principle of prevention directly related to the protection, preservation, and promotion of the physical, mental, and social health of employees.
4․ Promoting compliance with occupational safety and health requirements, by spreading a national preventive culture that includes awareness programs, consultations, training, and research.
5․ Identifying, evaluating, managing, and radically addressing the risks of the work environment, by controlling them and combating their sources.
Second
The General Objective and the Detailed Objectives of the National Occupational Safety and Health Policy
The Kingdom aims to enhance the safety and health of employees in the workplace by coordinating complementary efforts through the launch of a national occupational safety and health policy that is measurable, implementable, and continuously improved with the participation of the three parties, namely: Government entities related to occupational safety and health, representatives of employers, and representatives of employees, in order to assess and prevent risks from their sources to reduce occupational injuries and diseases, and to build a national culture of occupational safety and health based on information, advice, and training, in addition to achieving a set of main objectives that contribute to enhancing occupational safety and health at the national level, namely:
1․ Developing legislation, laws, regulations, programs, and any other regulatory tools related to occupational safety and health.
2․ Establishing a specific and clear governance structure for occupational safety and health, and developing mechanisms to effectively monitor compliance with legislations and laws.
3․ Defining the roles and responsibilities of government entities related to occupational safety and health programs in a clear and transparent manner, and avoiding duplication and conflict of efforts.
4․ Creating mechanisms for cooperation between employers and employees through their representatives to promote occupational safety and health.
5․ Providing a comprehensive information system for occupational safety and health statistics.
6․ Following up on the impact of occupational safety and health activities on the work environment of establishments at the national level and the extent of their sustainability, through inspection, evaluation, and measurement of the compliance rate.
7․ Implementing national programs and initiatives in coordination between the relevant government entities to contribute to reducing occupational risks.
8․ Developing the human element through training and qualification, which enhances the protection of employees and the stability of the workforce.
9․ Supporting research and surveys related to the field of occupational safety and health.
Third
Commitment to the Promotion and Development of Occupational Safety and Health
Through the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the Kingdom is committed to enhancing the protection of employees from health and occupational risks, and is also committed to making every effort to ensure the safety of the work environment and enhance its attractiveness, in accordance with the best regional and international practices.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development will work with government entities related to occupational safety and health to clearly define roles and responsibilities in order to integrate efforts and achieve adequate performance of human, technical, and financial resources. The ministry will also work to define the roles and responsibilities of employers, employees, suppliers, and manufacturers of machinery and equipment covered by occupational safety and health laws and legislation in consultation with the three parties: Government entities related to occupational safety and health, representatives of employers, and representatives of employees, and shall take the necessary measures to ensure their implementation and operation.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development will also work to make continuous improvements to occupational safety and health procedures and regulations to prevent and reduce work accidents, injuries, occupational diseases, and deaths at work, by reviewing the national occupational safety and health policy and taking the necessary measures to develop it, and considering it as one of its priorities, in consultation and coordination with the relevant entities, in addition to working on preparing proposals that will improve legislation related to occupational safety and health, as well as preparing training programs to build and develop the capabilities of employers and employees continuously in the field of occupational safety and health, to contribute to raising the culture of employees with occupational safety and health procedures and requirements and enhancing their protection within the workplace from occupational diseases and risks, in addition to developing training programs to qualify human cadres concerned with the application of safety procedures in the workplace.
Fourth
Regulating Occupational Safety and Health, and Monitoring Performance Indicators Related to It
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development will—in consultation with partners and government entities related to occupational safety and health—monitor, follow up on, and evaluate the performance of occupational safety and health, by developing the strategic approach to occupational safety and health in accordance with the approved labor standards, while following the preventive approach for this purpose, through which information, guidance and advice will be provided to employers and employees on the best ways to comply with laws and legislation, while imposing legal punishments on perpetrators of violations related to occupational safety and health.
The ministry will work to implement occupational safety and health governance at the national level, define and coordinate roles between the relevant government entities, and follow up the implementation of the national occupational safety and health policy, through the establishment of a national council for occupational safety and health that is legally affiliated with the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, and whose membership includes representatives of the entities related to occupational safety and health, and the council must have the powers that enable it to play its role with high efficiency, including:
1․ Reviewing legislation, laws, regulations, programs and any other regulatory instruments related to occupational safety and health, and proposing the necessary amendments in this regard in accordance with the legal procedures.
2․ Establishing an effective and comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system for occupational safety and health.
3․ Developing a comprehensive national program for reporting work accidents and injuries and diseases related to professions and documenting reports.
4․ Providing consultations and technical support in the field of occupational safety and health.
5․ Developing and adopting a specific and clear governance structure for occupational safety and health at the national level; to ensure the existence of an effective and flexible system in the application of occupational safety and health provisions in the workplace.
6․ Coordinating roles and responsibilities between government entities related to occupational safety and health to avoid duplication of efforts.
7․ Adopting national programs and initiatives related to occupational safety and health in coordination with the relevant government entities.
8․ Enhancing cooperation between employers, employees, and their representatives, to promote occupational safety and health.
9․ Evaluating and following up on the impact and sustainability of occupational safety and health activities on the work environment.
Fifth
Developing Partnerships at the Regional and International Levels in the Field of Occupational Safety and Health
Based on the Kingdom’s membership in regional, Arab, and international organizations related to occupational safety and health, the most important of which are: the International Labor Organization, the Arab Labor Organization, and the World Health Organization. Whereas the Kingdom is committed to implementing the agreements, decisions, and regulations issued by those organizations and councils, and ratified by them. The Kingdom will work on the following:
1․ Call for national and regional conferences in the field of occupational safety and health in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
2․ Working to support cooperation between regional and international parties in the field of occupational safety and health.
3․ Partnership with leading regional and international institutions concerned with occupational safety and health.
4․ Exchange experiences and expertise in the field of occupational safety and health, with relevant regional and international parties.
Conclusion
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is determined to move forward in the development of the field of occupational safety and health at the national level in accordance with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, and stresses the allocation of the necessary financial resources for this. Working on strategic projects in this context contributes mainly to achieving the basic requirements in the field of occupational safety and health, and enhances the protection of employees from the risks of occupational diseases and injuries.
Published in Umm Al-Qura 4869 issued on 5 February 2021.
