At the tail end of last year, Saudi Arabia's National Council for Occupational Safety & Health (Ncosh) responded to "misinformation circulating across various media platforms" relating to worker fatalities.
The claims largely spawned during, and as a result of, an ITV documentary, Kindom Uncovered: Inside Saudi Arabia, which alleged that the Kingdom's Vision 2030 has led to 21,000 deaths since 2017.
That accusation was subsequently followed by the allegation that 100,000 people have "disappeared" since construction on NEOM began in 2021 by The Hindustan Times.
Ncosh "unequivocally refute[d]" those claims in a statement in November 2024.
"The Council affirms the work-related fatalities in Saudi Arabia is 1.12 per 100,000 workers. This figure positions Saudi Arabia among the lowest globally in terms of work-related fatalities.
"The International Labour Organization (ILO) acknowledges this progress, highlighting on its official website that Saudi Arabia has made significant advancements in improving occupational safety and health and reducing workplace accidents at the national level."
The Saudi government has not confirmed how many jobs have been created as a result of Vision 2030 projects, and therefore how many fatalities are expected as a result of construction: based on Ncosh's report of 1.12 fatalities per 100,000 workers figure, the documentary's allegations made would suggest a workforce of over two billion. Ncosh reiterated that "the safety and well-being of workers are fundamental priorities in all regulations and laws implemented in Saudi Arabia."
Ncosh responds to "misinformation" regarding worker fatalities
