Newly-released figures from Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) show an improving picture in workplace health and safety in the Kingdom
According to the Health and Safety at Workplace Statistics publication 2024, 95% of workers have coverage for basic healthcare, 39% of workers received training in health and safety measures, 40.4% have access to a dedicated occupational health and safety department at their workplace, and 38.8% have an occupational health and safety representative at their workplace. 32.2% of workers received periodic medical examinations provided at their workplace.
The rate of work injuries among workers aged 15 and above reached 245.7 non-fatal injuries and 1.1 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers, excluding road traffic injuries. The non-fatal injuries rate has shown a significant improvement in recent years, dropping by 30% compared with 416 per 100,000 reported a few years ago. Regarding risks at workplace, the results highlighted that 5.4% of workers were required to work on hazardous machines, 2.1% were required to deal with chemicals, and 1% are exposed to heavy metals.
The results also showed that over the past 12 months, 79.5% of workers reported that they had not experienced any work-related health problems. The most common work-related health problems were "work-related stress" at 2.1%, followed by "eye and vision problems" at 2%.
The estimates of Health and Safety at Workplace Statistics are based on self-reported data from participants through field visits conducted in the 2024 National Health Survey (NHS), except for the work-related injury rate, which was calculated from the register-based data from the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, and the 2024 population estimates from the General Authority for Statistics.
Updated systems and regulations
In line with Vision 2030 objectives aiming to minimise workplace injuries, diseases, and fatalities across all sectors, the systems and regulations related to occupational safety and health have been developed and updated in recent years, aligned with the needs of the Saudi labour market and international standards.
Key legislative measures passed in the last couple of years have included quotas for HSE practitioners for a certain numbers of workers, along with Saudization quotas for HSE practitioners; and regulations prohibiting outdoor work in the middle of the day, in common with other Gulf states. Initiatives launched by the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (NCOSH) have included the creation of a national platform for reporting and investigating work-related accidents, injuries, and occupational diseases to identify root causes of accidents, establish appropriates rules to reduce them and prevent their recurrence. It is also conducting training and awareness initiatives, establishing OSH research and development centres, developing a system to verify OSH practitioners, improving the knowledge and capabilities of OSH practitioners to implement mandatory health and safety regulations, and running programmes to enhance companies’ compliance with OSH requirements and regulate high-risk occupations.
These policies and initiatives are achieving results, with a significant reduction in the Kingdom's work-related injury rate.
At the Global Occupational Safety and Health Conference held in Riyadh in May, H.E. Eng. Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Human Resources and Social Development and chairman of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, announced landmark initiatives aimed at enhancing the occupational safety and health system in both Saudi Arabia and across the region. These included the launch of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the creation of an Occupational Safety and Health Standards Guide in collaboration with the General Organization for Social Insurance, as well as the introduction of the National Incentive Program for Compliance and Excellence, among others.
