Deputy Minister: Ministry improves workplace safety and health

His Excellency the Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Industrial Affairs, Eng. Khalil bin Salamah, affirmed that the Ministry is making intensive and integrated efforts to raise awareness about the importance of occupational safety and health and to promote a culture of safe and healthy work in private-sector establishments. As part of these efforts, the Ministry conducted over 14,000 inspection visits to industrial facilities across the Kingdom in 2023, during which specialized Ministry teams monitored compliance and identified occupational safety and health risks.

The Ministry also prepared monthly awareness bulletins on occupational safety and health, distributed internally to its staff and externally to factory workers, in addition to offering specialized programs through the National Industry Academy, including programs related to safety and quality management in industrial operations.

During his participation in a panel discussion at the 6th Saudi International Occupational Safety and Health Conference, organized by the National Occupational Safety and Health Council in Riyadh under the theme “Exploring Horizons,” he explained that the Ministry is part of the National Program for Developing Collective Housing for Workers. This is implemented through national initiatives that support the regulation of collective housing and compliance with health, technical, and safety standards within the industrial cities of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (“MODON”), and other industrial zones.

He added that the initiative for licensing collective housing in industrial cities is designed according to occupational safety, health, and fire protection standards, providing a healthy and safe living environment free from epidemics and diseases. The capacity overseen by MODON exceeds 85,000 workers and includes more than 600 buildings and residential complexes.

Eng. Salamah highlighted that the Ministry and entities within the industrial ecosystem are continuously updating and reviewing industrial safety regulations and requirements, promoting safe practices, and enhancing preventive compliance. The Ministry also plays a leading role in the Product Safety Committee formed by the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO), in cooperation with other relevant government bodies, to monitor compliance with technical regulations, requiring factories to issue conformity and quality marks for their products to protect consumers and ensure their safety during use.

He noted that the National Industrial Strategy encourages the use of digital technologies and automation in industrial processes to enhance safety, such as deploying robots and automation for hazardous or strenuous tasks and using virtual and augmented reality to train workers in risky environments safely and effectively. In this context, the Ministry launched the “Future Program,” which aims to transform 4,000 factories from reliance on labor-intensive, low-skill work to operational efficiency and automation while implementing advanced industrial solutions and practices, thereby enhancing safety and health in factories.

The Deputy Minister emphasized that the Ministry monitors industrial facilities’ compliance with operational requirements by integrating data with relevant authorities, including those overseeing environmental compliance, civil defense, industrial city administrations, and the Supreme Authority for Industrial Security, as approvals from these authorities are essential requirements for industrial licensing procedures.

He concluded by stating that occupational accidents and health impairments have economic impacts on countries, and improving occupational safety and health enhances economic competitiveness, especially given that industrial investments are typically capital-intensive, and accidents can have long-term effects on the entire investment. Many industrial activities involve flammable or hazardous chemical materials, so systematic handling of raw materials and final products is necessary to identify risks and mitigation measures, ensuring the safety of workers and facilities.