Article 16 of the Saudi Labor Inspection Implementing Regulations
المادة 16 من اللائحة التنفيذية لضبط أعمال تفتيش العمل وتنظيمها · الفصل الخامس: قواعد التفتيش وإجراءاته
Article 16 requires intensifying inspection visits, especially to establishments that are unsatisfactory in protecting workers' health and safety or where dangerous operations take place, and returning early when a serious breach is found.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجب تكثيف الزيارات التفتيشية على أماكن العمل ، وذلك بالدقة التي يتطلبها تنفيذ الأحكام النظامية، مع الاهتمام بزيارة المنشآت التي تكون إداراتها غير مرضية من ناحية حماية صحة العمال وسلامتهم ، أو التي تجري فيها عمليات خطرة أو منافية للصحة ، وفي حال اكتشاف إخلال خطير بالأوضاع الواجب مراعاتها في أماكن العمل فعلى المفتش أن يعود لزيارتها بشكل مبكر للتحقق من تقيد هذه المنشات بمعالجة تلك الأوضاع.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 16 explained in plain English
This article sets priorities for inspection:
- Intensifying visits to workplaces with the precision required to carry out the legal provisions.
- Special attention to two kinds of establishments:
- Establishments whose management is unsatisfactory in terms of protecting workers' health and safety.
- Establishments in which dangerous or unhealthy operations take place.
- Early return: if the inspector discovers a serious breach of the conditions that must be observed in workplaces, he must return to visit the establishment early to verify that it has dealt with those conditions.
Establishments with higher risks can therefore expect more visits, and an establishment where a serious breach is found can expect the inspector to return soon. The article does not specify the number of visits or the date of return in days.
This article is linked to Article 21, which requires inspectors to follow up violating establishments with successive visits after giving them sufficient and reasonable time limits, and to paragraph (c) of Article 11, which gives the inspector the power to issue orders for urgent changes to provide protection from the hazards of work and machinery. The owner of an establishment with dangerous operations can consult a lawyer who specializes in labor cases.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 16 of the Saudi Labor Inspection Implementing Regulations
Does a labor inspector visit hazardous establishments more than others?
Yes. Attention must be given to visiting establishments in which dangerous or unhealthy operations take place, and establishments that are unsatisfactory in protecting workers' health and safety.
What happens if the inspector finds a serious safety breach?
He must return to visit the establishment early to verify that it has dealt with those conditions.
More articles on Organizing Inspection Visits
- Article 13
Article 13 regulates inspection visits during working hours through weekly programs prepared in advance by the head of inspection and approved by the office director, and sets the basis for assigning establishments, the program's contents and visit timing.
ينظم رئيس تفتيش العمل في كل مكتب زيارات التفتيش الجارية أثناء ساعات الدوام الرسمي بموجب برامج أسبوعية مسبقة يصادق عليها مدير المكتب المسؤول، وتعد وفقاً للأسس ال
- Article 14
Article 14 provides that labor inspection outside official working hours is carried out under written instructions and orders from the head of inspection, stating the establishments, the inspection times and the names of the inspectors.
يكون تفتيش العمل خارج أوقات الدوام الرسمي وفقاً للتعليمات الخطية وأوامر رئيس تفتيش العمل في كل مكتب، ويجب أن تتضمن هذه الأوامر أسماء المنشآت المطلوب تفتيشها، وأ
- Article 15
Article 15 requires inspectors assigned to inspection outside official working hours to submit their reports on the results to their superiors on the day after the inspection.
يجب على المفتشين الذين كلفوا بالتفتيش خارج أوقات الدوام الرسمي تقديم تقاريرهم بنتائج التفتيش إلى رؤسائهم في اليوم التالي لإجرائه.
- Article 17
Article 17 requires inspection in general periodic visits to cover all work conditions and terms without being limited to one aspect, with the inspector visiting the whole establishment.
يجب أن يكون التفتيش في الزيارات الدورية المخصصة لأغراض التفتيش العام شاملاً لجميع أوضاع العمل وشروطه وأحواله في المنشأة الجاري تفتيش العمل فيها ، ولا يجوز اقتصا
- Article 18
Article 18 makes inspection of an establishment the job of one inspector unless the director assigns more, and allows help from health and safety specialists of other ministries if the office has none.
أ - يقوم بتفتيش العمل في كل منشأة مفتش عمل واحد مالم يرَ مدير مكتب العمل تكليف مفتشين اثنين أو أكثر للاشتراك في تفتيش منشأة واحدة . ب - إذا لم يكن هناك مفتشون م
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.