Article 17 of the Saudi Labor Inspection Implementing Regulations
المادة 17 من اللائحة التنفيذية لضبط أعمال تفتيش العمل وتنظيمها · الفصل الخامس: قواعد التفتيش وإجراءاته
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 اقتصاره على ناحية خاصة ، وعلى المفتش في هذا النوع من الزيارات أن يزور المنشأة التي يؤدى العمل فيها كلها، وأن يفحص الطرق التي تطبق لتنفيذ الاشتراطات النظامية لحماية العمال.
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 17 explained in plain English
Article 13 distinguishes between two types of visits: general inspection visits and special visits. This article regulates the periodic visits devoted to general inspection, and requires of them:
- Comprehensiveness: the inspection must cover all work conditions, terms and circumstances in the establishment.
- Not being limited: it may not be limited to one particular aspect, such as wages alone or safety alone.
- Visiting the whole establishment: the inspector must visit the whole establishment in which the work is performed.
- Examining methods of application: he must examine the methods applied to carry out the legal requirements for protecting workers.
Special visits, such as a re-inspection or the examination of a complaint or accident, are not covered by this rule, since the scope of the article is limited to periodic visits for general inspection.
In practice, an employer should expect a periodic visit to examine all aspects of the work and all parts of the establishment, not one aspect. This is linked to the inspector's powers in Article 11 to examine records and machinery and to question workers. If you are preparing for an inspection visit and want to review your obligations, you 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 17 of the Saudi Labor Inspection Implementing Regulations
May periodic labor inspection be limited to one aspect?
No. Inspection in general periodic visits must cover all work conditions, terms and circumstances.
Does the inspector visit all parts of the establishment?
In periodic visits for general inspection, he must visit the whole establishment in which the work is performed.
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 16
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.
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
- 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.