Article 121 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 121 من نظام العمل · الباب الثامن: الوقاية من مخاطر العمل والوقاية من الحوادث الصناعية الكبرى وإصابات العمل والخدمات الصحية والاجتماعية
Article 121 requires the employer to keep the establishment clean and healthy, lit, and supplied with drinking and washing water, and to follow the occupational safety and health rules the Minister sets by decision.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
على صاحب العمل حفظ المنشأة في حالة صحية ونظيفة، وإنارتها وتأمين المياه الصالحة للشرب والاغتسال، وغير ذلك من قواعد الحماية والسلامة والصحة المهنية وإجراءاتها ومستوياتها وفقًا لما يحدده الوزير بقرار منه.
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 121 explained in plain English
Article 121 of the Labor Law sets the minimum basic obligations that every employer must fulfil in the work environment, obligations that fall on it as the party responsible for the establishment, and which do not require a request from the worker in order to arise.
- Keeping the establishment in a healthy and clean condition: that is, the workplace must remain clean and free of anything harmful to the health of workers.
- Lighting: providing suitable lighting inside the establishment.
- Providing water fit for drinking and washing: supplying clean water for drinking and other water for washing.
- The other protection, safety and occupational health rules: the article does not confine the obligations to the preceding items, but refers to the rules, procedures and levels the Minister specifies by decision.
The meaning of the reference to the Minister's decision is that technical details - such as required lighting levels, water specifications, or the safety procedures for each activity - do not appear in the text of the article itself, but are set by ministerial decisions, which the employer must follow and comply with.
This article comes in an integrated context with the articles of Part Eight: Article 122 adds the employer's duty to take the necessary precautions to protect workers from work hazards and machinery, to post safety instructions in a visible place in Arabic and, where necessary, in any language the workers understand, and bars it from charging workers any amount or deducting from their wages for providing this protection. Article 120 also provides that protection relating to occupational safety and health covers part-time workers just like full-time workers, meaning that the obligations in Article 121 are not limited to full-time workers.
In practice, if a worker finds that their establishment lacks cleanliness, lighting or drinking water fit for use, that is a breach of an express statutory obligation on the employer, and they may go to the establishment's management, or consult a labor lawyer to learn the appropriate steps for their case.
Practical example
Ahmed works at a maintenance workshop in Dammam, and noticed that the water cooler has been broken for weeks, the lighting in the welding section is poor, and the restrooms have no water for washing. Under Article 121, providing water fit for drinking and washing, lighting the establishment and keeping it clean are direct obligations on the employer. If management does not respond, Ahmed can turn to a labor lawyer to learn the appropriate way to follow up the matter.
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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Active contributorFrequently asked questions about Article 121 of the Saudi Labor Law
What obligations does Article 121 impose on the employer?
It requires it to keep the establishment in a healthy and clean condition, light it, and provide water fit for drinking and washing, in addition to complying with the other protection, safety and occupational health rules, procedures and levels as the Minister specifies by decision.
May an employer charge workers the cost of providing cleanliness, water and safety?
Cleanliness, lighting and water are obligations that Article 121 places on the employer itself. As for Article 122, it provides that an employer may not charge workers or deduct from their wages any amount for providing protection from work hazards and diseases and from the machinery used.
Who sets the levels and technical details of the occupational safety and health rules?
Article 121 refers the specification of protection, safety and occupational health rules, procedures and levels to the Minister by a decision he issues, so these details do not appear in the text of the article itself.
Does occupational safety and health protection cover part-time workers?
Yes. Article 120 excepts the protection granted to full-time workers in occupational safety and health and work injuries and makes it applicable to comparable part-time workers.
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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.