Article 123 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 123 من نظام العمل · الباب الثامن: الوقاية من مخاطر العمل والوقاية من الحوادث الصناعية الكبرى وإصابات العمل والخدمات الصحية والاجتماعية
Article 123 requires the employer to inform the worker of their occupation's hazards before work begins, require use of the prescribed protective means, provide suitable personal protective equipment, and train workers in using it.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
على صاحب العمل إحاطة العامل قبل مزاولة العمل بمخاطر مهنته، وإلزامه باستعمال وسائل الوقاية المقررة لها، وعليه أن يوفر أدوات الوقاية الشخصية المناسبة للعمال، وتدريبهم على استخدامها.
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 123 explained in plain English
Article 123 of the Labor Law places four specific duties on the employer relating to the worker's safety, which complement the general duty in Article 122 requiring it to take the necessary precautions to protect workers from work and machinery hazards.
- Informing the worker of the hazards before starting work: the worker must be told of the hazards of their occupation before they actually begin work, not after an accident has occurred or after a period of operation.
- Requiring the worker to use the prescribed protective means: the employer does not merely make the protective means available, but must enforce their use by the workers.
- Providing suitable personal protective equipment: the employer must provide workers with personal protective equipment, and this equipment must be appropriate to the nature of the work and its hazards.
- Training in use: providing the equipment alone is not enough, since workers must be trained in how to use it.
Note that Article 122 bars the employer from charging workers or deducting from their wages any amount for providing this protection, which means that providing personal protective equipment is at the employer's expense.
In return, the responsibility does not rest on the employer alone; Article 124 requires the worker to use the protective means designated for each operation, to look after them and to carry out safety instructions, and prohibits misusing or disabling them. Articles 122, 123 and 124 thus complement each other in dividing occupational safety responsibility between the two parties: the employer informs, provides, trains and requires, and the worker uses, looks after and complies.
If a dispute arises over whether the employer performed these duties, or over responsibility for a work injury, it is appropriate to consult a lawyer who specializes in labor cases to assess the position according to its facts.
Practical example
Ahmed started work as a technician at a welding workshop belonging to a contracting company in Dammam. Before he began work, the safety supervisor held an induction session for him explaining the hazards of welding such as burns, spark damage to the eyes and inhaling fumes. The company then gave him a welding helmet, protective gloves and heat-resistant clothing at its own expense, trained him on how to put them on and check them before each shift, and told him that using them is mandatory at the work site. The company has thus done what Article 123 requires, and under Article 124 Ahmed has the duty to use this equipment and look after it.
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 123 of the Saudi Labor Law
Must an employer tell the worker about job hazards before starting, or is after hiring enough?
Article 123 expressly provides that informing the worker of the hazards of the occupation is to take place before work begins, so it is not enough to postpone it until after the worker has started performing their tasks.
Who bears the cost of personal protective equipment under the Saudi Labor Law?
Article 123 requires the employer to provide suitable personal protective equipment, and Article 122 bars charging workers or deducting from their wages any amount for providing this protection.
Is it enough for an employer to hand protective equipment to the worker without training?
No. Article 123 requires, alongside providing the equipment, training workers in its use and requiring them to use the prescribed protective means.
What is the worker's duty in return regarding protective means?
Under Article 124, the worker must use the protective means designated for each operation, look after them and carry out safety instructions, and refrain from misusing or disabling them.
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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.