Article 126 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 126 من نظام العمل · الباب الثامن: الوقاية من مخاطر العمل والوقاية من الحوادث الصناعية الكبرى وإصابات العمل والخدمات الصحية والاجتماعية
Article 126 requires an employer to compensate persons other than its workers who enter the workplace by virtue of their jobs or with its consent if injured because it neglected the technical precautions its type of work requires.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
صاحب العمل مسؤول عن الطوارئ والحوادث التي يصاب بها أشخاص آخرون غير عماله، ممن يدخلون أماكن العمل بحكم الوظيفة، أو بموافقة صاحب العمل أو وكلائه، إذا كانت بسبب إهمال اتخاذ الاحتياطات الفنية التي يتطلبها نوع عمله، وعليه أن يعوضهم عما يصيبهم من عطل وضرر حسب الأنظمة العامة.
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 126 explained in plain English
Under this article, the employer's responsibility for safety in the workplace extends to persons who are not its workers at all. The preceding articles in this Part, including Article 125 on fire-prevention precautions and escape exits, place technical obligations on the employer to protect those in the establishment, and Article 126 makes clear that a breach of these precautions does not harm workers alone, but may harm others who are present in the place lawfully.
Who does the ruling cover? Two categories of persons who are not workers:
- Those who enter workplaces by virtue of their job, such as inspectors, auditors and officials of government bodies whose duties require entering the establishment.
- Those who enter with the consent of the employer or its agents, such as visitors, customers, contractors and suppliers who are permitted to enter.
The condition for liability: the employer is not held responsible for every emergency or accident absolutely; the text requires that the injury be due to neglect to take the technical precautions that the type of its work requires. The standard here is the nature of the activity: a factory, workshop or construction site requires precautions different from an administrative office, and it is the failure to take the precautions suited to the type of work that gives rise to liability.
The effect: the employer must compensate the injured person for the loss and damage they suffer. Note that the article refers the assessment of this compensation to the general laws, not to the provisions on work injuries for workers in the Labor Law, because the injured person here is not a worker of the employer.
What does the injured person do? A person injured in an establishment in this capacity may claim compensation under the general rules, and it is advisable to document the incident of the injury, its circumstances, and the shortfall in precautions. Because the assessment of neglect and harm varies with the facts of each case, consulting a specialized lawyer helps in determining the appropriate course. It is worth noting that the following Article 127 opens special provisions for establishments with major hazards.
Practical example
Majid, a representative of a supply company, visited a warehouse belonging to a company in Dammam to deliver goods with the warehouse manager's consent. While he was inside the warehouse, storage shelves that had not been secured in accordance with the technical precautions this type of work requires fell on him, and he was injured in the shoulder. Under Article 126, Majid is not a worker of the company, but he entered the workplace with the consent of the employer's agent, and his injury was due to neglect of the technical precautions, so the company is responsible for compensating him for the loss and damage he suffered under the general laws.
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 126 of the Saudi Labor Law
Is an employer responsible for an injury to a visitor or customer inside the establishment?
Yes. If the visitor entered with the consent of the employer or its agents, and their injury resulted from neglect to take the technical precautions the type of work requires, the employer is responsible for compensating them under Article 126.
Do the work injury provisions of the Labor Law apply to injured persons who are not workers?
No. Article 126 provides that compensation for these persons is for the loss and damage they suffer under the general laws, not under the work injury provisions specific to workers.
When is an employer not responsible under Article 126?
The article requires the injury to be due to neglect to take the technical precautions its type of work requires. If this neglect is not proven, or the person entered without a job capacity and without the consent of the employer or its agents, the provisions of this article do not apply.
Who are the persons who enter the workplace by virtue of their job?
They are those whose official or job duties require entering the establishment, such as inspectors and officials of the competent authorities, and they are covered by the protection of Article 126 alongside those who enter with the consent of the employer or its agents.
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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.