Article 142 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 142 من نظام العمل · الباب الثامن: الوقاية من مخاطر العمل والوقاية من الحوادث الصناعية الكبرى وإصابات العمل والخدمات الصحية والاجتماعية
The article requires every employer to provide one or more first aid cabinets stocked with medicines and supplies, and refers to the Implementing Regulations the contents, storage and conditions for the person providing first aid.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
على كل صاحب عمل أن يعد خزانة أو أكثر للإسعافات الطبية، مزودة بالأدوية وغيرها، مما يلزم للإسعافات الطبية الأولية.
وتحدد اللائحة ما يجب أن تحتويه هذه الخزانة من وسائل الإسعافات الأولية وعددها، وكميات الأدوية، وكذلك تنظيم وسائل حفظها، وشروط من يقوم بمهمة الإسعافات ومستواه.
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 142 explained in plain English
Article 142 of the Labor Law places a direct obligation on every employer, without distinguishing between establishments by size or activity, to provide one or more medical first aid cabinets at the workplace, stocked with medicines and other items needed to provide first aid.
The purpose of this obligation is to protect workers when an injury or health emergency occurs at work, so that quick initial means of intervention are available before specialized medical care arrives.
The text does not set the technical details itself but refers to the Implementing Regulations to determine the following:
- The first aid means the cabinet must contain, and their number.
- The quantities of medicines that must be provided.
- The arrangement of means for storing the cabinet's contents.
- The conditions and level of the person who carries out the first aid task.
The basic obligation to have the cabinet therefore comes from the Law itself, while the details of contents and qualifications are found in the Implementing Regulations and should not be assumed.
This article is part of a group of provisions regulating safety and health in the work environment: Article 141 refers to a decision of the Minister to set procedures for reporting work injuries, and Article 143 requires the employer to assign one or more physicians to conduct a comprehensive examination of workers exposed to occupational diseases at least once a year. Article 142 deals with immediate intervention at the time of injury, while the other two articles deal with reporting the injury and preventing occupational diseases.
In practice, a worker can check that a first aid cabinet exists at his workplace and is stocked with what is needed, and can alert the employer or the competent authority if it is missing or empty. If a worker is harmed by an injury because first aid was unavailable, it is advisable to consult a labor lawyer to assess his position.
Practical example
Ahmed works in a warehouse belonging to a distribution company in Riyadh. While moving goods he cut his hand, so he went straight to the first aid cabinet in the warehouse, where the colleague assigned to first aid, under the conditions set by the Implementing Regulations, cleaned and dressed the wound before he was taken to the health center. Had the company not provided this cabinet and stocked it with what is needed, it would have breached its obligation under Article 142, in addition to its obligation to report the injury under the procedures referred to in Article 141.
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 142 of the Saudi Labor Law
Is a first aid cabinet mandatory for all establishments?
Yes. Article 142 requires every employer to provide one or more medical first aid cabinets stocked with medicines and what is needed for first aid, and the text does not exempt any establishment based on its size or activity.
What must a workplace first aid cabinet contain?
The article provides that the cabinet must be stocked with medicines and other items needed for first aid. The means, their number and the quantities of medicines are referred to the Implementing Regulations.
Is a qualified person required to provide first aid?
Article 142 indicates that the Implementing Regulations set the conditions and level of the person who carries out the first aid task, so the required qualifications are found in the Implementing Regulations and not in the text of the article.
How many first aid cabinets does an establishment need?
The article requires at least one cabinet and allows more than one. It refers to the Implementing Regulations the first aid means the cabinet contains and their number, the quantities of medicines, and the arrangement of means for storing 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.