The General Authority for Statistics today released the 2024 Occupational Health and Safety Statistics Bulletin, which provided detailed findings on the health status of workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with a focus on occupational injury rates and safety measures in place in the workplace.
General Authority for Statistics
According to the bulletin's results, the rate of occupational injuries among workers aged 15 and over reached 245.7 non-fatal injuries and 1.1 fatal injuries per 100 workers, excluding traffic accident injuries. This indicator is part of monitoring and measuring workplace safety levels, indicating the Kingdom's ongoing efforts to reduce these injuries.
Occupational Health and Safety Training
The results showed that 39% of employees had received training in occupational health and safety procedures, an important indicator of companies' and institutions' interest in training workers and educating them about preventative measures that reduce potential risks.
Preventive measures available in the workplace
The bulletin also revealed that 40.4% of workers in the Kingdom have access to a dedicated occupational health and safety department at their workplace, while 32.2% indicated that they undergo periodic medical examinations provided by their employer. These measures significantly contribute to enhancing employee safety and detecting potential health problems in their early stages.
Hazards in the workplace
Regarding the risks workers face in the workplace, the bulletin reported that 5.4% of workers handle hazardous machinery, 2.1% handle chemicals, and 1% are exposed to heavy metals. These percentages highlight the nature of some occupations that may expose workers to health risks, necessitating additional safety measures.
Health insurance for working citizens
Regarding healthcare, 95% of healthcare workers reported having health coverage to ensure access to essential healthcare services, reflecting a significant improvement in the availability of health insurance for workers across various sectors.
Work-related health problems
The results showed that work-related stress was the most common work-related health problem, accounting for 2.1% of workers, followed by eye and vision problems at 2%. It's worth noting that 79.5% of workers reported no work-related health problems during the past XNUMX months, reflecting an improvement in working conditions for the vast majority.
Data and sources
Occupational health and safety statistics are based on self-reported data from participants in the 2024 National Health Survey, which was conducted through "home" field visits. The occupational injury rate was calculated using registry data from the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, in conjunction with population estimates from the General Authority for Statistics for 2024.
The results of the 2024 Occupational Health and Safety Statistics indicate significant progress in strengthening preventive measures and safety training in the workplace, as well as improving the level of healthcare provided to workers. However, there remains room for improvement, particularly in reducing occupational injuries and work-related risks, which calls for further efforts to ensure a safer and healthier work environment for workers in the Kingdom.
