Saudi Gazette report DAMMAM — The Kingdom has witnessed remarkable economic growth in many sectors during the past few years. Riding on the building boom, the construction industry has witnessed unrivaled growth but it also remains mired in controversy. Construction workers endure summer heat, winter cold, rain and hazardous working conditions while many construction companies refuse to insure their workers and fail to emphasize safety, a local daily reported. Spokesman of the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI), Abdullah Al-Abduljabbar, told Al-Watan newspaper the construction sector represents a large percentage of GOSI subscribers. GOSI provides social insurance to Saudi citizens, but also compensates expatriates when a severe work-related injury or death occurs. Health and occupational safety inspectors of GOSI conduct regular field visits to construction sites due to the large number of expatriates who are injured every year. The inspectors listed negligence in using safety equipment as the main reason behind construction-related injuries. According to the latest statistics, 68,431 injuries took place in 2012. This figure includes injuries caused by traffic accidents, as workers commute to and from work, and injuries that occur during work. Death occurred in 0.4 percent of the total injuries. Riyadh, the Eastern Province, and Makkah recorded the most injuries due to the large number of construction projects underway. Acting spokesman for the Eastern Province Health Affairs Directorate, Asaad Saud, said the three most common reported injuries are fractures, spinal and head injuries. Saud added that the emergency unit of the Eastern Province Health Affairs Directorate receives two to three work-related injuries a month. When an injury occurs at the workplace, a report is submitted electronically with a medical report. A GOSI office then investigates the injury, and informs the relevant medical bodies accordingly. Companies that do not implement safety recommendations are penalized and their GOSI occupational hazards subscription fees are increased. The penalty is removed once the company implements the safety recommendations. During their visits, inspectors explain to workers the most common causes of work-related injuries and ways to avoid them. In order to better influence workers, companies are encouraged to educate their employees on the proper precautions and safety measures to take. Meteorology professor and occupational health researcher at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Prof. Mansour Balkhoyoor, emphasized the importance of workers' awareness of safety measures. He said the labor law guarantees workers their occupational rights and safety. “The problem isn't with large companies; they generally have dedicated departments to monitor and ensure workers abide by safety rules. But smaller companies that have 50 or less workers commonly flaunt safety rules and take advantage of lax monitoring from the concerned bodies,” he said. Balkhoyoor called upon the concerned bodies to intensify their efforts and apply stricter penalties on companies that endanger the lives of workers.
