Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2003, published 92nd ILC session (2004)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Saudi Arabia (Ratification: 1978)

With reference also to its observation, the Committee draws the Government’s attention to the following points.

1. According to the information contained in the last annual inspection report, the number of violations relating to the payment of wages declined significantly in relation to the previous exercise, as a result, among other factors, of the special interest accorded by the labour inspectorate to this matter and the follow-up action taken, the increased number of preventive and proactive activities and the updating of circulars respecting penal sanctions, in accordance with Circular No. 2951 of 17/2/1423 (Hegira). The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide a copy of this text.

2. According to the statistical table for the period 1414-1421 on enterprises employing ten or more workers, deaths from occupational causes rose from 285 to 6,254 (or 21 times as many), while cases of incapacity of a rate of 30 per cent rose from 221 to 3,699 (or 16 times more). The most recent annual inspection report indicates that complete statistics of employment accidents and cases of occupational disease cannot be provided due to the lack of occupational safety and health technicians, following the departure of foreign staff who have not been renewed and the inadequacy of the financial resources. A commission to examine arrangements for collaboration with the Social Insurance Institute is reported to have recommended the communication by the Institute to the labour inspectorate of the list of workplaces in which employment accidents are most frequent, together with annual statistical reports on occupational injuries in the above workplaces. In this way, the inspection services could be provided with valuable data on the basis of which they could focus their activities more effectively. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide information on the measures adopted or envisaged to strengthen the staff of the inspection services responsible for the enforcement of legal provisions respecting occupational safety and health and on the action taken as a result of the above collaboration project between the administration responsible for labour inspection and the Social Insurance Institute, particularly with regard to the proposal made by the Minister of Labour to intensify this cooperation through the presence of medical experts in the Social Insurance Institute.

3. Noting that the general regulations on occupational safety and health are currently being revised to adapt them to the new conditions at the workplace, the Committee hopes that the Government will further specify its request for technical assistance made during the visit of an expert mission for this purpose, and that the expected results will be achieved.

4. Finally, emphasizing the importance for the achievement of the objectives of labour inspection of the availability of information that is as precise as possible on the activities undertaken by the services under its control, and recalling that guidance is given in the Labour Inspection Recommendation, 1947 (No. 81), with regard to the data that could be provided concerning the items set out in points ( b) to (g) of Article 21 of the Convention, the Committee hopes that efforts will be made to include such data in the future annual inspection reports published by the central authority.