Is a safety committee or a worker safety representative required in Saudi Arabia?

A safety committee is required only for some employers: the OSH Management Regulation, approved by Ministerial Decision No. 161238 of 10/8/1439 AH (26 April 2018), requires establishments with 50 or more workers in listed high-risk activities to set up a joint working group or committee of workers and management that meets regularly. We found no Saudi rule creating an elected worker safety representative with statutory powers, as in the EU or Türkiye.

Short answer

• Committee required: establishments with 50 or more workers in high-risk activities (construction, oil and gas, electricity, water and gas, health services, mining and quarrying, cement, petrochemicals and listed manufacturing), which apply the intermediate level of the regulation; also at the voluntary higher level.
• Not required: establishments with 50 or more workers in other activities (minimum level) and establishments below 50 workers, though worker participation is good practice.
• Composition: workers nominated to take part, with representatives of top management present.
• Meetings: regular, according to the establishment's needs; no fixed frequency.
• Representative: no statutory OSH representative role found; the regulation speaks of workers and their representatives in consultation, where they exist.

What the regulation asks for

The worker participation element applies at the intermediate and higher levels. It asks the establishment to:

1. Consult workers and their representatives, as appropriate, on OSH matters such as decisions on controls, safety instructions and procedures, selection of tools, equipment and PPE before purchase, trials of PPE and changes to workplaces.
2. Set up a joint team or committee of workers and the employer for OSH, in which workers are nominated to participate and top management representatives attend, to discuss OSH matters, review the measures taken and investigate accidents. The committee meets regularly as the establishment needs.
3. Encourage workers to propose ideas, for example in meetings, on notice boards or by email, and provide incentives for reporting incidents that could cause injury or damage.

The committee or working group is also named among those who receive the results of performance monitoring, audits and management review. At national level, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (NCOSH) is tasked with promoting cooperation between employers, workers and their representatives. Under the MHRSD violations table in force since February 2026 (Ministerial Decision No. 112377), each requirement of the OSH Management Regulation that is not met, such as a missing committee where one is required, is fined SAR 300.

Setting up a committee that works

Comparison

In the EU, the Framework Directive 89/391/EEC requires consultation of workers or their representatives, with representatives having specific OSH responsibility. In Türkiye, Law No. 6331 requires an OSH committee for workplaces with 50 or more workers where permanent work lasts more than six months, and worker representatives by size. The Saudi rule is narrower: a joint committee for high-risk activities at 50 or more workers.

Common mistakes

• Assuming every 50-worker firm needs a committee. The requirement attaches to the intermediate and higher levels.
• A committee without workers. The regulation calls for workers nominated to take part, not only managers.
• No minutes. Without records, inspectors cannot see the committee working.

Related on excodex

• Occupational safety and health in Saudi Arabia: law, authorities and employer duties
• Is a written risk assessment mandatory in Saudi Arabia, and how often must it be reviewed?
• Must an employer in Saudi Arabia appoint a safety professional or an occupational physician?
• OSH committees and worker representatives in Türkiye

Standards and further reading

• OSH Management Regulation, Ministerial Decision No. 161238 of 10/8/1439 AH (worker participation element): ncosh.gov.sa
• Organisation of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, Council of Ministers Decision No. 379 of 7/7/1443 AH: ncosh.gov.sa
• ILO Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155), Articles 19 and 20 on cooperation at the workplace.

This article is general occupational safety and health information prepared by the excodex editorial team. It does not replace the applicable legislation, standards, manufacturers' instructions or the assessment of a competent OSH professional or occupational physician.