How and within what time must a workplace accident be reported in the United Arab Emirates?

The employer must report a work injury to three places: the medical authority, the competent police station immediately, and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) within 48 hours at the latest (Cabinet Resolution No. 33 of 2022, Article 3). Serious accidents, such as a building collapse, fire, explosion, fall from height or a traffic accident while commuting, must be reported to MOHRE immediately (Ministerial Resolution No. 657 of 2022).

Short answer

• Who reports: the employer or its legal representative.
• Medical authority: on the injury, or on knowledge of a suspected occupational disease.
• Police: immediately after the injury, or from first knowledge of a suspected occupational disease.
• MOHRE: within 48 hours at the latest; immediately for a building collapse, fire, explosion, fall from height, commuting traffic accident or other dangerous accident (Ministerial Resolution No. 657 of 2022, Article 2).
• Channels: MOHRE digital services and smart application, business service centres or the call centre 600590000.
• Content: worker's name, age, occupation, nationality, workplace and identity number, a brief description of the incident and the aid or treatment given.

Step by step after an accident

1. Give first aid and get medical treatment. The employer pays for treatment in a public or private facility until recovery or proven disability, including hospital stay, surgery, X-rays and tests, medicines, rehabilitation aids and travel for treatment (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, Article 23).
2. Inform the police immediately. The police investigation authority starts work at once to establish whether the injury is work-related and whether an exclusion applies: deliberate self-injury, deliberate misconduct, alcohol or drugs, or deliberate breach of posted safety instructions.
3. Report to MOHRE within 48 hours, or immediately for a serious accident, through the Ministry's channels. The report enters the national work-injury system.
4. Investigate internally, record the event in the OSH register and take corrective and preventive action (MOHRE Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023). In industrial establishments and construction establishments with 100 or more workers the OSH officer reports and documents the accident.
5. Obtain the medical committee's report on any disability and pay compensation within 10 days of it, based on the last basic wage (Ministerial Resolution No. 657 of 2022, Article 3). Do not end the contract before the worker has received all dues; if the worker wants to resign before the report, notify MOHRE.

The medical authority, not the police, makes the final decision on whether a work injury exists; the police send their findings to MOHRE.

Occupational diseases and records

For a suspected occupational disease the clock starts when the employer learns of it. Establishments with 50 or more workers must keep a monitoring system that records injuries and diseases, lists hazardous activities and exposed workers, logs medical examinations and keeps exposure records for at least five years after service ends (Ministerial Resolution No. 657 of 2022).

Common mistakes

• Waiting 48 hours before calling the police. Police notification is immediate.
• Treating every accident the same. Collapses, fires, explosions, falls from height and commuting traffic accidents go to MOHRE at once.
• Letting the worker report. The duty is the employer's.
• Forgetting emirate systems. In Abu Dhabi, entities working under OSHAD-SF should also check the incident notification rules of their sector regulator.

Related on excodex

• Occupational safety and health in United Arab Emirates: law, authorities and employer duties
• What are the penalties for breaking occupational safety rules in the UAE?
• Comparison of OSH laws: appointments and reporting deadlines
• Are pre-employment and periodic medical examinations required in the UAE?

Standards and further reading

• Cabinet Resolution No. 33 of 2022 on Work Injuries and Occupational Diseases, Articles 3 and 4: uaelegislation.gov.ae
• MOHRE, guidelines for handling work injuries and reporting channels (Ministerial Resolution No. 657 of 2022): mohre.gov.ae
• Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Articles 37 and 38: uaelegislation.gov.ae
• Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, Article 23 (treatment costs): uaelegislation.gov.ae

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.