How and within what time must a workplace accident be reported in Qatar?

Immediately. If a worker dies or is injured during or because of work, the employer or its representative must report the accident at once to the police and to the Ministry of Labour (Labour Law No. 14 of 2004, Article 108). Decision No. 18 of 2005 adds 24 hours for fires, collapses and explosions that stop work, 3 days for occupational diseases, and six-monthly statistics.

Short answer

• Death or injury: immediately to the police and the labour administration (Ministry of Labour); Decision No. 18 of 2005 also names the competent medical authority. Use the official injury form (template two) in three copies.
• Fire, collapse or explosion that stops the establishment or a production unit for one working day or more: within 24 hours.
• Occupational disease diagnosed by a doctor: within 3 days of the employer knowing the result (Article 105 and Decision No. 18 of 2005).
• Fatal incidents: send the final conclusions on causes, risk of recurrence and losses as soon as they are available.
• Statistics: injuries, deaths and occupational diseases on the official forms every six months.
• What counts as a work injury: the Labour Law definition includes the occupational diseases listed in its Schedule 1 and accidents on the normal, uninterrupted route between home and work, so commuting accidents also fall under Article 108.
• Near misses: not notifiable under the law; report them internally and to the client if the contract requires it.

What the report must contain and who receives it

Article 108 lists the content: the worker's name, age, occupation, address and nationality, a brief description of the accident and its circumstances, and the first aid or treatment given. The police then investigate at once, take statements from witnesses, the employer and, if possible, the injured worker, and establish whether the accident is related to the work. They send a copy of the record to the Ministry and another to the employer, and the Ministry may ask for more investigation.

Decision No. 18 of 2005 standardises the forms. The injury form is made in three copies: one for the labour administration, one for the investigating authority and one kept in the establishment's records. The decision also asks the employer to keep the data needed to calculate injury frequency and severity rates, supervised by the health and safety manager and the establishment's doctor where there are any.

Deadlines at a glance

The English text of Article 115 of the Labour Law, as published on Al Meezan, reads "every six years" for the statistics; the 2005 decision made under it says every six months. Follow the six-month interval and confirm the current submission channel with the Ministry.

A worked scenario

Failing to report under Article 108 or to notify an occupational disease under Article 105 can lead to up to one month's imprisonment and/or a fine of QAR 2,000 to 6,000 under Article 145 (as replaced by Law No. 18 of 2020, same amounts as in 2004), multiplied by the number of workers concerned (Article 143). Missing the six-monthly statistics under Article 115 is a fine of QAR 2,000 to 5,000 (Article 144). The Ministry and the ILO have run awareness campaigns specifically on the legal duty to notify accidents.

Common mistakes

• Reporting only to the police and assuming they will inform the Ministry: the employer must notify both.
• Waiting for the hospital diagnosis before reporting an injury: the duty is immediate; details can follow.
• Forgetting non-injury events: a fire or explosion that stops work for a day must be reported within 24 hours even if nobody is hurt.
• Skipping the six-monthly return because there were no accidents: confirm with the Ministry how a nil return is submitted.

Related on excodex

• Occupational safety and health in Qatar: law, authorities and employer duties
• What are the penalties for breaking occupational safety rules in Qatar?
• Incident first response, reporting and scene preservation
• OSH law comparison: appointments and reporting deadlines

Standards and further reading

• Law No. 14 of 2004 promulgating the Labour Law, Articles 105, 108 and 115, Al Meezan legal portal: almeezan.qa (search for Law No. 14 of 2004); English text used: Al Meezan export.pdf)
• Law No. 18 of 2020 amending certain provisions of the Labour Law (Articles 144 and 145), unofficial English translation published by the ILO: ilo.org
• Decision No. 18 of 2005 on work injury and occupational disease statistics, forms and reporting procedures (summary): gulfmigration.grc.net
• ILO Project Office for Qatar, progress report, November 2023: ilo.org

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.