RIYADH, 15 June — A government-appointed committee has submitted the hygienic regulations to be followed at workers’ residential accommodations to the Council of Ministers for final approval.
The regulations prepared by the committee consisting of undersecretaries from the ministries of health, municipal and rural affairs and labor and social affairs, stipulate that three individuals are to share a 20-square-meter room with light and ventilation. The facility should also have sewers, janitorial services, garbage collection and emergency exits which should be subjected to periodic inspection.
The new regulations, which seek to upgrade the general health and to avoid epidemics and endemic diseases, have been drawn up based on studies conducted by the Ministry of Health. The hospitals and health centers under the ministry have noted that the diseases of the workers were generally related to poor hygiene in their accommodation.
Th committee recommended fines to be imposed on violators depending on the degree of the violation. It can range between SR500 and SR1,000, that can be multiplied by the number of violations committed.
The regulations will be applied for workers’ housing whether owned or hired and shall be in force one year after its approval.
The committee also stipulated that investigation committees set up by the ministries of health, labor and social affairs should suggest and recommend appropriate penalties on violators. Penalties, once determined, are subject to approval by the minister of municipal and rural affairs or his deputy. Penalized employers have the right to appeal to the Court of Grievances within 30 days.
The executive statutes which are expected to be issued soon on this matter will be enough to ensure healthy and hygienic residential accommodations to them, said Khaled Al-Sohail, an editor of Al-Eqtisadiah. Giving the full rights of workers will, invariably, result in their better performance, he said.
