RIYADH, 18 May 2007 — While health and safety at work are the basic requirements that employees demand, many workingwomen in the Kingdom find environments at their workplaces detrimental to their health.
Having separate workplaces for men and women has been the norm in the Kingdom since women first began to work outside their homes in the early 1970s. The Kingdom, particularly in Riyadh, operates a strict system to ensure workingwomen enjoy their privacy and are not subjected to harassment by men.
But, at many women’s banks, educational institutions and salons, windows are often blackened and some workplaces also lack emergency exits. Employers justify these actions by saying they are simply giving women privacy. However, a lack of emergency exits could be something disastrous in case of an emergency.
“Regulations set by the Labor Ministry stipulate that workplaces should be safe and fully equipped with safety features for all employees,” said Muhammad Al-Dwaish, legal consultant with the Labor Ministry, adding that the regulations are for both genders.
Dr. Mona Sawaf, a psychiatrist specializing in women’s health, told Arab News that health and safety regulations should not be compromised in the name of women’s privacy.
“Women’s privacy can also be achieved in a way that ensures a safe and healthy environment so that they feel comfortable when working. This does not mean that women should be locked in separate rooms,” she said.
She added, “Unfortunately, most workers spend up to a quarter of the day indoors in improper environments with synthetic ventilation systems that negatively affect their health.”
Dr. Abdullah Al-Johar, an orthopedic consultant at the Prince Faisal Sports Medical Hospital, said, “A working environment with no fresh air and sunlight can become a long-term threat to someone’s health. Research shows that there is a direct connection between remaining indoors and developing illnesses relating to the weakness of bones and muscles.”
Al-Johar also feels that women, who remain in closed environments for a long time, need to ensure they take appropriate intakes of vitamins B and D.
Poor working environments also affect the performance of women employees. Raedah Al-Motairy, a financial consultant in the ladies branch of a bank in Riyadh, said, “Poor working environments affect women’s productivity. Working in isolation makes women feel unwanted and makes them feel they are working undercover.”
According to Al-Motairy, having a pleasant and safe working environment is good for business. “A healthy working environment raises employees’ morale. Often when walking through women’s departments, you feel entirely different. Tension also seems to be much higher there.”
Dalal Al-Ogdah, a Health Ministry worker, said, “The current working environment that is designed exclusively for women does not match the high-profile roles of many women. It’s wrong to justify these abusive practices in the name of giving women privacy. This concept has been misused by many people.”
