The Women Affairs Department in the Eastern Province Secretariat recorded 1,227 violations during its inspection rounds of female establishments in Dammam, Alkhobar and Dhahran last year.

The inspection teams were checking to ensure that the establishments were complying with the health and safety specifications including health and professional certificates of the workers and that they are using sterilized tools and unexpired products.

Public Relation officer and media spokesman at EP secretariat Mohammad Abdulaziz Al-Safian said that the teams confiscated 1,778 products from unknown sources and issued 662 warning notices to a number of establishments, adding that 445 provided pledges of non-violation.

Al-Safian said that the campaigns aim to raise health awareness among workers on disease transmission and prevention and enhance the health conditions of workers and community members.

He added that some establishments were practicing illegal activities, while other cases included hygiene issues or were using expired products.

The teams inspected a total of 2,115 establishments and conducted 194 field visits during which two establishments were closed down.

Al-Safian said that Alkhobar ranked first in the number of violations at 371 and about 748 products were destroyed in the city.

He confirmed that the department will continue its inspection campaigns on these facilities and called on the women employees to ensure the validity of the products before using them.