Over the years, Qatar has expeditiously improved its work safety policies, keeping workers safe whether they are involved in government or private projects. To mark the World Day for Safety and Health at Work yesterday (April 28), the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs (MADLSA) held an event in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation office in Doha. Several government agencies, international organizations, economic stakeholders, and specialists in occupational health and safety participated in the virtual event.
Two discussion sessions to enhance the collection and analysis of OSH data in Qatar and practices for protecting workers and institutions from the effects of (COVID-19) were discussed. The ILO in a report titled, ‘Anticipate, prepare and respond to crises. Invest now in resilient OSH systems’ has also urged countries to implement sound and resilient OSH systems to minimize the risks for every worker to prevent future health emergencies.
Since winning the bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2022, Qatar has enforced several measures to protect workers at stadium construction sites and other public infrastructure development. Recently, a new Qatar-wide health and safety policy was announced by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), and MADLSA was issued to protect workers.
The policy is based on prevention, continuous assessment of occupational hazards and risk, development of the nationwide health and safety culture, and public awareness. The Operational Safety and Health (OSH) policy covers all employers and workers across all sectors of the economy engaged in all forms of employment relationships.
The policy will promote worker’s protection, prevent accidents, injuries and illnesses arising out of, linked with, or occurring due to work, by eliminating or minimising the causes of hazards inherent in the working environment. It will also enhance the provision of quality occupational health and safety services nationally.
The policy will be reviewed periodically to evaluate results, identify major problems and establish priorities for action. The implementation and review process will continue to benefit from inclusive and regular dialogue between the government, employers’ and workers’ representatives. To deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, a ‘Return to Work’ advisory prepared by MADLSA, built on guidance produced by MoPH, was communicated to workers and employers in different sectors.
Due to the improving health and safety policies, several projects and organizations like Ashghal, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums, UDC, Qatar Airways, and many more have been recognized by renowned work safety accreditation bodies, including the British Safety Council and Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).
