Strong Worker Healthcare Coverage Amid Persistent Occupational Risks in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s workforce benefits from remarkably high access to basic healthcare services, yet the Kingdom continues to face significant occupational safety challenges, according to the General Authority for Statistics' 2024 Workplace Health and Safety bulletin. The occupational injury rate stands at 245.7 non-fatal and 1.1 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers, excluding road traffic accidents, while around 95 percent of workers report coverage for basic health care.

The headline figures in the data offer a clear snapshot: nearly universal healthcare coverage for workers, with 39 percent having undergone training in occupational health and safety, fewer than half reporting access to a dedicated health and safety management office at their workplace, and just under a third having received periodic medical examinations from their employers. Workers continue to face exposure risks: 5.4 percent operate dangerous machinery, 2.1 percent deal with chemicals, and 1 percent encounter heavy metals at work.

Where health concerns are concerned, stress is the most frequently reported condition, affecting 2.1 percent of workers, closely followed by eye and vision problems at 2 percent. Encouragingly, nearly four in five workers say they have experienced no work-related health issues over the past year—a point that speaks to broader workplace conditions, though it does not negate the need for vigilance.

These statistics reveal both strength and areas for improvement. On the one hand, the fact that approximately 95 percent of workers have access to basic healthcare demonstrates the success of the Kingdom’s healthcare infrastructure and social protections. On the other, injury rates—while not extreme—indicate that occupational hazards remain present and that preventive measures could be expanded.

Comparison with historical data underscores progress: the overall injury rate has fallen sharply, from over 400 non-fatal injuries per 100,000 workers six years ago to today’s figure. Fatal injuries have also declined—from nearly 4 per 100,000 workers to the current 1.1. This improvement coincides with national safety initiatives including regular safety conferences, awareness programmes, occupational safety job creation, and stronger training regimes.

These figures reflect broad government efforts to improve workplace safety and healthcare access under Vision 2030 goals. Expansion of primary healthcare centres nationwide, including mobile units in rural areas, underpins coverage gains, while reforms in occupational safety—such as employer training and dedicated safety offices—directly address risk mitigation.