Saudi Arabia to introduce mandatory fitness screenings for employees
The plan will be rolled out in three phases
In a recently issued guide, the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Human Development has announced that occupational fitness assessments and non-communicable disease (NCD) screenings will be introduced for all employees. This is how the mandatory fitness screenings for employees in Saudi Arabia affect you.
Per Okaz, reported by Saudi Gazette, the mandatory fitness screenings for employees in Saudi Arabia will be introduced through a three-phase implementation plan.
The phased rollout will initially cover employees in public-sector entities and non-profit organisations before being fully extended to all professions and economic sectors across the Kingdom. The three phases of implementing the tests will start with pre-employment, then high-risk companies and establishments, and finally all companies and establishments.
The first phase will require mandatory NCD screenings for employees before employment. Establishments will be obliged to conduct these screenings and upload the results to the approved electronic system within the first six months of the regulations coming into effect.
The second phase will begin after the first phase is completed and will continue for 12 months. During this stage, screenings will be progressively expanded to include existing employees, with priority given to high-risk establishments. It will also involve completing the integration of all establishments into the approved electronic system.
In the third phase, the regulations will be fully implemented across all entities, establishments, and employees operating in various economic sectors and activities. Public-sector entities and non-profit organisations will all be required to comply with all provisions of the guide, irrespective of the type of contractual arrangement or nature of employment. This includes permanent employees, temporary or seasonal workers, trainees, persons with disabilities, and remote workers.
What happens if someone fails to meet the desired requirements?
Under the guide, employees who fail to meet the prescribed occupational fitness requirements will not be permitted to continue practising their profession. In such cases, the entity or establishment must take the necessary measures to change the employee’s profession while allowing for additional examinations to prove their capability to perform the required duties.
If you’re a candidate seeking employment and have already completed onboarding procedures, you will not be allowed to commence work until your examination results have been issued and approved by a physician specialising in occupational medicine.
Examinations will also be conducted during employment in circumstances involving occupational injuries or diseases, or at the time of a change in profession or work environment, or where periodic assessments are required based on the nature of the profession.
