«الموارد البشرية»: إلزام جميع العاملين بفحوصات اللياقة المهنية على 3 مراحل

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development revealed in a recent guide (which "Okaz" reviewed) that professional fitness and non-communicable disease screenings will be implemented for all workers and employees in Saudi Arabia in three gradual phases, including those working in public entities and non-profit organizations, leading to full application across various professions and economic activities.

The first phase will include professional fitness screenings for workers and employees before starting work, with entities required to conduct the screenings and submit the results via the approved electronic system, during the first six months of the enforcement of the professional fitness and non-communicable disease screening regulations.

The second phase will begin after the completion of the first phase and will last for 12 months, involving a gradual expansion of the application of screenings to workers and employees currently in service, prioritizing high-risk entities, and completing the connection of entities to the electronic system.

The regulations will be fully applied in the third phase to all entities and establishments, as well as workers and employees in various sectors and economic activities, with public entities and non-profit organizations required to comply with all guide requirements, regardless of the type of contractual relationship or nature of work, including permanent employees, those on temporary or seasonal contracts, trainees, individuals with disabilities, and remote workers.

The guide prohibits employees from continuing to practice their profession if they do not meet the professional fitness requirements, and the entity must take the necessary actions to change their profession, with the possibility of conducting additional screenings to prove their ability to perform tasks.

As for employees wishing to be appointed or employed and complete the procedures to start work, they will not be allowed to begin their tasks before the examination results are issued and approved by a specialist in occupational medicine. Additionally, screenings will be conducted during service in cases that include occupational injury, occupational disease, change of profession, change of work environment, or when periodic screening is required according to the nature of the profession.

The guide aims to standardize the procedures for implementing the regulations, ensure compliance with legal requirements, and enhance the protection of workers' health and professional safety through a unified system for professional fitness screenings and non-communicable diseases.

• Phases of implementing the screenings:
- Before appointment
- High-risk entities
- All entities