Plant and equipment maintenance

Plant and equipment maintenance is the other method by which stakeholders in the Saudi Arabian automotive workshops achieve workplace safety and health. In Saudi Arabian automotive workshops, plant, machine and equipment so that problems are prevented, faults are repaired and to make machines work efficiently. In some workshops, maintenance is a planned program whereas in others, it is done on short notice upon a machine breakdown. There are several reasons for which both types of maintenances are carried out in the workshops. The first reason is for efficient and reliable machines, equipment and plants. Second, there are fewer if any plant or machine breakdown, implying less dangerous contact between man and machinery. The third benefit of maintenance is cost benefits associated with improved productivity and efficiency. Lack of or poor maintenance could also cause additional hazards due to faulty parts, which can only be diagnosed and corrected during maintenance.

               The Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) is one of the agencies that work with other agencies to promote workplace environmental standards and regulations in Saudi Arabia. With other agencies, the PME has the mandate to establish environmental legislations, regulations and standards and to ensure the enforcement of these standards and regulations.  The PME thus seeks to improve the Kingdom’s environmental guidelines and standards to create a world class environmental regulation system. The purpose of this system is to provide protection for both human health and natural ecological systems. The following areas are targeted by these PME standards and guidelines: air standards, water standards, noise standards, waste standards and guidelines, coastal zone management standards and guidelines and environmental impact assessment guidelines.

The Labor and Workmen Law

The Labor and Workmen Law [1969] is the other Saudi Arabian law that regulates. The law came to being following Royal Decree No. M/21 of 15 November 1969). Chapter two of this law deals with labour inspection. According to article 23 of this chapter of the Labour and Workmen Law of 1969, labour inspection should be carried out by skilled and competent inspectors, appointed by the minister of labour.

the Saudi Arabian Occupational Safety and Health Law

the Saudi Arabian Occupational Safety and Health Law, which deals with the Kingdom’s labour law, tackles protection against occupational hazards, major workplace injuries, industrial accidents and health and social services. Just like any other industry in the Kingdom, the automotive sector is expected to comply with these safety and health regulations. For instance, automotive workshops must adhere to chapter one of this section, which covers protection against occupational hazards. According to this sub-section, workshop owners or employers are expected to ensure the workshops are in clean and hygienic condition by providing adequate lighting, clean and potable and washing water among other social and health services.of this section requires workshop employers to ensure that the necessary precautions are taken to protect workers against hazards, occupational diseases, the machinery in use thus ensuring work safety and protection. Importantly, employers are required to post safety and health information at strategic places within and outside workshops. These posts should be made in Arabic or other language that workers understand. It should also be noted that employers are not allowed to deduct employees’ pay or charge them for such services   

workers accident

The table shows different types of accidents occurred for workers in the Kingdom in different regions in the last three years. As shown in these tables, criminal acts, wastes, chemicals, gas explosions and other cause scaused injuries, burns, suffocation, fainting and death in Saudi Arabian automotive workshops in the last three years.

 

Region	Injuries	Deaths	Burns	Suffocation and fainting
Riyadh	14	2	15	20
Eastern	22	3	8	41
Makkah	111	1	17	47
Aseer	3	1	0	10
Al-Madinah	13	2	3	5
Alqaseem	7	0	2	14
Albahah	0	0	2	2
Najran	0	0	1	3
Jazan	1	1	5	1
Tapuk	2	0	2	4
Hail	9	1	3	5
Alioof	3	0	1	2
Northern	0	0	2	0

the noise at workplace

The other workshop health hazard in the automotive industry in Saudi Arabia is noise, which may result in loss of hearing.

employers should:

    ■ Provide employees with hearing protectors, if they ask for them and their noise exposure is between the lower and upper exposure action values;

■ Provide employees with hearing protectors and make sure they use them properly when their noise exposure exceeds the upper exposure action values;

■ Identify hearing protection zones, for example, areas where the use of hearing protection is compulsory, and mark them with signs if possible;

■ Provide employees with training and information on how to use and care for the hearing protectors;

■ Ensure that the hearing protectors are properly used and maintained.

When selecting hearing protection

machines at workplace

The important cause of accidents in the automotive workshops in Saudi Arabia is the machines, which are commonplace implements in the workshops.  Considering that most machines have movable parts, hot surfaces, and sharp edges and are often heavy, they have potential to cause various types of injuries on workshop employees. Examples of injuries caused by workshop machines include stabs, burns, shear and cuts, which may be caused by machines striking workers if unsafely stored, used or handed over to others. To maximise these machine-related hazards, certain safety measures should be developed and implemented. For example, thorough lockout and tag-out procedures should be put in place to help in safe maintenance of machines.