المملكة: Specialists for "today"Proactive prevention in the work environment prevents economic losses

Specialists and leaders have confirmed that awareness is the first line of defense against occupational hazards of all kinds, physical, chemical and psychological, pointing out that investing in prevention saves many times what might be spent later on treating damages and accidents.

They explained in their speech to “Al-Youm” on the occasion of the World Day for Safety and Health in the Workplace, that leading institutions have moved from a “reactive” approach to “proactive” by employing modern technologies and continuous training programmes, stressing the The shared responsibility between management and employee is the only guarantee for converting Safety policies into daily practice and established behavior that protects lives and preserves economic capabilities.

The Deputy Governor for Planning and Business Development at the General Corporation for Technical and Vocational Training, Reem Abdulaziz Al-Muqbel, explained that the Corporation is like other major education and training environments

Such as schools, universities, and training workshops, you may face many occupational risks that include physical, chemical, and health aspects, all the way to psychological risks. This imposes the utmost necessity to implement strict preventive measures to ensure the safety and health of employees, and to provide completely safe work environments free from the causes of accidents or occupational diseases.

She indicated that the organization’s leadership has full awareness of these potential risks, and strives to provide all forms of support and empowerment to reduce them, as the organization today has more than 70 operating medical clinics, and has succeeded in achieving a coverage rate for all its facilities with health requirements and Occupational safety has reached 100%, with random field visits continuing to ensure the sustainability of these standards in all regions of the Kingdom.

Al-Muqbel revealed accurate statistics that reflect the magnitude of the awareness and training efforts implemented during the year 2025, as mental health promotion programs targeted more than 200,000 male and female trainees, and the preventive aspect of smoking and psychotropic substances was activated through 580 programs that benefited more than 204,000 people.

With regard to staff training, the Foundation provided its employees with more than 400 programs. Specialized training and guidance, and more than 1,400 awareness campaigns and lectures were carried out that coincided with major international days such as World Cancer Day, Civil Defense and Food Safety.

Within the framework of preparedness for emergency situations, she indicated the training of 44 safety supervisors in coordination with Civil Defense, and about 60 employees in cooperation with the Saudi Red Crescent Authority to ensure rapid response to sudden risks.

Regarding the economic and institutional impact, Al-Muqbil confirmed that these efforts, Including periodic educational bulletins, they contributed to stabilizing the level of occupational health and safety in all of the organization’s facilities by 87%. Strict adherence to requirements also led to all facilities being free of the high-risk zone “Scope F.” These efforts culminated in 11 training facilities obtaining a certificate of compliance with the “Moaz” project, which is concerned with raising the level of emergency safety in workplaces.

She explained that care extends to include the psychological aspect and reducing “job burnout,” especially at work. Continuing the initiatives of the human capacity development program to achieve the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, as the Foundation is concerned with strengthening job relations through national events, and presenting “Technical Advantages Application” offers to raise the quality of life, and these are efforts for which the Foundation was honored by the Minister of Health in 2024.

Al-Muqbel stressed that achieving security and safety in Work environment is not just a slogan, but rather a practice based on three main axes: “support” by providing tools, means, and physical and organizational policies to reduce risks, “awareness” that employees have reached the level of knowledge that enables them to perform their tasks safely, and finally “periodic evaluation” to verify the efficiency of requirements, stressing that the organization has prepared a “general plan to deal with emergency situations” to raise the level of preparedness in all regions of the Kingdom, as awareness is always the first line of defense.

For his part, the occupational health and safety advisor, Dr. Muhammad bin Darwish Zamzami, confirmed that

Occupational safety is a strategic element that reflects the maturity of institutions, pointing out that adherence to standards protects lives and is directly reflected in economic performance by reducing treatment and compensation costs and improving institutional reputation.

He explained that investing in prevention is considered one of the most feasible investments, stressing that psychological and physical safety together constitute a basic basis for creativity and productivity, which requires moving from a “reactive” approach to “preemption” and preventing danger before it occurs through analysis. Data and employing modern technologies such as artificial intelligence to predict risks.

The safety specialist, Engineer Dhia Muhammad Malibari, explained that occupational safety is an essential pillar in the sustainability of institutions and raising their productivity, stressing that spreading this culture begins with management

through clear policies that encourage fearless reporting of risks. He pointed out that technical development imposed new challenges such as psychological stress, which requires a comprehensive approach that balances physical and psychological safety, concluding that worker safety is not an option but rather a shared responsibility that begins with the individual’s awareness and the organization’s commitment to ensuring a safe work environment that makes prevention a way of life and not just a temporary measure.