1 week Ago By Qatar Tribune
Qatar tribune Tribune News Network Doha The Ministry of Labour (MoL), in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), hosted an event on Monday to mark the World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2025—an annual observance falling on April 28—under the theme ‘Ergonomics: A Holistic Approach to Promoting Healthy Interaction between People and the Workplace’. The event reflects the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding workers, fostering a culture of occupational safety and health, and ensuring a safe and sustainable working environment for all. The ceremony was attended by Saad Rashid Al Nabit, assistant director of the Occupational Safety and Health Department at the MoL; Dr Mohammed Ali Al Hajjaj, head of the Occupational Health Section at the Ministry of Public Health; a delegation from the Kingdom of Sweden led by Anna Maria Vogelberg Wike, deputy director-general of the Swedish Work Environment Authority (SWEA); and Max Tuñón, director of the ILO Project Office in Qatar, along with numerous representatives from the workforce, industry, and other relevant authorities.
In his address at the ceremony, Al Nabit said that the safety and health of workers represent a moral responsibility that extends beyond legal and technical obligations. This commitment, he noted, is aligned with the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy, both of which highlight the importance of social welfare through the creation of safe and secure working environments. He further noted that this dedication also supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to decent work, economic growth, and health.
Al Nabit further noted that ethical responsibility towards workers extends beyond the workplace to include housing and overall living conditions, ensuring that both workers and their families enjoy a dignified standard of living, thereby promoting social justice and societal stability. He underscored the need for a holistic approach—one that combines state-of-the-art work environment engineering with innovation, while addressing the challenges arising from digital transformation. In this context, he highlighted the pivotal role of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and artificial intelligence in enhancing proactive safety measures at worksites.
Explaining the MoL’s role, Al Nabit stated that, through its Occupational Safety and Health Department, the Ministry conducts inspections of workplaces and workers’ accommodations in accordance with the Qatari Labour Law. He added that the Ministry also implements extensive awareness and guidance campaigns aimed at mitigating occupational hazards, reducing accidents and work-related illnesses, ensuring the provision of adequate healthcare, and securing appropriate living conditions for workers. Al Nabit concluded his remarks by stating: “We firmly believe that the safety of workers is a collective responsibility.
Through concerted efforts and effective partnerships, we can entrench a culture of adherence to occupational safety and health requirements, helping to create work environments that protect lives, safeguard property, enhance productivity, and secure a future of greater growth, fairness, and sustainability for workers across all sectors.” Separately, Dr Mohammed Ali Al Hajjaj addressed the audience, emphasising that “the health and safety of workers” is a strategic priority for the ministry. He noted that, based on a strong belief in the power of collaboration, the joint efforts between the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Labour—from awareness campaigns to the enhancement of procedures and the issuance of effective guidelines—have played key role in improving working conditions.
He further noted that the signing of an agreement between the two Ministries for the exchange of work-injury data has helped synchronise their efforts, contributing to a healthier and safer work environment. Dr Al Hajjaj outlined several awareness initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Public Health, including multilingual communications targeted at the workforce and the launch of a Workplace Health Promotion Programme, aimed at raising employee health awareness. Copy 29/04/2025 10.
