What Qatar's Labor law say about Workplace injuries

What Qatar's Labor law say about Workplace injuries

The Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs (MADLSA) built up the National Committee of Occupational Health and Safety within its jurisdiction. This ensures that if anything happens to the employee while at work, employer should complete his obligations.

As global media concentrates on Qatar with the happening to 2022 FIFA World Cup, the government is more careful in ensuring that employers are abiding the law. 

For employees to be more mindful of their rights if they get any injury while at work can understand the provisions with respect to work place injury as mentioned in Part 10, Article 100 of the Qatar Labor Law: 

The employer should take all precautionary steps to safeguard the employees while at work from any injury or disease that may result because of the work performed in his establishment or from any mishap, defect or breakdown in the equipment and machinery or from fire 

The employer is not allowed to deduct from employees salary and amount in return for providing these precautionary means. 

If there is an occurrence of the employer excluding to take the precautionary measures or in the event of upcoming risks alarming the wellbeing or safety of the workers, the Department may report the issue to the Minister for issuing a decision for the partial or complete closure of the workplace or stoppage of one or more machines from work pending the disposal of the cause for the threat. 

Work Injuries and Compensation 

According to Qatari law, If a worker gets injured in the work place or while at work, the employer is required to cover the payment of the medicinal treatment and hospitalization of the worker until they recover. 

If the injury restrains the worker from continuing to perform their duties due to any disability caused by the injury, the employer might be obliged by the law to remunerate the worker in part or in full, contingent upon the degree of the injury and the time of his absence as cited on qatarofw.com.

Articles 108 – 109 talk about the provisions of the said laws: 

Article (108) 
“If the worker dies while on duty or because of the work or sustains a work injury the employer or his representative shall immediately notify the police and the Department of the incident. The notification shall include the name, age, profession, address and nationality of the worker and a brief description of the incident, the circumstance where it took place and the actions taken for aiding or curing the worker.

The police shall upon receipt of the information undertake the necessary inquiries and the record shall contain the statements of the witnesses and the employer or his representative and the statements of the injured if his condition so permits and the record shall explain the relationship of the incident to the work. 

The police shall upon completion of the inquiry send a copy of the record to the Department and a copy to the employer. The Department may require completion of the inquiry if it deems necessary”.

Article (109) 
“The worker who sustains a work injury shall be entitled to receive medical treatment appropriate to his condition at the cost of the employer in accordance with the decision of the competent medical authority. 

The worker shall receive his full wage during the treatment period or the period of six months whichever is nearer. If the treatment continues for a period exceeding six months the worker shall be paid half of his wage until his recovery or proof of his permanent disability or death whichever is nearer”.

Limitations of Work Injuries and Compensation Law 

Even with laws securing the rights of workers, workers need to realize that the law has limitations too. Qatar Labor Law expresses that Articles 112 and 113 might not have any significant bearing if the authorities have demonstrated the below: 

The employee had tried to harm himself. 

The employee was under the influence of drug or liquor at the time of mishap and that the said influence was the reason for the injury or death. 

The employee disregarded the guidelines of the employer concerning the safeguarding of vocational health or safety or committed a gross carelessness in following of these instructions. 

If the worker without a genuine reason declines to subject himself to the check-up or receive the treatment recommended to him by the competent authority.