No matter how much one tries to avoid getting hurt or injured at work, It cannot be prevented. Accidents do happen even when taking all the precautionary measures to ensure the safety of everyone and when injury occurs, the employers and employees should know their duties and responsibilities in order to avoid further conflicts at work.
What You Should Know when Injury Occurs at Work
As Qatar government and its law make it more challenging for employers to determine and keep their safety and well-being, the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs (MADLAS) established. The National committee of occupational Health and Safety within its Jurisdiction. This to ensure that employers will keep its end of the bargain should anything happen to their employees while at work.
And for employees to be more aware of their rights should they get injured while at work, the following provisions regarding work place injury are started in Part Ten, Article 100 of the Qatar Labour Law
Article (100)
The employer shall take all precautionary measures for protecting the workers during the work from any injury or disease that may result from the work performed in his establishment or from any accident, defect or breakdown in the machinery and equipment therein or from fire.
The employer may not burden the worker with or deduct from his wage any sum in return for his providing these precautionary means.
The Department shall in case of the employer omitting to take the precautionary measures referred to or in case of imminent dangers threatening the health or safety of the workers report the matter to the Minister for issuing a decision for the partial or total closure of the place of work or stoppage of one or more machines from work pending the elimination of the causes of the danger.
In such case the employer shall undertake to pay the wages of the workers in full during the period of closure or suspension.
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.