JEDDAH — Saudis and expatriates working in the private sector are both now able to get cover for injuries they sustain at work under an occupational hazards program from the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI). GOSI spokesman, Abdullah Al-Abduljabar, said the program covers injuries and occupational diseases that workers sustain while at work, but also traveling between their home and work, their place of prayer and work, and also while traveling for work. According to Abduljabar, subscribers are covered under the program from the date they register in the system. The cover does not depend on a workers' age or how long he may have been in the program. “As long as a beneficiary is registered in GOSI, they can enjoy the advantages even if his age exceeds 60 years,” Abduljabar said. Services provided as part of the program include medical care, surgery, rehabilitation, medical supplies and prosthesis. There are no limits on treatment periods and the costs, and care will be provided to injured GOSI subscribers until their condition is stable. Subscribers who are injured are also given an allowance for each day they're absent from work, equal to their full daily wage. The program also includes cash compensation for disability as a result of injury. So far this year the GOSI program has handled 50,000 work related injuries.
