Ministry of Municipalities and Housing: Safety in shared housing is a priority to protect residents

Monday 28 September 2026

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The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing stressed the importance of adhering to the safety requirements contained in the updated guide to health and technical requirements that must be available in shared housing for individuals, emphasizing the responsibility of facility owners to provide a safe residential environment and raise the level of preparedness to deal with emergency situations.

The ministry explained that the safety system begins with maintaining the readiness of evacuation routes and emergency exits and keeping them free of obstacles, providing illuminated directional signs and backup lighting systems that operate automatically when the electricity is cut off, in addition to equipping emergency doors with mechanisms that allow them to be opened from the inside easily, and ensuring that the locking systems do not hinder their use during evacuation.

She stressed the need to check the readiness of alarm and fire-fighting systems, conduct periodic maintenance on them, and prevent random storage inside residential facilities or in corridors and exits, while adhering to the approved capacity for each facility, in order to reduce risks and raise the level of protection.

The ministry called on establishments and employers to prepare approved evacuation plans in accordance with regulatory requirements, to place evacuation plans in prominent locations that are easily accessible, to clarify emergency exits and assembly points, and to ensure that all occupants of the accommodation know the procedures to be followed in the event of an emergency.

She stressed that the readiness of the human element is a fundamental pillar in the safety system, which requires training the occupants of the housing on a regular basis on evacuation procedures, implementing scenarios that simulate emergency situations, and familiarizing them with the safe use of primary firefighting methods in order to enhance the speed of response and good conduct.

The ministry concluded by emphasizing that compliance with safety requirements is not limited to meeting regulatory requirements, but represents a direct responsibility in preventing accidents and maintaining the safety of residents, noting that preparedness and proper handling during the first minutes of any emergency contribute to reducing losses and providing a safe and sustainable communal living environment.

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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia