Dr. Majid Al-Qasabi, Minister of Commerce and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO), approved an amendment to the regulations classifying violations of the Saudi Building Code, which aims to establish minimum requirements and conditions that ensure public safety and health through the durability, stability, and structural integrity of buildings and structures; facilitate access to them; and provide a healthy environment with adequate lighting and ventilation, rationalizing water and energy use, and protecting lives and property from fire, earthquakes, and other building-related hazards.
Penalties Are Not a Substitute for Removal
The amended regulations stipulate that any violation of the requirements of the code, its system, or its regulations is considered a violation requiring removal or correction, and subjects the violator to a penalty as determined by the review committee upon verification of the statutory requirements; the imposition of a penalty does notevidence of removal or correction.
Article 12 of the regulations stipulates that the Review Committee shall impose the penalties specified for violations of the Building Code in the residential sector for classification category “R3," while Article 13 provides for the correction of the violation when removal would compromise the safety of the building.
Fines for Supervising Engineering Firms
– 5,000 riyals for submitting plans, designs, reports, or bills of quantities and specifications that violate the code.
– A fine of 7,500 riyals for issuing an occupancy permit for a building despite the presence of a serious construction violation according to the code.
– A fine of 2,000 riyals for the supervising engineering firm if it delegates its duties, or part thereof, to non-specialists; a fine of 4,000 riyals for the contractor.
– A fine of 1,000–3,000 riyals for the supervising engineering firm if it fails to submit reports and notifications regarding the project’s construction phases by the specified deadlines.
Penalty for Non-Compliance with Designs
The financial fine imposed on the supervising firm is 7,500 riyals in the event of non-compliance with the design, specifications, approval, or implementation of construction requirements for the building or facility in accordance with the code, or the execution of construction work that violates the permit or the approved engineering plansin accordance with the Code, while the fine for the contractor is 10,000 riyals.
Penalty for Non-Compliance with Basic Building Materials
The financial fine imposed on the design firm is 4,000 riyals in the event of failure to comply with the specifications, approval, or use of basic construction materials (rebar – concrete) that do not comply with approved standard specifications, while the fine for the supervising firm is 8,000 riyals and for the contractor 10,000 riyals.
Violations of Plumbing and Electrical Requirements
According to the regulations, the financial penalty for the design firm is 3,000 riyals in the event of failure to comply with the design, specifications, approval, or implementation of requirements for wiring or permanent or temporary electrical installations in accordance with the code, or failure to conform to the approved technical specificationsapproved technical specifications. The fine for the supervising firm is 6,000 riyals, and for the contractor, 9,000 riyals.
Violations by the Design Firm
A fine of 2,000 riyals is imposed on the design firm in the event of failure to comply with the design, specifications, approval, or implementation of the technical requirements for work to insulate and protect the building or facility from rain and surface water leaks in accordance with the code, while the fine for the supervising firm is 4,000 riyals and for the contractor is 6,000 riyals. A fine of 6,000 riyals shall be imposed on the design firm in the event of failure to comply with the design, specifications, approval, or implementation of the technical requirements for the thermal insulation of the building in accordance with the code; the fine for the supervising firm shall be 8,000 riyals, and for the contractor10,000 riyals.
Non-compliant mechanical work
The regulations stipulate a fine of 2,000 riyals against the design firm in the event of failure to comply with the design, approval, or implementation of the technical requirements for the design and execution of mechanical works, cooling and air conditioning systems, stoves, heating, andgas lines in the building or facility in accordance with the code, and a fine of 6,000 riyals is imposed on the contractor.
Implementation of Technical Requirements
The fine imposed on the design firm is 1,000 riyals in the event of failure to comply with the design, specifications, approval, or implementation of technical requirements related to the design and installation of sanitary systems and stormwater drainage systems in accordance with the code, while the fine for the supervising firm is 2,000 riyals and for the contractor 3,000 riyals.
The regulations state that the fine for the design firm is 750 riyals in the event of non-compliance with the design, specifications, approval, or implementation of the technical requirements for smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in accordance with the code, while the fine for the supervising firm is 1,500 riyals and for the contractor 2,250 riyals.
