Civil Defense Updates the Fire Safety Officer Regulation (January 2026)
On 24 January 2026, the Ministry of Interior, through the General Directorate of Civil Defense, announced an update to the regulation that sets the responsibilities of the “Safety and Industrial Security Specialist”. The role now carries the title “Safety, Prevention and Fire Protection Officer”. Okaz reported the update and noted that it was published in the official Umm Al-Qura gazette. The regulation applies to both government and private entities, and the full text is available on the Civil Defense website, 998.gov.sa.
Key takeaways
- The responsibilities list for the Safety and Industrial Security Specialist was updated, and the role was renamed “Safety, Prevention and Fire Protection Officer”.
- The announcement came from the Ministry of Interior through Civil Defense and was published in Umm Al-Qura.
- It covers government and private entities.
- It defines the officer’s duties under current legislation and regulations and the qualifications and experience required for the role.
- Its aims include more effective fire prevention and protection systems and organised first response and evacuation plans.
What the fire safety officer regulation update covers
According to Okaz, the update aims to improve how ready facilities are for daily incidents and disasters, make fire prevention and protection systems work more effectively, improve financial planning and spending on safety, and organise initial incident response and evacuation plans.
The regulation defines the safety officer’s duties in line with current legislation and regulations, sets the qualifications and experience required for the role, and encourages organisations to monitor their own compliance more closely. The detailed duties for each type of facility are in the full text on the Civil Defense website. The news report did not list them, so check the official text before you build an internal procedure on it.
What this means for the Saudi market
Moving from “Safety and Industrial Security Specialist” to “Safety, Prevention and Fire Protection Officer” ties the role directly to the fire systems, not only to paperwork. In practice, the safety officer is the person who follows the condition of the fire alarm panel, the sprinkler network and hose cabinets, the extinguishers, the emergency exits and the evacuation plan, and keeps the records that prove it during an inspection.
For building owners and facility managers, the direct effect is that Civil Defense expects a qualified person to carry these duties inside the facility, with self-monitoring as part of daily operation. For contractors and maintenance companies, visit and test reports need to be clear enough for the safety officer to file them with the facility’s records.
AZEIDK Expert Take
Start by reading the full regulation on 998.gov.sa, then confirm who holds the safety officer role in your facility and whether that person meets the required qualifications and experience. Next, review three things: the safety log and maintenance records (see fire safety log book and inspection records), the status of the fire alarm system and any faults logged on the panel, and the evacuation plan and voice alarm devices. A preventive maintenance contract for fire systems with regular reports makes it easier for the safety officer to prove readiness. If the facility is preparing a Salamah licence or renewal, Civil Defense approval support helps get the systems and documents ready. Note that the technical report itself is issued by engineering consultancy offices.
Sources
- Civil Defense updates the regulation for fire prevention and protection (in Arabic), Okaz, 24 January 2026
