Every Two Days, a Worker Dies: Jordan’s Silent Crisis in Labor Safety.

Tayel Alshobaki

November 4, 2025

In Jordan, a worker dies every 48 hours. Every hour, two more are injured. These are not abstract statistics—they are the lived consequences of systemic neglect, weak enforcement, and a culture that too often treats laborers as expendable.

According to recent data from the Social Security Corporation, the country recorded over 8,000 workplace injuries in the first nine months of 2025 alone. The majority of these incidents occurred in the construction, manufacturing, and transportation sectors—fields dominated by low-wage workers, many of whom lack adequate protection, training, or recourse.

This is not just a safety issue. It is a justice issue. Jordan’s labor laws mandate occupational safety standards, but enforcement remains patchy. Many employers fail to provide basic protective equipment. Inspections are infrequent, and penalties for violations are minimal. Workers—especially migrants and daily wage earners—often fear retaliation if they report unsafe conditions.

Critically, most workers receive little to no safety training. In high-risk sectors like construction and manufacturing, many laborers begin work without understanding basic hazard awareness, emergency procedures, or how to use protective gear. Safety briefings are rare, and formal training programs are either absent or inaccessible. This lack of preparedness turns every shift into a gamble—and every accident into a predictable tragedy.

The consequences are devastating. Families lose breadwinners. Survivors face long-term disabilities with little support. The economic cost is staggering, but the human cost is incalculable.

What must change?

1.               Accountability: Employers must be held responsible for safety violations. This includes criminal liability for gross negligence resulting in death or serious injury.

2.               Training: Mandatory safety training must be implemented for all workers, especially in high-risk sectors. This includes induction sessions, refresher courses, and access to multilingual materials.

3.               Transparency: Injury and fatality data should be publicly accessible, disaggregated by sector, region, and employer.

4.               Empowerment: Workers must be educated about their rights and protected when they speak out. Whistleblower protections and anonymous reporting mechanisms are essential.

5.               Investment: The government must invest in labor inspection systems, occupational health programs, and emergency response training.

6.               Solidarity: Civil society, unions, and INGOs must amplify worker voices and advocate for reform. This is not just a national issue—it is a human rights issue.

Jordan has made strides in social protection and labor reform. But the current trajectory is unsustainable. A society that tolerates preventable deaths in its workforce cannot claim to be just or resilient.

Every worker deserves to return home safely. Every life lost is a call to action.