Why safety in Morocco requires extra attention

In Morocco there are legal obligations around occupational health and safety (SST / HSE), including through the Moroccan Labour Code (Code du Travail, Law 65-99) and implementing measures. In practice, however, you’ll see that maturity by region, project type and contractor varies greatly. That makes safety “due diligence” essential for anyone who:

• wants to contract a Moroccan contractor or subcontractor;
• has materials produced/installed (finishing, tiling, steel, prefab, etc.);
• sends their own people to Morocco for installation, supervision or commissioning.

The biggest safety needs on the jobsite

Interested companies (NL/EU) first and foremost ask for “the basics in order” + demonstrable compliance:

1) Basic measures (PPE, barriers, fall protection)

• Personal protective equipment (helmet, shoes, goggles, gloves) and enforcement.
• Fall protection for work at height (scaffolding, edge protection, harness/anchor points).
• Segregation of risk zones (lifting zones, grinding and cutting, traffic on site).

2) Safe work methods (RAMS / method statements)

• Task risk assessments for critical activities (lifting, working at height, electrical, hot work).
• Work permits (permit-to-work) where needed: hot work, confined spaces, high voltage.
• Toolbox talks and demonstrable instruction.

3) Hygiene, sanitation, wellbeing

Labour rules also emphasize hygiene and basic facilities (sanitation, ventilation, drinking water, cleanliness, etc.). In audits this is often a “quick win” that immediately makes a higher safety level visible.

4) Fire safety and emergency organization

For buildings and projects, fire safety rules play a role (including the general building regulation for fire safety in Morocco from 2014). On the jobsite you translate that into practice: extinguishers, clear escape routes, emergency procedures and training.

5) Substances, chemicals and special risks

Think of dust (incl. asbestos), solvents, adhesives, coatings and other hazardous substances. Moroccan regulation includes specific decrees/measures for exposure to, among others, asbestos and benzene.

Which laws and regulations are relevant?

Below is a practical “map” of rules that companies most often check against. (Note: this is not legal advice, but an overview for orientation and compliance checks.)

A) Labour law & HSE obligations

• Code du Travail (Law 65-99): core duties regarding occupational safety and health and organization in companies.
• Implementing measures: e.g., ministerial decisions that operationalize safety requirements (incl. in ILO overview).
• Committees and internal organization: in certain situations a health and safety organization/committee is relevant.

B) Construction regulation, permits and (fire) safety rules

• Urban planning/spatial planning: Morocco has key laws for urban planning and development (incl. Law 12-90 and Law 25-90).
• Building permits: in practice a building permit is generally required for construction works, and is issued after the required authorizations/visas.
• Fire safety rules for buildings: set out in a general building regulation on fire safety (2014).

What do interested companies want to know upfront? (Checklist)

1) Evidence of an HSE structure

• Name + role of the HSE responsible person (chantier HSE officer / QHSE).
• Project HSE plan (including site rules and emergency plan).
• Toolbox/training registers and instructions (preferably with attendance lists).

2) Risk control per activity

• Method statements / RAMS for critical tasks (height, lifting, electrical, hot work).
• Equipment inspection certificates (lifting gear, scaffolds, electrical installations).
• Subcontractor management: who does what, and how is safety enforced?

3) Labour law & social protection

• Contract types, registration and basic compliance (depending on scope/relationship).
• Accident procedure and insurance/compensation process for workplace accidents.

For background on labour regulation and social protection, there are, among others, extensive analyses (World Bank).

4) Permits & local approvals

• Building permit(s), drawings and urban-planning conformity.
• Fire safety (where applicable: design choices and inspection/acceptance steps).
• Environmental or special authorizations for “hazardous” installations (project-dependent).

Language barriers and cultural differences: the hidden risks

In Morocco’s construction sector, communication channels often overlap: Arabic (MSA), Darija, French and sometimes Berber (Amazigh). Contracts and official documents are often in French; on the shopfloor Darija dominates. Misunderstandings arise especially around:

• safety instructions (“site rules”) that are not in the right language or are too theoretical;
• planning & scope (“what is a variation, what is included in the price?”);
• acceptance criteria/quality (tolerances, samples, inspection points).

What MAROQ can do (services)

MAROQ is built to close the “trust gap” between NL/EU companies and Moroccan partners. In construction projects we do that mainly by making safety, quality and communication measurable.

1) Sourcing & screening contractors and subcontractors

• Preselection by experience, references, project type and capacity.
• HSE quick scan: core documents, organization, PPE culture, critical risks.
• Check “fit” with your requirements (e.g. VCA-like way of working, reporting, auditing).

2) Site audits & quality control

• Guided site visits with checklists (HSE + quality + progress).
• Photo log and audit report with actions, priority and follow-up.
• Support with mock-ups and acceptance criteria.

3) Documentation & compliance support

• HSE plan template + RAMS setup tailored to the project.
• Permit/document check (what exists, what’s missing, what needs updating?).
• Translation/interpretation (NL/EN ↔ FR ↔ Darija) so everyone understands the same thing.

4) Communication & project support

• Local point of contact on site (alignment with site manager, HSE officer, suppliers).
• Clear agreements on scope, variations, planning and handover.
• Escalation path for issues (safety/quality/delivery).

Practical step-by-step plan for companies

1. Define your minimum HSE requirements (PPE, work at height, lifting, emergency plan, reporting).
2. Select partners with evidence (references + documents + short audit).
3. Set agreements contractually (scope, HSE, audits, stop-work authority, penalties/bonus where appropriate).
4. Start with an on-site kick-off (toolbox + site rules in FR/Darija + clear signage).
5. Carry out periodic checks (weekly/bi-weekly depending on risk and phase).
6. Make handover measurable (checklists, photos, test results, “as-built” documentation).