PPE Checklist by Job: What Every Worker Needs, Head to Toe
"What PPE does my team need?" is the question we hear most. The honest answer starts with the job, not the product. This guide gives a head-to-toe checklist for the six most common jobs we supply in Egypt, with the rating to look for on each piece. Each one links to a ready-made kit you can price for your whole team.
How to use it: find the job closest to yours, tick off each line against what your workers have today, and fill the gaps. Where a job has extra hazards, such as height, chemicals or live electricity, add the pieces from that job's checklist too.
Construction sites
Falling objects, nails underfoot, rough ground, dust, noise and traffic around the site.
| Body area | What | Rating to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Safety helmet, chin strap for height work | EN 397, plus EN 12492 at height |
| Eyes | Safety glasses | EN 166 F |
| Hands | Work gloves with grip | EN 388, cut level B–C |
| Feet | Safety boots with anti-nail sole and deep tread | S3 |
| Body | Hi-vis vest | EN ISO 20471 Class 2 |
| Breathing | Dust mask when cutting or drilling concrete | FFP3 |
| Hearing | Earplugs or earmuffs near breakers and saws | EN 352 |
| Height | Harness and lanyard or fall arrester | EN 361 + EN 355 / EN 360 |
See the construction kit · Read: S1P vs S3 safety shoes, fall protection
Factories and production lines
Dropped parts, flying particles, machine noise and sharp edges.
| Body area | What | Rating to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Safety helmet, or a bump cap where nothing can fall | EN 397 / EN 812 |
| Eyes | Safety glasses, face shield at grinders | EN 166 F, face shield B |
| Hands | Cut-resistant gloves for handling parts | EN 388, cut level C–D |
| Feet | Safety shoes | S1P (S3 on wet floors) |
| Hearing | Earmuffs or earplugs | Chosen by SNR for the noise level |
| Body | Hi-vis where forklifts operate | EN ISO 20471 Class 2 |
See the factory kit · Read: PPE requirements for factories in Egypt, glove cut levels
Warehouses and loading bays
Heavy boxes, pallets, forklifts and racking.
| Body area | What | Rating to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Feet | Safety shoes | S1P |
| Hands | Grip gloves for boxes and pallets | EN 388, cut level A–B |
| Body | Hi-vis vest | EN ISO 20471 Class 2 |
| Head | Helmet near high racking, bump cap elsewhere | EN 397 / EN 812 |
| Eyes | Safety glasses when cutting straps and wrapping | EN 166 F |
Welding
The arc's light, sparks, spatter, fume and hot metal.
| Body area | What | Rating to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Face and eyes | Welding helmet with the right shade, ideally auto-darkening | EN 175, EN 379, shade 9–13 |
| Eyes underneath | Safety glasses | EN 166 |
| Hands | Leather welding gloves | EN 12477 Type A (Type B for TIG) |
| Body | Flame-resistant welding coverall or jacket | EN ISO 11611 |
| Breathing | Welding fume mask, or powered welding helmet | FFP2/FFP3 |
| Feet | Safety boots without open laces | S3 with HRO sole |
See the welding kit · Read: eye and face protection
Electrical work
Electric shock, and arc flash when parts are live.
| Body area | What | Rating to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Hands | Insulating gloves of the right class, with leather over-gloves | EN 60903 |
| Head | Non-vented insulating helmet | EN 50365 Class 0 |
| Face | Arc-rated face shield for live work | Arc rating as required |
| Body | Arc-flash clothing for live work | IEC 61482-2 |
| Feet | Electrical hazard footwear | As required by the task |
| Isolation | Lockout padlocks, hasps and tags | LOTO |
See the electrical kit · Read: lockout/tagout
Chemical handling and industrial cleaning
Splashes to skin and eyes, and vapours.
| Body area | What | Rating to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Hands | Chemical gloves chosen for the chemical | EN ISO 374 |
| Eyes | Sealed goggles, face shield for pouring | EN 166 3 |
| Breathing | Half or full-face mask with the right gas filter | A, B, E or K filters |
| Body | Chemical coverall or apron | Type 6 to Type 3, by exposure |
| Feet | Chemical-resistant boots | PVC or rubber |
| Emergency | Eyewash station within seconds' reach | EN 15154 |
See the chemical handling kit · Read: how to choose a respirator
Basic, Standard or Premium?
Every kit on our site comes at three levels:
- Basic: the lowest price for every piece, all certified. Good for large crews, short projects and visitors.
- Standard: the middle of the range, with more comfort for daily, full-shift wear.
- Premium: top brands, the most comfortable and the longest-lasting. Workers keep good PPE on.
Comfort is not a luxury. The most expensive accident is the one that happens because a worker took off a glove, a helmet or glasses that were too uncomfortable.
Do not forget the site essentials
Personal kit is only part of it. Every workplace also needs fire extinguishers of the right type, a first aid kit, an eyewash station where chemicals are used, and lockout equipment for maintenance. See our guides to fire extinguishers and lockout/tagout.
Pricing a kit for your team
Open the kit for your job and choose the level to see what is in it and what it costs. For a whole team, the team calculator on For Companies works out an estimate with bulk prices. Or send us your list with sizes through For Companies and we will quote within 24 working hours, with bulk prices from 20 pieces. Not sure which job fits? Try Help me choose.