PPE Requirements for Factories in Egypt: A Practical Guide
Every factory in Egypt has to keep its workers safe, and personal protective equipment (PPE) is a visible part of that. Labour inspectors check it, insurers ask about it, and more and more clients audit it before they place an order. This guide sets out what a factory needs in practice: the legal background, how to decide what PPE each area needs, and the records that show you have done it.
The short answer: assess the hazards in each area of the factory, remove or control what you can, then provide suitable, certified PPE, train workers to use it, replace it when worn, and keep records. Add the site essentials: fire extinguishers, first aid, eyewash, signage and lockout equipment.
Note: this guide is practical information, not legal advice. For the exact obligations that apply to your factory, check with your occupational safety officer or a legal adviser.
The legal background
Egypt's Labour Law No. 14 of 2025 came into force on 1 September 2025, replacing the previous labour law of 2003. It requires employers to provide a safe and healthy working environment, to take the measures needed to protect workers from occupational hazards, and to train them. Implementing decrees set out detailed requirements, and the Ministry of Labour carries out inspections.
Other rules also apply:
- Civil Defence requirements for fire safety: extinguishers, alarms, exits and signage.
- Your clients' requirements. Exporters and suppliers to international companies are often audited against ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety management) or the client's own code.
- Insurance. Insurers ask about safety measures, and a serious accident with no PPE records is very hard to defend.
Step 1: assess the hazards, area by area
Walk the factory and list what could hurt someone in each area: falling or flying objects, sharp edges, moving machinery, noise, dust, fumes, chemicals, heat, electricity, forklifts and work at height. Write it down, with who is exposed and for how long. This risk assessment is the basis for every PPE decision, and it is the first document an inspector or auditor asks for.
Step 2: control the hazard first, PPE last
PPE is the last line of defence. Before relying on it, ask in this order:
- Eliminate the hazard: can the task be done another way?
- Substitute: a less dangerous chemical, a quieter machine.
- Engineering controls: machine guards, extraction fans, noise enclosures, barriers between forklifts and people.
- Administrative controls: procedures, permits, training, signs, rotating workers away from noise.
- PPE: for the risk that remains.
PPE protects only the person wearing it, and only when worn correctly. Guards and extraction protect everyone, all the time.
Step 3: PPE by factory area
| Area | Main hazards | Typical PPE |
|---|---|---|
| Production lines | Moving parts, dropped items, noise | Safety shoes S1P, glasses, earmuffs or plugs, close-fitting clothes |
| Machining and metalwork | Flying particles, sharp edges, noise | Glasses or face shield, cut gloves C–D, S1P/S3, hearing protection |
| Welding bays | Arc light, sparks, fume, heat | Welding helmet, leather gloves, FR clothing, fume mask |
| Chemical stores and mixing | Splashes, vapours | Chemical gloves, goggles, respirator with gas filters, coverall, eyewash |
| Cleaning and sanitation | Detergents, wet floors | Chemical gloves, goggles, slip-resistant boots |
| Warehouse and loading | Forklifts, heavy loads | Hi-vis, safety shoes, grip gloves |
| Maintenance | Unexpected start-up, height, electricity | Lockout kit, harness for height, insulating gloves for electrical work |
| Food production | Hygiene plus cuts and wet floors | Food-safe cut gloves, slip-resistant white boots, bump caps |
For the details of each type, see our guides to safety shoes, gloves, respirators, hearing protection and eye protection.
Step 4: certified PPE, properly issued
- Buy certified equipment. Look for the standard on each item (EN or ISO numbers, or ANSI for American products), and keep the data sheets and certificates. Auditors ask for them.
- Fit each worker. Correct sizes for shoes, gloves and harnesses. Equipment that does not fit is not worn.
- Issue it to each worker by name and record what was given and when.
- Replace on time. Filters, earplugs and disposable gloves are consumables. Helmets, harnesses and shoes have a working life. Damaged PPE must be replaced straight away.
Step 5: training
Workers must know why each piece is needed, how to wear it, how to check it before use, and when to replace it. Record each training session with the date, the topic and the workers' signatures. Repeat it for new starters and whenever equipment or processes change.
The site essentials
PPE alone is not a safe factory. Also check:
- Fire safety: the right extinguishers in the right places, serviced yearly. See fire extinguisher types.
- Lockout/tagout for maintenance on machines. See lockout/tagout.
- First aid kits and trained first aiders on every shift.
- Eyewash stations wherever chemicals are handled.
- Safety signs, marked walkways and hearing protection zones.
The records an inspector or auditor will ask for
- the written risk assessment for each area;
- PPE issue records per worker;
- training records with dates and signatures;
- inspection records for harnesses, extinguishers and other equipment that needs regular checks;
- certificates and data sheets for the PPE you supply;
- accident and near-miss reports, with what was changed afterwards.
Questions factory managers ask us
Who pays for PPE, the factory or the worker?
PPE is the employer's responsibility as part of providing a safe workplace. Check the exact provisions of the current law and its decrees with your legal adviser.
What if a worker refuses to wear PPE?
Explain why it is needed, check whether it fits and is comfortable, and replace it if not. Then apply your written safety rules consistently. Most refusals are about comfort, which is solved by choosing better equipment.
How do we start if we have nothing in place?
Start with the risk assessment, then equip the highest-risk areas first: machinery, chemicals, welding and height. Our factory kit is a good base for production workers.
Equipping your factory
Tell us the areas of your factory, the number of workers in each and any client requirements, and we will put together a complete PPE list with certificates. Send it through For Companies and we will quote within 24 working hours, with bulk prices from 20 pieces. See also the factory industry page and our PPE checklist by job.