What is the main occupational safety and health law in Kyrgyzstan and who enforces it?

The main occupational safety and health (OSH) law of Kyrgyzstan is the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic No. 82 "On Labour Protection" (Об охране труда) of 5 June 2026, in force since 19 June 2026, together with Section V of the Labour Code of 2025. It is enforced by the Service for Control and Supervision of Labour Legislation under the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Migration; hazardous production facilities are also supervised under the Industrial Safety Law No. 160 of 2016.

Short answer

• Core law: Law No. 82 of 5 June 2026 "On Labour Protection" (53 articles in 7 chapters). It repealed Law No. 167 of 1 August 2003 and its amending laws (Article 53).
• Labour Code: Labour Code No. 23 of 23 January 2025, in force since 28 January 2025. Section V (Articles 203 to 228) covers labour protection and the employer's liability for injury; Chapter 22 (Articles 229 to 239) covers state supervision.
• Labour inspection: the Service for Control and Supervision of Labour Legislation (Служба по контролю и надзору трудового законодательства) under the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Migration.
• Hazardous facilities: Law No. 160 of 2 August 2016 on industrial safety (last amended by Law No. 2 of 10 January 2023), supervised by the Service of Environmental and Technical Supervision of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision.
• Products: Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) technical regulations (EAC mark) for Ex equipment, PPE, machinery and pressure equipment.
• Sanctions: the Code on Offences No. 128 of 2021 (Article 87 for breaches of the labour protection law), as Law No. 82 (Article 50) itself provides.

The new 2026 law and what it changed

Law No. 82 was proposed by the Cabinet of Ministers, adopted by the Jogorku Kenesh (parliament) in third reading on 22 April 2026, signed on 5 June 2026 and published in "Erkin Too" on 9 June 2026. It entered into force ten days after publication. Its seven chapters cover general provisions, workers' rights and guarantees, the organisation of labour protection in the enterprise, state supervision and trade union control, employer liability for injury and occupational disease, liability for breaches, and final provisions.

Points that matter to an employer arriving now:

• the law also covers Kyrgyz citizens working at wholly or partly foreign-owned enterprises in Kyrgyzstan, students on placements and several other groups; foreign workers in Kyrgyz organisations fall under Kyrgyz labour protection law (Article 2);
• organisations with more than 50 workers carrying out production activity must have a labour protection service (Article 16);
• a joint commission (committee) on labour protection is created in the organisation (Article 17);
• workers may refuse work that endangers life or health without disciplinary consequences, and PPE is provided at the employer's expense (Articles 6, 7 and 9);
• the "assessment of occupational risks by working conditions (workplace attestation)" is defined and is an employer duty (Articles 1 and 19).

The Cabinet of Ministers was given six months to bring its own acts into line with the law (Article 53). On 5 November 2026 the Ministry of Justice database still showed as in force the government resolutions on accident investigation (No. 64 of 2001), on the labour protection service and OSH training (No. 225 of 2004) and on medical examinations (No. 225 of 2011, amended in June 2026). Check for replacements before relying on them.

Who enforces it and with what powers

State labour inspectors may enter organisations of any legal form, request documents, take samples, investigate accidents, issue binding orders, remove workers who have not been trained or instructed, prohibit uncertified PPE, suspend work or equipment that threatens life or health, and bring offence proceedings (Law No. 82, Article 22). Suspension orders stay in force while an appeal is heard by the court (Article 51).

Presidential Decree No. 362 of 26 October 2026 ordered the restructuring of the Ministry and added migration control of foreign labour to the labour inspection service's remit, so check the current name and regional office before contacting it.

Common mistakes

• Quoting Law No. 167 of 2003 or the 2004 Labour Code in new procedures; both have been replaced.
• Assuming the industrial safety body also handles ordinary labour protection complaints; that is the labour inspection service.
• Treating EU or Turkish certificates as sufficient for equipment; EAEU (EAC) conformity applies.

Related on excodex

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• What are the penalties for breaking occupational safety rules in Kyrgyzstan?
• Which rules apply to major-hazard chemical sites in Kyrgyzstan?
• What is the main OSH law in Kazakhstan and who enforces it?

Standards and further reading

• Law of the Kyrgyz Republic No. 82 "On Labour Protection", 5 June 2026, in force 19 June 2026: official text.
• Labour Code of the Kyrgyz Republic No. 23, 23 January 2025 (as amended to 28 July 2026): official text.
• Law of the Kyrgyz Republic No. 160 "On industrial safety of hazardous production facilities", 2 August 2016, as amended 10 January 2023: official text.
• Presidential Decree No. 362 of 26 October 2026 "On measures to improve the social protection system": official text.
• Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Migration: mlsp.gov.kg.

This article is general occupational safety and health information prepared by the excodex editorial team. It does not replace the applicable legislation, standards, manufacturers' instructions or the assessment of a competent OSH professional or occupational physician.