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

The main law is Book Four, "Occupational Safety and Health and Securing the Work Environment", of the Labour Law issued by Law No. 14 of 2025 (Articles 242 to 274), in force since 1 September 2025. It is enforced by the Ministry of Labour through a specialised OSH inspectorate working from the ministry's directorates in each governorate.

Short answer

• Law: Labour Law issued by Law No. 14 of 2025 (قانون العمل), Official Gazette No. 18 (supplement), 3 May 2025. Book Four covers OSH; Book Five covers inspection and penalties. It replaced Law No. 12 of 2003.
• Detailed rules: Ministerial Decree No. 211 of 2003 (technical limits and precautions) and No. 134 of 2003 (OSH units, committees, training) remain in force until the ministry replaces them.
• Scope: every work site and establishment, public or private, on land, at sea or in the air (Art. 244).
• Enforcer: the ministry responsible for labour and its directorates (the "competent administrative authority", Art. 1), through the OSH Inspection Body (Art. 256) and inspectors with judicial police powers (Art. 275).
• Other bodies: Ministry of the Interior for fire precautions (Art. 251), the National Organisation for Social Insurance for injury compensation, the Health Insurance Organisation for periodic examinations.
• Workers' right to withdraw: a worker may leave for a safe place without permission when an imminent and serious danger to life or health is foreseeable, must tell the direct supervisor, and may not be disciplined for it (Art. 253).

How the Egyptian OSH framework is built

The 2025 Labour Law was published on 3 May 2025 and entered into force on the first day of the month after 90 days, which was 1 September 2025. Book Four is short: it lists the hazards the establishment must control (physical, engineering, biological, chemical, indirect risks, confined spaces, fire, harassment and violence), the duty to assess risks and prepare emergency plans, the inspection system, OSH units and committees, training, reporting and health services. Article 253 also gives workers the right to move to a safe place without permission in imminent and serious danger, and bars the employer from sending them back until the danger is removed.

The technical detail is left to decrees of the minister. Article 11 of the issuing law asked the minister to issue implementing decrees within 90 days and keeps earlier decrees in force where they do not conflict with the new law. The two decrees that most OSH professionals work with are:

We could not confirm whether replacement OSH decrees under the 2025 law have been published, so check with the labour directorate before relying on a 2003 provision.

Who inspects and what they can do

Article 256 obliges the ministry to form the Occupational Safety and Health and Work Environment Inspection Body, with members qualified in medicine, veterinary science, pharmacy, engineering, science, environment and waste management, and to inspect establishments at suitable periodic intervals. Establishments linked to national security are inspected by a body named by the Prime Minister.

Inspectors may examine workers medically, take samples of materials, photograph and use instruments to analyse accidents, and review emergency plans, risk analyses, major-accident reports and stocks of hazardous substances (Art. 257). Inspectors named by a decree of the Minister of Justice have judicial police status, may enter any workplace and demand documents (Arts. 275 and 276), and employers must cooperate (Art. 277).

When there is imminent danger, the authority must order full or partial closure of the establishment or the stopping of a machine until the danger is removed, with wages still paid, and may remove the danger itself at the employer's cost (Art. 257). Breaches of the OSH articles carry court fines of EGP 5,000 to 100,000, doubled for a repeat offence (Art. 296), and obstructing inspectors carries EGP 5,000 to 20,000 (Art. 297).

Policy is set by the tripartite Supreme Council for OSH chaired by the minister (Art. 264), with a subcommittee chaired by the governor in each governorate (Art. 265). The National Centre for OSH and Work Environment Studies carries out research and training (Arts. 261 and 263).

Practical tips for a foreign employer or contractor

1. Quote Law No. 14 of 2025 in policies and contracts, not Law No. 12 of 2003.
2. Find the labour directorate (مديرية العمل) of the governorate where the site is; this is where notifications, committee lists and emergency plans go.
3. Count workers early: 30 or more (half-yearly statistics), 50 or more (OSH unit and committee) and more than 50 in one place (nurse on each shift and a doctor) drive most duties.
4. Use OSH consultants licensed by the ministry (Art. 262).

Related on excodex

• Occupational safety and health in Egypt: law, authorities and employer duties
• What are the penalties for breaking occupational safety rules in Egypt?
• How and within what time must a workplace accident be reported in Egypt?
• OSH law comparison: appointments and reporting deadlines

Standards and further reading

• Law No. 14 of 2025 issuing the Labour Law, Official Gazette No. 18 (supplement), 3 May 2025, Books Four and Five. Gazette scan: https://manshurat.org/content/qnwn-lml-ljdyd-rqm-14-lsn-2025
• Ministerial Decree No. 134 of 2003, Al-Waqa'i' al-Misriya No. 172 (supplement), 2 August 2003: https://manshurat.org/node/12136
• Ministerial Decree No. 211 of 2003, Al-Waqa'i' al-Misriya No. 227 (supplement b), 5 October 2003: https://manshurat.org/node/12155

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.