On 12 October 2026, five (5) ministerial decrees issued by the Minister of Labour were published in the Egyptian Gazette, entering into force on the following day, 13 October 2026. Together, the decrees establish a more detailed occupational safety and health (“OSH”) framework under the Labour Law No. 14 of 2025 (the “Labour Law”):

• Ministerial Decree No. 248 of 2026 on the reporting of occupational diseases, serious accidents and injuries (the “Accidents and Diseases Reporting Decree”);
  
• Ministerial Decree No. 249 of 2026, on the establishment of OSH units and committees (the “OSH Structures Decree”);
  
• Ministerial Decree No. 250 of 2026, on workplace safety rules, standards and precautions (the “Safety Standards Decree”);
  
• Ministerial Decree No. 251 of 2026, on the licensing of OSH experts and consultants (the “OSH Consultancy Licensing Decree”); and
  
• Ministerial Decree No. 252 of 2026, on the licensing of OSH training providers and programmes (the “OSH Training Decree”).

The decrees introduce strict timelines for notifying serious accidents and occupational diseases to the Labour Directorate, within twenty-four (24) or forty-eight (48) hours depending on the case. Establishments with thirty (30) or more employees must also submit semi-annual statistics; and keep the underlying records for at least three (3) years. Establishments and branches with fifty (50) or more employees must set up an OSH unit and an OSH committee with equal employee representation, with staffing levels depending on headcount and risk classification. Smaller medium- and high-risk establishments with fewer than (50) employees must appoint a qualified OSH supervisor or technician. The decrees also set detailed technical safety standards, require annual risk assessments and registration on the Ministry of Labour’s electronic platform, and regulate the licensing of external OSH consultants and training providers. 

This client alert highlights some of the key requirements introduced by the decrees and their implications for employers operating in Egypt.

1. Key Provisions

A. The Accidents and Diseases Reporting Decree

The Accidents and Diseases Reporting Decree applies to all worksites, establishments and branches, whether operating on land, at sea or in the air, as well as to water surfaces and all means of transport. It introduces strict timelines for notifying the competent administrative authority:

• serious accidents must be reported within twenty-four (24) hours where they occur within the establishment, branch or workplace, and within forty-eight (48) hours where they occur outside it; and
• occupational diseases must be reported within twenty-four (24) hours of receiving the report confirming the disease from the competent health insurance authority.

A serious accident includes, among others, the death of a person, an anticipated permanent disability of 35% (thirty -five per cent) or more, third-degree burns, injuries to more than one person at the same workplace at the same time, and certain road accidents involving employer-provided transportation and motorcycle delivery workers.

Establishments employing thirty (30) or more employees must also submit semi-annual statistics on diseases, accidents and injuries during the first half of January and July. All establishments must keep dedicated registers of the underlying data for at least three (3) years. Submitting false data gives rise to legal liability, even where this is discovered after the submission deadline.

B. The OSH Structures Decree

The OSH Structures Decree applies to establishments and branches employing fifty (50) or more employees, irrespective of the nature or form of the employment relationship. It also repeals Ministerial Decree No. 134 of 2003, which previously governed this area.

Risk classification: establishments are classified as high, medium or limited risk according to their activity. High risk activities include petroleum, chemicals, construction and hospitals; medium risk activities include banks, retail and data centres; and office-only activities are classified as limited risk. This classification, together with headcount, determines the OSH resources an establishment must maintain.

Employer obligations: employers must, among other things, adopt and periodically update an OSH policy, allocate adequate resources, define OSH responsibilities and, for certain activities, measure workplace pollutants periodically.

OSH unit: each establishment in scope must establish an OSH unit reporting directly to the employer, chairman of the board of directors or responsible manager, staffed with OSH specialists, supervisors and technicians in numbers determined by risk classification and headcount. High- and medium-risk establishments must have an OSH unit member on every shift. All medium-risk establishments with five hundred (500) or more employees are considered high-risk establishments. The unit’s functions extend to issuing work permits, daily shift inspections, supervising contractors, incident investigation and reporting and addressing harassment, violence and bullying.

Smaller establishments: establishments with fewer than fifty (50) employees are not exempt. Medium- and high-risk establishments must appoint a qualified OSH supervisor or technician, while in limited-risk establishments the employer, or its delegate is directly responsible for OSH compliance and must complete the prescribed OSH training.

OSH committees: establishments in scope must form OSH committees chaired by the employer or its delegate, with employee representatives equal in number to all other members. Committees investigate the causes of accidents, injuries and occupational diseases, set preventive measures and oversee the establishment’s OSH function. Their decisions are binding on the establishment and all its branches, and committees must meet at least monthly, or every two (2) months for limited-risk establishments, and within forty-eight (48) hours of a serious accident or a confirmed occupational disease.

Qualifications and training: OSH specialists, supervisors and technicians must meet minimum qualification requirements. OSH staff and committee members must complete basic training, followed by advanced and specialised training within two (2) years, renewed every two (2) years.

C. The Safety Standards Decree

The Safety Standards Decree sets out detailed technical requirements covering physical, engineering, ergonomic, biological and chemical hazards, supported by technical tables setting out applicable safety limits. The requirements most relevant to employers include:

• Contractors and outsourced labour: the competent OSH office must be notified before any contractor, subcontractor or third-party labour commences work, together with a copy of the contract. The establishment and the subcontractor are jointly liable for OSH compliance.
  
• Risk assessment and electronic platform: employers must conduct a comprehensive risk assessment, including for vulnerable groups and climate-related risks, and update it at least annually. Establishments must also register on the Ministry of Labour’s electronic platform to record assessments and submit OSH notifications.
  
• Fire prevention and emergency plans: establishments must obtain Civil Protection approval before operating, maintain fire safety systems, and prepare and submit an emergency plan to the competent authorities.
  
• Right to withdraw from danger: employees may leave the workplace where they reasonably believe there is a serious and imminent danger to their life or safety, provided they notify their supervisor or OSH officer of the reason. They may not be disciplined or penalised for exercising this right unless it is deliberately abused.
  
• First aid and PPE: employers must provide first-aid facilities with a certified first aider on each shift, and supply personal protective equipment (“PPE”) free of charge.
  
• Medical testing: employers must arrange, at their own cost and through competent governmental medical bodies, drug and infectious disease testing for all employees, particularly drivers, delivery riders and employees performing hazardous work.
  
• High-risk operations and delivery riders: specific requirements apply to confined spaces, permits to work and lock-out/tag-out procedures, as well as to motorcycle delivery workers, including licences, maintenance, PPE, drug testing and safe-driving training.
  
• Violence, harassment and bullying: employers must adopt a written policy, include these risks in their risk assessment, train employees, provide a confidential complaint channel and protect complainants and witnesses from retaliation. These obligations should be read alongside Ministerial Decree No. 162 of 2026 on internal work regulations.

D. The OSH Consultancy Licensing Decree

No person may provide OSH consultancy or expert services without a Ministry of Labour licence. Licences are issued at two levels, Consultant (A) and Consultant (B), subject to minimum qualifications, at least twenty (20) and fifteen (15) years of OSH experience respectively, reduced to fifteen (15) and ten (10) years respectively for holders of a doctorate in a relevant OSH specialisation, accredited international certification and passing the Ministry’s tests.

Licences are valid for three (3) years and renewable, with fees ranging from EGP 20,000 (twenty thousand Egyptian pounds) to EGP 30,000 (thirty thousand Egyptian pounds). Employers should verify that any external OSH consultant they engage holds a valid licence.

E. The OSH Training Decree

OSH training, whether in person or online, may only be provided by a Ministry-licensed provider and within the scope of its licence. Existing providers must regularise their position within six (6) months, by 13 April 2027. Trainers must hold an accredited trainer licence, and the decree prescribes minimum programme hours, including eighty (80) hours of basic training for OSH specialists, supervisors and technicians and forty (40) hours for committee members.

Establishments that train only their own employees are exempt from licensing, provided the training relates to their activity, the programmes are approved by the Ministry or its Training Programmes and Curricula Committee, and the training is free of charge to employees.

2. Key Takeaways For Employers

As the decrees are already in force, employers should promptly:

• assess the headcount and risk classification of each establishment and branch, as these determine which obligations apply;
  
• review their OSH units, committees and accident-reporting procedures against the new requirements;
  
• update contractor arrangements, workplace policies and internal work regulations; and
  
• confirm that external OSH consultants and training providers are duly licensed.

This alert provides a brief overview of the key developments introduced by the decree and does not address their provisions in detail. Our Employment team is available to assist employers in assessing the implications of the decrees and implementing the necessary compliance measures.

The contributors to this article are Alia Monieb, Partner and Head of Employment, Seif ElKably, Managing Associate, Hana Abouelmagd, Junior Associate, and Seifeldin Hamad, Junior Associate.