Personal protective equipment is a legal obligation, not a purchasing option. Every employer in Cyprus must conduct a formal risk assessment, identify where PPE is required, and supply workers with certified equipment appropriate to those risks. Getting this wrong exposes both workers and businesses to serious consequences — injury, liability, and regulatory action by the Cyprus Department of Labour Inspection.
This guide covers everything Cypriot employers need to know about personal protective equipment: what the law requires, which EN standards apply to each PPE category, how to match equipment to specific industries and roles, and where to source certified products in Cyprus.
The PPE market in Cyprus spans construction, manufacturing, healthcare, utilities, and logistics. Each sector carries distinct hazards and distinct equipment requirements. Understanding the framework — the EU regulation, the EN standards, and the risk-assessment process — is the foundation for getting PPE selection right.
What Is Personal Protective Equipment and Why Does It Matter?
Personal protective equipment means any device, appliance, or clothing designed to be worn by a person to protect against one or more hazards to their safety or health at work. The definition covers everything from a basic dust mask to a full chemical protection suit, from a hard hat to a fall arrest harness.
EU Regulation (EU) 2016/425, which applies directly in Cyprus as an EU member state, governs the design, manufacture, and marketing of PPE. All PPE placed on the EU market must carry a CE mark, indicating that the product has been tested and certified against the relevant harmonised European standard. Employers must not supply workers with uncertified equipment, regardless of cost considerations.
PPE is the last control measure in the workplace safety hierarchy. Before reaching for protective equipment, employers should eliminate hazards at source, substitute dangerous substances, and engineer out risks where possible. When residual risk remains, PPE is the necessary final layer of protection. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work provides extensive guidance on applying the hierarchy in practice.
PPE Categories Under EU Regulation (EU) 2016/425
The regulation classifies PPE into three risk categories, which determine the level of third-party assessment required before a product can be CE-marked:
Category I — Minimal Risk PPE designed for minor, easily reversible hazards. Examples include lightweight gardening gloves or basic UV-protection sunglasses. Self-certification by the manufacturer is sufficient.
Category II — Intermediate Risk Most workplace PPE falls here: construction helmets, safety footwear (non-electrical), standard work gloves, and most hi-vis clothing. Category II PPE requires examination by a notified conformity assessment body before CE marking.
Category III — Serious and Irreversible Risk Equipment protecting against hazards that can cause death or permanent harm. This includes fall arrest harnesses, respiratory equipment for toxic atmospheres, chemical protective suits, and electrical protection. Category III PPE requires type-examination by a notified body and ongoing production quality assurance.
Employers purchasing fall protection harnesses or respiratory equipment for hazardous environments must verify that the CE marking is accompanied by an EU Declaration of Conformity and a four-digit notified body number. The full text of Regulation (EU) 2016/425 sets out these requirements in detail.
Types of Personal Protective Equipment — Categories and Standards
Head Protection Hard hats and safety helmets protect against impact from falling objects, fixed obstacles, and in some cases electrical contact. The primary standard is EN 397 for industrial helmets. Helmets with lateral deformation resistance are required in environments with side-impact risk. Bump caps (EN 812) are lighter and suited to low-headroom environments where impact risk is less severe, but they do not replace EN 397 helmets on construction sites.
Safety Footwear EN ISO 20345 is the governing standard. It specifies toe-cap impact resistance (200 joules), and establishes performance ratings from S1 to S7 based on additional protective properties including penetration resistance, water resistance, and ankle support. S3 boots are the standard choice for outdoor construction in Cyprus. Electrical-hazard footwear, anti-static boots, and chemical-resistant variants serve specific industrial applications.
Protective Gloves Glove selection depends entirely on the hazard: – EN 388 — Mechanical risks (cut, abrasion, puncture, tear) – EN 374 — Chemical and microbiological protection – EN 407 — Thermal risks (heat and flame) – EN 511 — Cold protection – EN 60903 — Electrical insulation
A single glove type rarely covers multiple hazard categories. Workplaces with combined risks need separate gloves for different tasks or specialist multi-hazard gloves with verified dual ratings.
Eye and Face Protection EN 166 defines requirements for occupational eye protectors. Safety glasses protect against solid particles and liquid splashes. Goggles seal around the eye and provide higher protection against chemical splash and dust. Face shields are required where large surface splash or arc flash exposure is possible. Welding processes require specific optical filters rated under EN 169 and EN 379.
Hearing Protection The EU Physical Agents (Noise) Directive sets an action value at 80 dB(A) and a limit value at 87 dB(A). Above the lower action value, hearing protection must be made available. Above the upper action value of 85 dB(A), wearing it is mandatory. Earplugs and ear defenders are certified under EN 352. The SNR (Single Number Rating) on the packaging indicates how many decibels of protection the device provides.
Respiratory Protection Filtering facepiece (FFP) masks are classified by filtration efficiency under EN 149: – FFP1 — Filters at least 80% of airborne particles – FFP2 — Filters at least 94% — standard for construction dust and most industrial use – FFP3 — Filters at least 99% — required for asbestos, highly toxic dusts, and certain biological agents
Half-face and full-face respirators use replaceable filter cartridges rated by EN 140 and EN 136 respectively. The correct filter class depends on the contaminant type and its concentration relative to occupational exposure limits.
High Visibility Clothing EN ISO 20471 classifies hi-vis garments into three classes based on the visible area of fluorescent background material and retroreflective tape: – Class 1 — Minimum requirement, suitable for low-risk environments – Class 2 — Road works, construction sites, logistics – Class 3 — Highest visibility, required for workers on live roads
Fall Protection Equipment EN 361 covers full-body harnesses. EN 354 governs lanyards. EN 360 covers self-retracting lifelines. Fall protection equipment is Category III PPE and requires the most rigorous certification and inspection regime. Harnesses must be inspected before each use and formally examined by a competent person at least annually.
Legal Requirements for Employers in Cyprus
The Cyprus Department of Labour Inspection enforces compliance with workplace safety law, which incorporates the EU PPE Regulation and relevant directives. Key employer obligations include:
- Conducting a written risk assessment to identify where PPE is required
- Selecting PPE that is appropriate to the specific risk and certified to the relevant EN standard
- Providing PPE to workers at no cost
- Ensuring workers are trained in the correct use, storage, and maintenance of PPE
- Replacing PPE that is damaged, expired, or no longer fit for purpose
- Keeping records of PPE provision
Failure to meet these obligations can result in improvement notices, prohibition notices, and financial penalties.
How to Choose the Right PPE for Your Industry
Construction and civil engineering: Mandatory minimum — EN 397 hard hat, EN ISO 20345 S3 safety boots, EN ISO 20471 Class 2 hi-vis vest, EN 388 work gloves. Height work adds EN 361 harness and lanyard. Grinding and cutting operations require EN 166 eye protection and EN 352 hearing protection.
Manufacturing and light industrial: Foot and hand protection are typically primary requirements, with eye and respiratory protection added based on the specific process. Chemical handling introduces EN 374 gloves and, depending on substance and ventilation, respiratory equipment.
Healthcare: Disposable gloves (EN 455), FFP2 or FFP3 respiratory protection, and disposable coveralls (EN 13982 for particulate protection) are standard. Sharps handling requires puncture-resistant gloves rated under EN 388.
Utilities and electrical work: Anti-static footwear (EN ISO 20345 with ESD rating), insulated gloves rated to EN 60903 for the working voltage, and arc flash face protection where applicable.
Why PNG Safety Ltd?
PNG Safety Ltd has supplied personal protective equipment to Cypriot businesses since 1994. As the official Diadora Utility representative in Cyprus, PNG Safety carries a comprehensive range of certified safety footwear and workwear alongside its broader PPE offering. All products meet current EU standards. The company’s B2B wholesale programme serves construction companies, industrial businesses, and organisations purchasing PPE at scale. Browse the full product range at the PNG Safety shop.
Compliant PPE procurement in Cyprus starts with understanding the regulation, identifying the correct EN standards for each hazard, and selecting certified products from a reliable supplier. Businesses that follow this process protect their workers, satisfy their legal obligations, and reduce liability exposure across their operations.