PPE on Estonian Construction Sites: Rules, Inspection Findings and Checklist

Personal protective equipment – in Estonian isikukaitsevahendid – is part of every working day on an Estonian construction site. Who has to provide it, how it is chosen and who checks that it is used is set out in the Occupational Health and Safety Act (TTOS), the government regulation on selecting and using PPE and construction regulation no. 377. This guide sums up those rules, what the Labour Inspectorate (Tööinspektsioon) found during its July 2026 site inspections, and gives a practical checklist for PPE on a construction site (isikukaitsevahendid ehitusplatsil).

The rules behind PPE on Estonian construction sites

Occupational Health and Safety Act (TTOS)

Under the Töötervishoiu ja tööohutuse seadus, PPE is needed when risks cannot be avoided by collective protective measures or by organising the work differently. In that case the employer gives employees personal protective equipment. Employees have the right to demand that the employer provides both collective and personal protective equipment, and the employer organises training in how to use PPE.

Regulation on selecting and using PPE

The government regulation "Isikukaitsevahendite valimise ja kasutamise kord" applies to all activities covered by TTOS. Its key points:

• When choosing PPE, the employer considers the proposals of employees and working environment representatives (töökeskkonnavolinikud).
• PPE must match the specific protection need, suit the person who uses it and the conditions of the work, and stay in working order.
• The employer instructs workers – with a practical demonstration where needed – and checks that PPE is actually used during hazardous work.
• The annex to the regulation lists situations where equipment is needed, for example a safety helmet (kaitsekiiver) for work on scaffolding and at height, near cranes and lifts, and in building construction.

Regulation no. 377: health and safety requirements in construction

Government regulation no. 377 of 8 December 1999, "Töötervishoiu ja tööohutuse nõuded ehituses", contains the construction-site rules. On a shared construction site (ühine ehitusplats) a health and safety coordinator (töötervishoiu ja tööohutuse koordinaator) organises safety, and a safety plan (tööohutuse plaan) is prepared before work starts. The safety plan is where a site's PPE rules are normally written down.

Separately from safety, Estonian construction sites also have an electronic registration of presence on site linked to the Tax and Customs Board (Maksu- ja Tolliamet).

What Tööinspektsioon found in July 2026

In July 2026 the Labour Inspectorate carried out a targeted inspection of construction sites that covered 761 workers. The main results:

The inspectorate's conclusion: PPE rules written into the safety plan are not enough – the coordinator has to check on site that the equipment is actually used. Safety footwear is mostly in order. Helmets and fall protection are where sites most often fall short, and those are exactly the items that protect against the most serious injuries.

PPE checklist for a construction site

Use this list as a starting point and compare it with your site's safety plan and the employer's risk assessment. The standard markings below are the ones you will typically find on PPE sold in the EU.

• Safety helmet (kaitsekiiver) – chosen for the actual task, since a helmet that does not match the protection need was the most common inspection finding. General construction helmets are tested to EN 397; for climbing-style work at height see our guide EN 397 vs EN 12492 helmets. Browse safety helmets.
• Safety footwear (turvajalatsid) – toe cap and puncture-resistant sole for site work, e.g. S3. Read S1P vs S3 vs S3S and see our safety boots.
• Hi-vis clothing (helkurriided / helkurvest) – EN ISO 20471, at least class 2 on the upper body is a common site rule; class 3 is often required near road or rail traffic. See hi-vis classes explained, hi-vis workwear and hi-vis vests.
• Work gloves (töökindad) – matched to the task (cut, abrasion, cold). The EN 388 marking tells you the protection level: EN 388 ratings explained. Shop work gloves.
• Safety glasses (kaitseprillid) – EN 166, whenever the task creates dust, chips or splashes. See safety glasses.
• Fall protection (kukkumiskaitse) – a harness is only protection when it is properly attached; this was a key finding of the July 2026 inspection. See fall protection.
• Work clothes – durable work jackets and long work trousers suited to the season.

Example: a large contractor's site rules

Main contractors often set stricter minimums than the law. As an example, NCC's site rules in Finland (posted on site in Estonian too) require:

• safety footwear S3, S5 or S1+P;
• hi-vis on the upper body at least EN ISO 20471 class 2, class 3 in road and rail areas;
• an EN 397 helmet with a chin strap;
• EN 166 eye protection according to the task;
• hearing protection when noise exceeds 85 dB;
• a visible Valtti card and long work trousers;
• FFP3/P3 respiratory protection in dusty phases.

Working on a Finnish site?

Many Estonian builders work in Finland. There, a construction worker may not start work before being entered in the Finnish tax number register (veronumerorekisteri); Estonian construction workers can get the Finnish tax number in Tallinn. Most Finnish sites require a visible Valttikortti showing name, photo, employer and tax number (veronumero). For the full kit list see Mandatory PPE on Finnish construction sites.

Equip the whole crew

Before a new project it pays to put together the same basic kit for every worker: helmet, hi-vis outer layer, safety boots, gloves and glasses. Our ready workwear kits help you order a complete set per worker in the right sizes.

General information, not legal advice. Check the current law and your site's safety plan.