Five new state standards have been adopted to establish technical requirements and testing methods for personal protective equipment and enhance occupational health and safety.

The Azerbaijan Standardization Institute (AZSTAND), a public legal entity operating under the State Agency for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, has adopted five new state standards in the field of occupational health and safety:

• AZS EN 355:2026 — “Personal protective equipment against falls from a height — Energy absorbers”;
• AZS GOST 12.4.024:2026 — “Occupational safety standards system — Anti-vibration special footwear — General technical requirements”;
• AZS GOST 12.4.072:2026 — “Occupational safety standards system — Molded rubber special boots for protection against water, petroleum oils and mechanical impacts”;
• AZS GOST 12.4.124:2026 — “Occupational safety standards system — Means of protection against static electricity — General technical requirements”;
• AZS GOST 12.4.177:2026 — “Occupational safety standards system — Personal protective equipment against foot puncture — General technical requirements and test method for anti-puncture properties.”

The adoption of these standards is aimed at improving the quality and safety requirements applicable to personal protective equipment, reducing occupational hazards, ensuring safer working conditions, and aligning occupational health and safety practices with international best practices.

The standards have been included in the reference list of the “National Technical Regulation on the Safety of Personal Protective Equipment,” developed under the “State Program on Harmonizing the National Standardization System with International Requirements for 2023–2025.”

The draft standards were developed based on proposals submitted by the Technical Committee for Standardization on the “Labor Sector” (AZSTAND/TC 21), established under AZSTAND on the basis of the “Occupational Safety Center” Public Legal Entity. Following their adoption, the standards were incorporated into the State Fund of Normative Documents on Standardization.