Government notifies Draft Rules on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 - (20 Nov 2020)

Labour and Industrial

In order to enhance safety, health and working conditions and simplifying the procedures, Union Labour Ministry notifies Draft Rules under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020. Government is committed to regulate all economic activities for management of safety and health risks at workplaces. Safety and health of workers has a positive impact on productivity and economic and social development. The draft rules provides for safety, health and working conditions of the Dock Workers, Building or other construction workers, Mines workers, Inter-State Migrant worker, Contract labour, Working journalist, Audio-visual workers and Sales promotion employees.

As per draft rules, no employee shall be employed in any establishment unless he has been issued a letter of appointment. Annual health examination is to be conducted by the employer free of cost for every worker of factory, dock, mine and building or other construction work, who has completed 45 years of age. With regard to payment of wages to contact labour, the contractor shall fix the wage periods and no wage period shall exceed one month. The wages of every person employed as contract labour in an establishment or by the contactor shall be paid before the expiry of seventh day after the last day of the wage period. The wages shall be disbursed through bank transfer or electronic mode only.

Safety committees have been made mandatory for every establishment employing 500 or more workers to provide an opportunity for the workers to represent their concern on occupational safety and health matters and rules have been provided for composition and functions of safety committees. The Rules has been made regarding conditions relating to safety of women employment in all establishments for all type of work before 6 a.m. and beyond 7 p.m. with their consent. In calculating overtime on any day, a fraction of an hour between 15 to 30 minutes shall be counted as 30 minutes, at present less than 30 minutes is counted as no overtime. Mines rules have also been simplified and integrated with the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions rules. Thus, the draft Rules are aimed at enhancing safety, health and working conditions in establishments, simplifying the procedures and protocols, allowing electronic mode of maintaining registers, records and furnishing returns, thus ensuring safe, healthy and decent working conditions.

Tags : RULES EMPLOYMENT SAFETY