Bharat’s The Occupational Safety, Health & Working Conditions Code, 2020 (37 of 2020) – 1st Edition 2026.

Bharat’s The Occupational Safety, Health & Working Conditions Code, 2020 (37 of 2020) – 1st Edition 2026.

About The Occupational Safety, Health & Working Conditions Code, 2020

The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (OSH Code, Act No. 37 of 2020) is an Indian labour law that consolidates and amends the laws regulating occupational safety, health, and working conditions for people employed in various establishments.

The Code received presidential assent on September 28, 2020. The Central Government has appointed November 21, 2025, as the date on which the provisions of the Code shall come into force.

Key Features and Provisions

The OSH Code replaces 13 previous central labour laws with a single, comprehensive piece of legislation, aiming to simplify compliance and improve transparency.

• Scope: The Code applies to establishments with 10 or more workers, and to all mines and docks. It provides universal coverage for the health, safety, and welfare of workers across various sectors, which was previously limited to only a few.
• Employer Duties: Employers are required to provide a hazard-free workplace, issue appointment letters to all employees, and ensure free annual health check-ups for certain classes of workers (e.g., those above 45 in specific industries like factories, mines, etc.).
• Employee Rights and Duties: Employees have the right to information on health and safety and the right to bring imminent dangers to the employer’s notice. They also have duties, such as taking reasonable care for their own safety and cooperating with the employer on safety requirements.
• Working Hours and Leave:
  No worker can be required to work for more than eight hours a day or 48 hours a week.
  Overtime work must be paid at twice the normal wage rate.
  Women are entitled to work in all establishments, including at night (before 6 a.m. and beyond 7 p.m.), with their consent and subject to safety conditions.
• Welfare Facilities: The Code mandates welfare amenities like canteens, first-aid boxes, and separate facilities (washrooms, bathing areas, locker rooms) for male, female, and transgender employees. Establishments with more than 50 workers must provide a creche facility.
• Migrant Workers and Contract Labour: Special provisions are included for inter-state migrant workers, such as portability of benefits and a lump sum amount for travel fare to their native place. Employment of contract labour is generally prohibited in core activities of an establishment, with some exceptions.
• Enforcement: The Code establishes “Inspector-cum-Facilitators” to conduct inspections and an online portal (Shram Suvidha portal) for electronic registration and compliance filings.

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