**Executive Summary**
This document presents the Minister of Labour and Employment's response to Unstarred Question No. 427 in the Lok Sabha, concerning the safety and welfare of workers in the unorganized sector. The response, to be answered on 02.02.2026, addresses industrial accidents, safety audits, compensation policies, and enforcement of labour laws. Key legislation, including the Factories Act, Employees' Compensation Act, and Minimum Wages Act, are referenced, along with their recent subsumption into new codes, all effective from 21.11.2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Legislative Framework:**
* The Factories Act, 1948 provided for occupational safety, health, and welfare of workers in registered factories.
* The Factories Act, 1948, has been subsumed in the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (OSH&WC), 2020, effective from 21.11.2025.
* The OSH&WC Code, 2020, provides for the occupational safety, health, and working conditions of employees in establishments as defined under the code.
* The OSH&WC Code envisages a "Third Party Audit and Certification" scheme, with empanelled experts conducting randomized safety audits.
* The Employees' Compensation Act, 1923, provides for compensation to employees and their dependents in cases of injury, accident, or death resulting from employment.
* The Employees' Compensation Act, 1923, has been subsumed in the Code on Social Security, 2020, effective from 21.11.2025, which now regulates compensation provisions.
* The provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, have been rationalized and subsumed under the Code on Wages, 2019, effective from 21.11.2025, with the aim to universalize the applicability of minimum wages.
* The Code on Wages, 2019, empowers Central and State Governments to fix, review, and revise minimum wages for establishments under their purview.
* **Data on Industrial Accidents:**
* Details of fatal and non-fatal injuries in Maharashtra, including the Chakan and Ranjangaon industrial belt of the Shirur constituency, for the calendar years 2020-2024, are annexed.
**Impact Analysis**
**Central and State Governments**
* **Impact:** Empowered to fix, review, and revise minimum rates of wages.
* **Action Required:** Governments need to determine appropriate minimum wage levels for establishments within their purview, below which the minimum wages cannot be set.
**Employers**
* **Impact:** Subject to regulations and provisions of Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020. Responsible for addressing safety audit reports.
* **Action Required:** Employers need to comply with the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020; address the conditions and recommendations resulting from safety audit reports, and provide a safe and healthy working environment for their employees.
**Employees**
* **Impact:** Protected by the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 with the right to occupational safety, health, and fair working conditions. Entitled to compensation for injuries, accidents, disablement, or death arising from employment, as regulated by the Social Security Code, 2020. Entitled to receive the prescribed minimum wage for their employment, as mandated by the Code on Wages, 2019.
* **Action Required:** Employees should be aware of their rights and entitlements.
Key Entities Referenced
Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (OSH&WC), 2020: A consolidated labour code in India relating to occupational safety, health, and working conditions, replacing several existing laws like the Factories Act.
Code on Wages, 2019: A labour code in India aiming to regulate wage and bonus payments to employees and replacing existing laws such as the Minimum Wages Act.
Factories Act, 1948: An Indian law regulating working conditions and safety in factories, which has been subsumed by the OSH&WC Code, 2020.
Employees' Compensation Act, 1923: An Indian act providing for payment of compensation to employees for injury or accident during employment, subsumed by the Code on Social Security, 2020.
Ministry of Labour and Employment: The Indian government ministry responsible for labour policy, including safety, health, and welfare of workers.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 427
TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2026
SAFETY AND WELFARE OF WORKERS IN THE UNORGANIZED
SECTOR
427. DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE:
Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to
state:
(a)the details of the number of industrial accidents and fire incidents
reported in the Chakan and Ranjangaon industrial belt of the Shirur
Lok Sabha constituency during the last five years and the current
year;
(b)the details of the safety audits conducted in the said industrial
areas and the measures being taken by the Government to ensure
the safety and well-being of the industrial workers;
(c)the details of the policy of Government on providing timely
compensation and rehabilitation to the victims of the said
accidents; and
(d)the details of the steps being taken by the Government to enforce
labour laws and to ensure fair wages and working conditions for
the workers in the unorganized sector?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)
(a) to (d): The Factories Act, 1948 provided the occupational safety,
health and welfare of the workers employed in the factories
registered under the Act. There were elaborate provisions to ensure
the occupational health, safety, working conditions and welfare of
workers under the Act and the rules framed thereunder. The
Factories Act, 1948 and the rules framed thereunder were enforced
by States / Union Territories.
Contd..2/-:: 2 ::
Further, the Factories Act, 1948 has been subsumed in the
Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code
(OSH&WC), 2020. The OSH & WC Code 2020 has come into force with
effect from 21.11.2025. The OSH&WC Code, 2020 provides for the
occupational safety, health and working conditions of an “employee”
employed in an “establishment” as defined under the OSH&WC Code,
2020.
The OSH&WC Code, envisages ‘Third Party Audit and
Certification’ and provides for a "scheme" to empanel experts by the
appropriate Government. Such experts shall be assigned Third Party
Audit and certification in a randomized manner through a web-based
scheme to carry out safety audit and certification along with
submitting the report to the concerned employer and Inspector-cum
Facilitator. The details of fatal and non-fatal injuries occurred in
Maharashtra including Chakan and Ranjangaon industrial belt of the
Shirur constituency during calendar year 2020-2024 is annexed.
The Employees' Compensation Act, 1923 provides, inter-
alia, for payment of compensation to employees and their dependents
in case of injury and accident arising out of and in the course of
employment and resulting in disablement or death. The Act is
implemented by the State / UTs. Employees' Compensation Act, 1923
has been subsumed in Code on Social Security, 2020 which has come
into force with effect from 21.11.2025. The Social Security Code,
2020 now regulates the provision of compensation to employees and
their dependents in cases of injury or accident arising out of and in
the course of employment.
The provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 have been
rationalized and subsumed under the Code on Wages, 2019, which
has come into force from 21.11.2025, with an aim to universalize the
applicability of Minimum Wages across employments and ensure
timely payment of wages to all employees. The Code on Wages 2019,
empowers Central and State Governments as Appropriate
Governments to fix, review and revise the minimum rate of wages for
the establishments coming under their respective purview. Further,
the Code on Wages, 2019, mandates the Central Government to fix a
Floor Wage, below which no state can fix its minimum wages.
* *****Annexure
Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no. 427
for 02.02.2026.
Details of fatal and non-fatal injuries occurred during the last five years in Maharashtra
including Chakan and Ranjangaon Industrial belt.
Year Fatal Injuries Non-Fatal Fatal injuries Non-Fatal injuries
Injuries caused by Fire caused by Fire
2020 154 778 6 26
2021 180 793 39 33
2022 178 819 18 45
2023 190 818 2 18
2024 157 881 6 40
Data Source: Data collected by DGFASLI through correspondence with Chief Inspector of
Factories (CIF) / Director of Industrial Safety & Health (DISH) of States/UTs.
*****