**Executive Summary**
The document is a response to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha regarding worker safety safeguards under the Occupational Safety Code. It states that the Government has enacted the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH & WC) Code, 2020, consolidating and simplifying existing labour laws, replacing 13 laws. The Ministry of Labour & Employment pre-published the draft rules under OSH & WC Code 2020 on 30th December 2025 seeking comments from stakeholders.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Legislative Changes:**
* The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH & WC) Code, 2020 was enacted to consolidate and simplify existing labour laws.
* The OSH & WC Code, 2020 replaces 13 existing central labour laws.
* The code reduces multiplicity and brings uniformity across sectors and states.
* The code mandates health and safety provisions for all workers employed in establishments employing 10 or more employees.
* **Roles and Responsibilities:**
* Roles and responsibilities are specified under the OSH & WC Code, 2020 for Central and State Government, as labor is in the concurrent list.
* The Ministry of Labour & Employment pre-published the draft rules under the code seeking comments from stakeholders on 30th December 2025.
* **Implementation and Training:**
* The Ministry of Labour & Employment conducted meetings, workshops, and conferences with States/UTs regarding code implementation.
* The Ministry is training State Government officers through V.V. Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI), Noida.
* Online training modules have been developed and hosted on iGOT Karmayogi.
* **Employer Obligations and Penalties:**
* The Code mandates employers comply with occupational safety and health standards, including safety audits.
* Employers must send notices of accidents causing death or bodily injury to the prescribed authorities.
* The code has provisions for penalty or punishment for contravention of the code, rules, regulations, standards, and bye-laws.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Workers**
* **Impact:** Workers are affected by changes to the health and safety provisions of establishments employing 10 or more employees.
* **Action Required:** No immediate action required.
**Stakeholder: Employers**
* **Impact:** Employers need to comply with new safety and health standards, conduct safety audits, and report accidents. Contravention may result in penalties.
* **Action Required:** Employers should review the new code, draft rules, and ensure compliance.
**Stakeholder: Central and State Governments**
* **Impact:** The Central and State Governments have specified roles and responsibilities for the code.
* **Action Required:** Central and State Governments need to review and implement the Code.
**Stakeholder: Ministry of Labour & Employment**
* **Impact:** The Ministry is responsible for implementing, training, and conducting conferences.
* **Action Required:** Continue efforts for implementing and training activities regarding the Code.
**Stakeholder: Stakeholders.**
* **Impact:** The stakeholders will have the opportunity to give comments on the rules
* **Action Required:** Provide comments and insights on the draft rules under OSH & WC Code 2020 by the 30th of December 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH & WC) Code, 2020: A code enacted by the Government to consolidate and simplify existing labour laws, replacing 13 central labour laws and mandating health and safety provisions.
Ministry of Labour & Employment: The ministry responsible for administering labour laws and policies, including the OSH & WC Code, 2020.
Noida: Location of the V.V. Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI), where training on implementation of Codes is imparted to officers of the State Government.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 434
TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2026
WORKER SAFETY SAFEGUARDS UNDER OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
CODE
434. SHRI MADDILA GURUMOORTHY:
Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to
state:
(a)whether the Government is aware that the Occupational Safety,
Health and Working Conditions Code has expanded coverage to
multiple sectors while simultaneously reducing explicit statutory
obligations in certain high-risk employments such as construction,
mines, and contract labourers and if so, the details thereof;
(b)whether the Government has assessed the readiness of Central
and State enforcement machineries including availability of
qualified safety officers, inspectors-cum-facilitators and medical
infrastructure for effective implementation of the said Code; and
(c)if so, the details thereof including timelines for framing sector-
specific rules, mechanisms for mandatory safety audits, accident
reporting and measures proposed to fix accountability on
employers to prevent workplace accidents and occupational
diseases?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)
(a) to (c): The Government has enacted Occupational Safety, Health
and Working Conditions (OSH & WC) Code, 2020, to consolidate and
simplify the existing labour laws. It replaces 13 existing central
labour laws into a single comprehensive legislation, thereby reducing
multiplicity and bringing uniformity across sectors and states. The
Code mandates health and safety provisions for all workers employed
in establishments employing 10 or more employees.
Since, the labour is in the concurrent list and accordingly,
roles and responsibilities have been specified under the OSH & WC
Code, 2020 for Central and State Government. Ministry of Labour &
Employment has pre published the draft rules under OSH & WC Code
2020 on 30th December 2025 seeking comments of stakeholders.
Contd..2/-:: 2 ::
The Ministry of Labour & Employment has conducted
several meetings, workshops, regional conferences, video
conferencing, etc. with States/ UTs on implementation of Codes. The
Ministry is also imparting training to the officers of State Government
through V.V. Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI), Noida. Further,
on-line training modules on Codes have developed and hosted on
iGOT Karmayogi.
The Code mandates employer to comply, inter-alia, with
occupational safety & health standards including safety audit, send
notices of accident which causes death or bodily injury to authorities
prescribed by appropriate government. Further, for contravention of
provisions of the code, rules, regulations, standards, bye-laws, the
code has provisions for penalty or punishment, as applicable.
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