The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSHWC) Code, 2020

It is a combination of the following 13 Acts:

Factories Act, 1948
Mines Act, 1952
Dock Workers (Safety, Health and Welfare) Act, 1986
Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment & Conditions of Service) Act, 1996
Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970
Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment & Conditions of Service) Act, 1979
Plantations Labour Act, 1951
Working Journalists and Other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1955
Working Journalists (Fixation of Rates of Wages) Act, 1958
Motor Transport Workers Act, 1961
Sales Promotion Employees (Conditions of Service) Act, 1976
Beedi and Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act, 1966
Cine-Workers and Cinema Theatre Workers Act, 1981

Objective:

The OSHWC Code, 2020 seeks to update and unify laws pertaining to health regulations, workplace safety, and working conditions for workers in a variety of establishments. It aims to guarantee a secure workplace, simplify compliance, facilitate business transactions, and safeguard employees in dangerous and high-risk industries.

Applicability

It applies on Factories with 20 or more workers using power, or 40 or more without power, Establishments such as construction sites, motor transport, plantations, mines, ports, audio-visual production units, etc., with 10 or more workers, Contract Labour in establishments employing 10 or more contract workers and Inter-State Migrant Workers earning wages up to ₹18,000 per month.

Exception

It does not apply to offices of Central/State Government except where contract labour is engaged.

Key Impacts:

Single Registration by using a single web portal, establishments can register together.
Workplace safety regulations, training, welfare facilities, working hours, and free yearly health examinations are among the employer's obligations.
Welfare facilities include restrooms, drinking water, protective gear, canteens, first aid, washing facilities, and crèches with more than fifty employees.
Working Hours are Spread-over limits and overtime provisions are included in the maximum working hours.
Contract Labor is unless otherwise specified; contract labor is permitted, with the exception of core activities.
Interstate Migrant Workers are required travel reimbursement, relocation reimbursement, and record-keeping.
Safety committees are required in factories, mines, and other facilities with potentially dangerous operations.
Inspector-cum-Facilitator is replaced the enforcement model with an advisory and support one.