The amalgamated and consolidated legislations are:

1. The Factories Act, 1948
2. The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970
3. The Mines Act, 1952
4. The Dock Workers (Safety, Health and Welfare) Act, 1986
5. The Building & Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979
6. The Plantations Labour Act, 1951
7. The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979
8. The Working Journalist and other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1955
9. The Working Journalist (Fixation of rates of wages) Act, 1961
10. The Cine Workers and Cinema Theatre Workers Act, 1961
11. The Motor Transport Workers Act, 1961
12. The Sales Promotion Employees (Conditions of Service) Act, 1976
13. The Beedi and Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act, 1966

Salient Features of the OSHWC Code

This section points out some of the key provisions in the OSHWC Code with a focus on the aspects which are different from applicable law.

1. OSHWC Code has introduced a single registration for all establishments with 10 or more workers. Given that the OSHWC Code applies to a variety of different industries and types of establishments, the applicability for various sections varies accordingly as enumerated in the next point.

2. The following are the amendments to thresholds which determine the applicability of relevant provisions of the OSHWC Code:

• Factories with power – 10 to 20 workers
• Factories without power – 20 to 40 workers
• Contract Labour Section – 20 to 50 workers
• Creche facility – 30 to 50 workers
• Welfare Officer – 500 to 250 workers
• Canteen – 250 to 100 workers

3. Women can now work between 7 pm and 6 am in various establishments provided consent is obtained and safety measures are in place. Further, where previously prohibited, women are now allowed to work in all establishments including ones which are involved in hazardous activities.

4. It has been made mandatory for all workers to have written terms of employment issued in an Appointment Letter.

5. Free health needs to be provided by the employer annually for all workers over an age specified.

6. Inter-state migrant workers to be provided for by employer/contractor, including statutory benefits. Further employers also have to cover travel fares for such workers as an allowance annually.

7. Constitution of National Occupational Safety and Health Advisory Board to oversee and regulate safety norms, including requiring participatory/representative committees to be created to evaluate safety norms.

8. Working hours, leave, overtime, welfare provisions have been made largely uniform across most Codes which makes the provisions uniform across most establishments.

9. An employer is required to maintain a register which includes most of the following information: work performed by the employees, number of hours of work that constitute normal working hours in a day, weekly scheduled rest day, wages paid and receipts provided thereof, leave, leave with wages, overtime work, attendance, and dangerous occurrences and employment of adolescents.

10. Government to formulate schemes for third party audit by professional experts.

OSHWC Code Implications

The OSHWC Code has certainly simplified the regulatory process. However, most of the aspects specifically needing regulations have been delegated to the State Government or the Board, so it needs to be seen what further legal provisions will likely be introduced in the rules.