India’s four Labour Codes – the Code on Wages (2019), Industrial Relations Code (2020), Code on Social Security (2020), and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH&WC) Code (2020) – constitute the most extensive labour reform undertaken since Independence.
Replacing 29 Central labour laws, the Codes streamline compliance, strengthen worker protections, and modernise regulation by introducing a unified and technology-enabled governance system.
For India’s hazardous industries such as mining, petroleum, chemicals, construction, heavy engineering and dock operations, the OSH&WC Code brings some of the strongest statutory safeguards ever introduced.
What do the Labour Codes change?
The Codes replace India’s earlier fragmented regulatory system with a unified safety framework that applies across all hazardous sectors. They introduce a single national definition of hazardous processes, consolidating separate lists that previously existed under the Factories Act, Mines Act, Dock Workers Act and the BOCW Act. They also establish standardised rules for handling, storing and transporting chemicals, explosives and toxic substances, require mandatory risk assessments and on-site emergency planning before hazardous processes begin, and integrate technology-driven compliance mechanisms such as risk-based digital inspections and digital health and safety records.
Enforcement has been consolidated under an Inspector-cum-Facilitator structure, replacing multiple inspectorates. This model supports joint inspections, coordinated audits and stricter penalties for violations, reducing duplication while enhancing accountability. PIB releases emphasise the government’s focus on digitisation, simplification and transparent compliance systems as part of this reform.
Who is covered under the new framework?
The framework applies to all establishments engaged in hazardous processes across chemical and petrochemical units, petroleum and gas operations, mining, metallurgical industries, radiation-related activities, heavy engineering, dock work and major construction activities. The Codes explicitly prohibit adolescents and pregnant women from being employed in any hazardous process, while women permitted to work in specific roles must be provided additional supervision and safety measures.
What are the key protections for workers in hazardous industries?
The OSH&WC Code significantly strengthens workplace safety standards by requiring employers to conduct risk assessments, obtain statutory approvals before commencing hazardous operations, and maintain round-the-clock emergency preparedness systems linked to district disaster management authorities. Uniform standards now govern the use, storage and handling of toxic, chemical and biological substances.
Medical surveillance has been expanded substantially. Workers must undergo pre-employment, periodic and post-exposure medical examinations, and every worker in a hazardous unit is entitled to a free annual health check-up. All medical records are to be maintained digitally and made accessible to safety authorities, improving early detection of occupational diseases and long-term monitoring of exposure.
Welfare and protective measures have been enhanced. Employers are required to provide certified personal protective equipment such as helmets, respirators, gloves, goggles and protective clothing, and ensure the availability of canteens, rest shelters, washing stations, first-aid rooms, cool-off areas and ambulance rooms in designated establishments. Work hours are capped at eight hours per day and 48 hours per week, with regulated overtime.
Training has been made compulsory for the first time. Workers handling hazardous materials must receive structured training on safe storage, transport, waste disposal and emergency procedures, and skill upgradation must be carried out through accredited training institutions.
Social security has also been strengthened under the Social Security Code, 2020. Workers across hazardous sectors are now entitled to ESIC benefits, including medical care, disability compensation, maternity benefits and dependent support, while long-term protections such as provident fund, gratuity and pension coverage are ensured through a portable, digital social security account. Compensation for injury or death arising from hazardous work has become more predictable and enforceable under the unified framework.
Workers also gain the right to refuse work that poses serious and imminent danger. Employers must investigate such cases immediately without penalising the worker.
How do the new codes differ from earlier laws?
Previously, workplace safety across hazardous sectors was governed by separate laws with overlapping jurisdictions, inconsistent inspection systems and manually maintained health records that offered limited traceability. Emergency planning obligations varied and enforcement often depended on multiple inspectorates.
The new Codes replace this with a single, integrated system. All hazardous processes fall under one consolidated national schedule. Inspections are risk-based and digital, enforcement routes are uniform across states, and establishments must prepare on-site emergency plans, conduct mock drills every six months and coordinate directly with district disaster management authorities. Digital health and social security records improve transparency and portability, particularly for workers who frequently shift jobs or locations. The unified structure reduces compliance burden for employers while significantly strengthening protections for workers exposed to hazardous operations.
