Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020: A Commentary

The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 is a commentary by Dr. J.K. Verma. The Code consolidates, simplifies, and rationalises the provisions of the following 13 central labour enactments relating to occupational safety, health, and working conditions:

1. The Factories Act, 1948
2. The Plantations Labour Act, 1951
3. The Mines Act, 1952
4. The Working Journalists and Other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1955
5. The Working Journalists (Fixation of Rates of Wages) Act, 1958
6. The Motor Transport Workers Act, 1961
7. The Beedi and Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act, 1966
8. The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970
9. The Sales Promotion Employees (Conditions of Service) Act, 1976
10. The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979
11. The Cine-Workers and Cinema Theatre Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act, 1981
12. The Dock Workers (Safety, Health and Welfare) Act, 1986
13. The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996.

These enactments stand repealed by Section 143 of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.

Key Features:

• The book contains a comparative table setting out the provisions of the new Code vis-a-vis the corresponding provisions of the repealed enactments.
• Relevant notifications issued under various provisions of the Code have been incorporated at the appropriate places.
• The book also covers the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026.

This book will be of immense value to labour law practitioners, employers, employees, academics, and all those interested in labour and industrial relations law.

About the Author:

Dr. J.K. Verma, an Advocate at the Patna High Court, has a long association with the Eastern Book Company, which published his work, Laws Relating to Premature Retirement and Resignation.

He was also privileged to revise two of their celebrated publications, Departmental Enquiries and Misconduct in Employment by Shri B.R. Ghaiye.

Other treatises by Dr. Verma include Benami Property: A Commentary; Sentencing Principles; Disciplinary Proceedings in Industry; Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023; and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023. The present book is Dr. Verma's latest offering to the legal fraternity.

Table of Cases
Comparative Table
Notification on Enforcement
Introduction to Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020
Chapter 1. Preliminary
Chapter 2. Registration
Chapter 3. Duties of Employer and Employees, Etc.
Chapter 4. Occupational Safety and Health
Chapter 5. Health, Safety and Working Conditions
Chapter 6. Welfare Provisions
Chapter 7. Hours of Work and Annual Leave with Wages
Chapter 8. Maintenance of Registers, Records and Returns
Chapter 9. Inspector-Cum-Facilitators and Other Authority
Chapter 10. Special Provision Relating to Employment of Women
Chapter 11. Special Provisions for Contract Labour and Inter-State Migrant Worker, Etc.
Chapter 12. Offences and Penalties
Chapter 13. Social Security Fund
Chapter 14. Miscellaneous
First Schedule
Second Schedule
Third Schedule
Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026
Subject Index