UPSC CIVIL SERVICES 2025: QUESTIONS FOR PERSONAL INTRERVIEW 20205 TOPIC: Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (2020)

 SET:LL: Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (2020) [announced on 22.11.2025]:notes prepared on 26112025 

Topic : Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code 2020 (for G S 

Papers) {Prepared on 26 .11.2025 } 

For Study purpose only 

NB: For any doubts clarification, please refer to 

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TOPIC : Occupational safety, Health and working conditions code , 2020 for UPSC(CSE)(Prelims) Exams. ,2026 

Briefly : - 

The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSHWC) Code 2020 is aimed at securing safety and health protection to workers in establishments having ten or more workers. 

The Code simplifies, amalgamates and rationalises the provisions of existing thirteen central labour laws in the area of safety, health, working conditions etc. 

It brings in flexibility in adapting to the technological changes and also in the implementation of the provisions appropriately 

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Code has been drafted after amalgamation, simplification and rationalization of the relevant provisions of the 13 Central Labour Acts The Factories Act, 1948; The Plantations Labour Act, 1951; The Mines Act, 1952; The Working Journalists and other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1955; The Working Journalists (Fixation of Rates of Wages) Act, 1958; The Motor Transport Workers Act, 1961; The Beedi and Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act, 1966; The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970; The Sales Promotion Employees (Conditions of Service) Act, 1976; The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979; The Cine-Workers and Cinema Theatre Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act, 1981; The Dock Workers (Safety, Health and Welfare) Act, 1986 and; The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996. 

The Code balances the twin objectives of safeguarding worker rights and safe working conditions, and creating a business-friendly regulatory environment. This will spur economic growth and employment thereby, making India’s labour market more efficient, fair, and future-ready. 

Question : What is the transformative power of new Labour Codes ? 

India’s new Labour Codes make labour laws simpler, fairer, and more in tune with today’s work environment. They protect workers’ rights, improve safety and social security, make it easier for businesses to comply with rules, and create more job opportunities in a

growing economy. The enacted Labour Codes bring out following transformations in the labour market: 

● Align labour laws with the current economic scenario by modernizing regulations in accordance with evolving work patterns, technological advancements, and economic realities. 

● Ensure the safety, health, social security, and wage security of every worker through a unified and comprehensive framework encompassing all categories of workers. 

● Enhance employment opportunities by simplifying procedures and fostering a business-friendly environment that promotes investment and economic growth. 

● Facilitate easier compliance by introducing uniform definitions, single registration, single return, and simplified online systems for seamless adherence. 

● Encourage the use of technology in the administration of labour laws through digital registration, licensing, and inspections for improved efficiency and transparency. 

● Strengthen transparency and accountability in enforcement through online, risk-based inspection mechanisms and objective implementation processes. 

● Achieve simplification, harmonization, and rationalization of the regulatory framework by consolidating multiple labour laws into four comprehensive Codes, ensuring consistency and reducing administrative burden. 

============================================= Question : OSHWC Code 2020 subsumes which Acts ? 

Ans : 

i. The Factories Act, 1948 

ii. The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970

iii. The Mines Act, 1952 

iv. The Dock Workers (Safety, Health and Welfare) Act, 1986 

v. The Building & Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 

vi. The Plantations Labour Act, 1951 

vii. The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979 

viii. The Working Journalist and other News Paper Employees (Conditions of Service and Miscellaneous Provision) Act, 1955 

ix. The Working Journalist (Fixation of rates of wages) Act, 1958 x. The Cine Workers and Cinema Theatre Workers Act, 1981 xi. The Motor Transport Workers Act, 1961 

xii. The Sales Promotion Employees (Conditions of Service) Act, 1976 xiii. The Beedi and Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act, 1966 Ans : All the above 

Question : OSHWC Code 2020 applies to whom ? 

Ans : The Code applies on factories having 20 or more workers and manufacturing process is being carried on with the aid of power or 40 or more workers where manufacturing process is being carried on without the aid of power. 

•It emphasizes on health, safety and welfare of the workers employed in various sectors like industry, trade, business, manufacturing, factory, motor transport undertaking, building and other construction work, newspaper establishments, audio-video production, plantation, mine & dock-work and service sectors 

Question: OSHWC Code 2020 will not apply to whom ? 

Ans : The Code doesn’t apply to offices of Central Government, State Government and any ship of war or any nationality but at the same time it applies to contract labour employed through contractor in the offices where Central Government or State Government are principal employer. 

Question: According to OSHWC Code 2020 what is to be set up ?

Ans : The Code sets up occupational safety boards at the national and state level to advise the central and state governments on the standards, rules, and regulations to be framed under the Code. 

Question: The OSHWC Code creates special provisions to whom? 

Ans : The Code creates special provisions for certain classes of establishments such as factories, mines, dock workers, and constructions workers. These include separate provisions on licenses, safety regulations, and duties of employers. 

Question: The OSHWC Code 2020 consists of how many schedules ? Ans : Three Schedules 

The Code consists of schedules which includes (i)list of industries involved in hazardous process,(ii) list of matters where standards are to be followed with respect to health and safety of workers, and (iii)list of notifiable diseases for which communication shall be made to concerned authorities 

Question : As per OSHWC Code 2020, establishments covered by the Code are quired to register within how many days ? 

Ans : Establishments covered by the Code are required to register within 60 days (of the commencement of the Code) electronically to the registering officers, appointed by the Central or State government. Further, some establishments such as factories and mines, and those hiring workers such as Beedi and Cigar workers, may be required to obtain additional licenses to operate. 

Question: What are the key features of the OSHWC Code 2020 ? 

Ans : 

• The Code aims at lessening the burden of the employers as it would replace multiple registrations under various enactments to one common registration, one licence and one return which will ultimately create a consolidated database centrally and will be helpful under ease of doing business. 

• The workplace should be kept free from hazards that cause or likely to cause injury or occupational disease to the employees. 

• Employers are required to conduct free annual health check-up for their employees. • Employers are required to ensure the disposal of hazardous and toxic waste including e-waste. 

• Issuance of appointment letter to every employee on their appointment in the establishment • Workers / Employees are entitled to receive overtime amount at the rate of twice the wage. • Employers or Contractors are responsible to provide welfare facilities to inter-state migrant workers. 

• Employers are required to provide facilities such as ventilation, humidification, potable drinking water, adequate lighting, creche, washing facilities, bathing places, locker rooms etc. 

• The Code makes mandatory provisions for the employers to provide a safe working environment and trying to cover the risk of unfortunate incidents arising in the course of employment.

• The Code makes mandatory provisions for the employers to provide a safe working environment and trying to cover the risk of unfortunate incidents arising in the course of employment. 

• The Code bars civil courts from hearing matters under the Code. The only judicial recourse for a person aggrieved is to file a writ petition before the relevant High Court. • Central Government shall constitute a National Occupational Safety and Health Advisory Board to discharge the functions conferred on it by or under this Code and to advise the Central Government on the matters relating to standards, rules and regulation to be framed under this Code. 

• The State Government shall constitute a Board to be called the State Occupational Safety and Health Advisory Board to advise the State Government on such matters arising out of the administration of this Code as may be referred to it by the State Government. 

• The appropriate government may require constitution of safety committees in certain establishments, and for a certain class of workers. The committees will comprise of representatives of the employer and the workers. However, the number of employer representatives cannot exceed the employee representatives. These committees will function as a liaison between employers and employees 

• The licence issued by the appropriate authority for inter-state migrant workers shall be made electronically containing all the particulars like the number of contract labour, nature of work for which contract labour is to be employed, responsibilities of contractor and such other particulars including the information relating to the employment of inter-State migrant workers. 

• The contractor shall apply for amendment of licence along with security deposit in case if there is increase in number of the contract labour. 

• Inter-state migrant work shall be provided with the facilities which are available to worker of that establishment including benefits under the Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948 or the Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 or any other law for the time being in force and the facility of medical check-up as available to a worker. • It shall be the complete responsibility of the employer to pay yearly journey allowances to every interstate migrant worker a lump-sum amount of fare for to and fro journey to his native place from the place of his employment, in the manner taking into account the minimum service for entitlement, periodicity and class of travel. 

• Employer in plantation to make provisions for necessary housing accommodation including drinking water, kitchen and toilet, health and recreational facilities, to every worker employed in the plantation (including his family), crèches facilities for plantations having more than 50 workers (including workers employed by any contractor), educational facilities for children of workers between 6 to 12 years age. 

Question: What are the key changes in OSHWC Code 2020 ? 

Ans : 

• The limit of female workers for the purpose of creating creche facilities for the children below 6 years of age, would increase to 50 female workers from 30 currently. 

• As per The Factories Act if any establishment has 500 or more workers than occupier should appoint welfare officers but post implementation of this Code, limit shall be reduced to 250 employees.

• The establishment employing 100 workers will be responsible to provide canteen facility, reduction from current limit of 250. 

• Provisions have been made for the employment of female employees for working beyond 7 pm till 6 am with their consent and conditions relating to safety, holiday, working hours. 

• Workers cannot be required to work for more than 6 days / week and will be entitled to one day off for every 20 days of work & one day off everyweek. 

• Workers employed in Transport, Sales Promotion and Journalism have special work hour and leave requirements specified. 

• Employer in construction business cannot hire workers with defective vision, deafness, or a tendency for giddiness, if there’s risk of accident. 

• Elaborative provisions related to inter-state migrant workers, employers of plantations and liabilities of contractors has been inserted in considering it gives leverage to either sides. 

• Considering Covid-19, the Central Government has reserved his power to make regulation for general safety and health of persons in the event of declaration of an epidemic, pandemic or disaster. This has not be effected by any other law for the time being in force. 

• The Code has made maximum registration process to be initiated electronically and hence a minimum of physical contact exists 

• Key definitions like Wages, Banking Company & Core Activity of an Establishment has been inserted. 

• Contrary to earlier provisions women workers are entitled to be employed in all establishments for all type of work including hazardous process subject to the conditions that the government may require the employer to provide adequate safeguards prior to their employment in hazardous or dangerous operations 

Question: What are the offences and penalties ? 

Ans : 

i. Obstructing discharge of duties of Inspector, imprisonment upto 3 months & fine upto INR 1 lakh 

ii. An offence that leads to the death of an employee will be punishable with imprisonment of up to two years, or fine up to INR 5 lakhs, or both. 

iii. Where penalty is not specified, the employer will be punished with a fine between INR 2 - 3 lakhs. 

iv. If employee violates provisions of the Code, fine upto Rs 10,000. 

v. Offences committed by a Company shall hold each person liable who, at the time the offence was committed, was in charge of, and was responsible to, the company for the conduct of the business.

Sl.No  .	Earlier provisions	New Provisions under OSHWC Code 2020
1	Few Key Terminologies like “Employee”, “Employer” and “Establishment” were defined inconsistently in various Acts and Rules	• New definition of Employee introduced with a wide coverage  • New definition of Employer introduced covering Occupier of a factory  • “Establishment” is now defined to include factory, newspaper establishment and plantation in which more than ten workers are employed.
2	Registration was required separately under all the previous labour laws.	One Electronic Registration for every Establishment covered under the Code
3	Various returns required to be filed under different Acts	One Consolidated Return is required to be filed under ease of doing business.
4	The threshold for Appointment of Welfare Officer was 500 workers in a Factory	Now appointment of a Welfare Officer is mandatory for 250 workers in a Factory, mine, and Plantation
5	No provision existed for mandatory welfare facilities to inter-state migrant workers	Provision made for mandatory welfare facilities to inter-state migrant workers.
6	No Provision existed for constitution of the National Occupational Safety and Health Advisory Board	Now Central Government shall constitute the National  Occupational Safety and Health Advisory Board.
7	Annual leave with wages for one day on every 20 days of working by Employees/workers existed in previous Labour Laws	Annual leave with wages  provision kept same in the Code
8	The threshold for the Crèche facility was 30 Female workers / employees	Now threshold limit for crèche facility increased up to 50  number of female workers / employees
9	The threshold for the Canteen facility was 250 workers / employees	Now threshold for Canteen facility reduced up to 100 number of workers / employees

10	No provision for Women Employment during night shift.	New Clause introduced for the employment of female  employees for working beyond 7 pm till 6 am with their consent and conditions relating to safety, holiday, working hours
11	No Specific provision was there for Workers employed in Transport, Sales Promotion and Journalism	Special working hours and leave requirements specified in the code for Workers employed in Transport, Sales Promotion, and Journalism
12	No Specific provisions in all the previous Acts regarding Overtime with Consent	Now Overtime work can be taken by the employer with consent of worker/employee.
13	Threshold for Constitution of Safety  Committee and appointment of Safety Officer was 1000 workers	Now there are following changes in the threshold for Constitution of Safety Committee and  appointment of Safety Officer: • 500 workers in Factory  • 250 workers in a building and other construction  • 250 in a hazardous process • 100 workers in a mine
14	Week Day off Provision existed in all the previous Acts	Code introduced the provision in a new manner: Workers cannot be required to work for more than 6 days/week and will be entitled to one day off for every 20 days of work & one day off every week
15	No provisions were there for Leave  encashment	Now provision has been made for entitlement of leave encashment.
16	Offenses and Penalties had less monetary fine and imprisonment duration	Now Stringent penalties with the comparatively high monetary amount and imprisonment period