Union Labour Ministry notifies draft rules

It has been notified inviting objections and suggestion to the proposed rules embodied in the draft

New Delhi: Union Labour Ministry has notified draft rules under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code towards operationalising of the related Act legislated by Parliament.

It has been notified inviting objections and suggestion to the proposed rules embodied in the draft.

The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Environment Code Bill received presidential assent on September 22, transmuting it into an Act. It was passed by Parliament in its last session.

The Act, which was one of the four labour reforms legislations, subsumed 13 old laws.

The laws subsumed include the Factory Act, 1948; the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970; the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation and Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979; and the Working Journalists (Fixation of Rates of Wages) Act, 1958.

The Act will be operationalised vide a matrix of standing rules.

The Labour Ministry will compile the objections and suggestions and present it at a tripartite meeting, involving representatives of workers and the employers to build a consensus on the proposed rules.

Subsequently, the Union government will take a final call on the matter.

“Draft Rules are aimed at enhancing safety, health and working conditions and simplifying procedures,” a Labour Ministry official said.

Objections and suggestions are required to be submitted within a period of 45 days from the date of notification of the draft rules.