The Ministry of Labour & Employment has constituted 3 Expert Committees to review standards under Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH & WC) Code, 2020.
i.The committees will review the existing rules & regulations on safety, health and working conditions standards, pertaining to factories, docks & Construction work.
ii.The heads of the 3 expert committees are
- Dr R K Elangovan, Director General, Directorate General Factory Advice and Labour Institutes (DGFASLI) will head the Expert Committee for Factories & Dock Works.
- P L N Murthy, Vice President & Head Domestic Operations, L&T Hydrocarbon, Chennai will head the Expert Committee for Building & Other Constructions Works.
- D K Shami, Fire Advisor to Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) – Head of Expert Committee for Fire Safety.
Details of existing rules & regulation and reasons for review
| Name of Rules & Regulations | Reasons for Review |
|---|---|
| The Factories Rules framed under The Factories Act, 1948 | To update them to meet the current requirements, It was last reviewed in 1998. |
| Dock Workers (Safety, Health Welfare) Regulations 1990 | To incorporate the advancements and progress made in the field of OSH & WC. |
| The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Central Rules, 1998 | To meet global standards in OSH&WC |
Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH & WC) Code, 2020
It was enacted after combining 13 Different Labour Legislations. It was combined to simplify the laws regulating the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions in firms.
- Due to the increase in fire accidents, a separate committee on fire safety standards has been formed to have a comprehensive & holistic approach towards fire safety provisions.
- The committee will seek to align the present Rules & Regulations of fire safety with the National Building Code, 2016.
- Presently Rules & Regulations regarding Fire Safety have been mentioned in
Factories Act, 1948; Dock Workers Regulations, 1990; The Building and Other Construction Workers, 1998.
Benefits
- It will help in establishing a uniform and updated standards of safety and health of workers throughout India.
- It will also enhance the efficiency of workers and increase their productivity multifold.
Recent Related News:
i.October 1, 2020, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the three labour codes – Code on Social Security 2020, the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Condition Code 2020, and the Industrial Relation Code 2020.
About Ministry of Labour & Employment:
Minister of State (IC)- Santosh Kumar Gangwar (constituency – Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh)
