Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code, 2020

The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (OSH), 2020, is enacted to consolidate and simplify the existing complex web of labour laws. It replaces 13 Central Labour laws by a single comprehensive legislation, thereby reducing multiplicity and bringing uniformity across industries and States/ UTs. The Code was enacted as a part of the broader labour laws reforms to improve transparency, enhance worker welfare, and promote ease of doing business in India. The Code balances the twin objectives of safeguarding worker rights and safe working conditions, and creating a business-friendly regulatory environment spur economic growth and employment thereby, making India’s labour market more efficient, fair, and future-ready. By streamlining compliance through measures such as single registration, all-India licences, electronic filings, and time-bound approvals. Additionally, the code reduces the number of rules, returns among other subjects to reduce procedural hurdles and encourage investments. SUBJECT EXISTING LAWS OSH & WC CODE 2020 Number of Acts 13 1 Sections 620 143 Rules 868 175 Registration 6 1 Licenses 4 1 Forms 55 20 Returns 21 1 Compounding of offences No provision New provision Improvement Notice No provision New provision