Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Bill, 2019 11/07/2019 – Posted in: Press Information Bureau

Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Bill, 2019

(Cabinet)

 

WHAT

Union Cabinet has approved for the introduction of the Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Bill, 2019 in the Parliament.

This proposal would enhance the coverage of the safety, health and working conditions provisions manifold as compared to the present scenario.

 

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Any business entity with 10 or more workers will mandatorily be required to issue an appointment letter.
  • Such a business entity also gets the medical check-up done annually for all its workers.
  • Women can voluntarily opt for working in night shift.
  • Bill will cover over 40 crore workers in the informal sectors.
  • The new Bill has envisaged uniform threshold for welfare provisions such as crèche, canteen, first aid and welfare officer.
  • The penalty for contravention of provisions leading to death or serious injury to any person may be given to the victim or the legal heirs of the victim by the court.
  • The part of the penalty would help in the rehabilitation of injured worker or provide financial support to the family of the deceased.

 

WHAT’s NEW

13 Central Labour Laws brought in the ambit of New Code

  1. The Factories Act, 1948;
  2. The Mines Act, 1952; The Dock Workers (Safety, Health and Welfare) Act, 1986;
  3. The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996;
  4. The Plantations Labour Act, 1951;
  5. The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970;
  6. The Inter-State Migrant workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979;
  7. The Working Journalist and other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service and Misc. Provision) Act, 1955;
  8. The Working Journalist (Fixation of rates of wages) Act, 1958;
  9. The Motor Transport Workers Act, 1961;
  10. Sales Promotion Employees (Condition of Service) Act, 1976;
  11. The Beedi and Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act, 1966; and
  12. The Cine Workers and Cinema Theatre Workers Act, 1981. After the enactment of the Code, all these Acts being subsumed in the Code will be repealed.

 

AIM

  • Extending the safety and healthy working conditions to all workforce of the country.
  • The Code enhances the ambit of provisions of safety, health, welfare and working conditions from existing about 9 major sectors to all establishments having 10 or more employees.
  • The bill also aims to ensure ease of doing businesses for firms.
  • It prescribes one registration for an establishment.
  • At present six labour Acts out of 13 provides for separate registration.

 

BENEFITS

  • Safety, Health, welfare and improved Working Conditions are pre-requisite for the well-being of the worker.
  • These are also pre-requisite for the economic growth of the country.

 

Source: PIB

 

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