OSH Code 2020 — 200 se 1000 Workers Ki Factories Mein Shifts, Overtime aur Standing Orders Kya Badla

OSH Code — Factories Act Ko Replace Kya

Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code 2020 ne 13 existing laws ko replace kiya — jisme Factories Act 1948, Mines Act 1952, Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act 1970, aur aur bhi laws shaamil hain. Yeh Code November 21, 2025 se in force hai.

200 se 1000 workers wali mid-size factories ke liye kuch specific provisions important hain — especially safety requirements, welfare officer obligations, aur working hours framework.

Shifts aur Working Hours — Kya Badla

OSH Code ke under working hours framework:

• Standard hours: 8 hours/day, 48 hours/week
• Overtime: Max 125 hours/quarter (pehle 75 hours tha under standard interpretation) — yeh increase controversial hai unions ke saath
• OT Pay: Twice the ordinary rate — unchanged
• Spread-over: Including intervals, worker ki presence factory mein 12 hours max (spread-over)
• Rest: Min 30 min rest after 5 hours continuous work

12-hour shifts under OSH Code: Code allows up to 12-hour shifts if spread-over permitted — lekin total weekly hours 48 se zyada nahi hone chahiye. State rules further specify kar sakti hain.

Standing Orders — New Threshold

Standing Orders workplace rules hote hain — attendance, leave, termination, conduct rules etc. Pehle Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946 ke under 100+ workers wali factories mein standing orders mandatory the.

IR Code 2020 ne yeh threshold 300 workers kar diya. Iska matlab: 100–299 workers wali factories ko ab formal certified standing orders maintain karna mandatory nahi hai (lekin appointment letters maintain karna zaroori hai, aur fundamental terms clear hone chahiye).

Employee impact: Smaller factories mein workers ke liye service conditions kum formally defined ho sakti hain — but employer still must follow Contract Act, minimum wages, EPF/ESIC norms.

Safety Officer aur Welfare Officer — Mid-Size Factory Requirements

200+ workers wali factories ke liye OSH Code ke under:

• Safety Officer: Qualified safety officer appoint karna mandatory hai
• Welfare Officer: 500+ workers wali factories mein welfare officer mandatory (state rules may vary)
• Health examinations: Hazardous industry mein workers ke annual health checks
• First aid: First aid boxes aur trained first aiders mandatory

OT Ka 125 Hour Quarterly Limit — Controversy

Factories Act mein standard interpretation 75 hours/quarter overtime thi. OSH Code ne ise 125 hours kar diya. Labour unions ka tark hai ki yeh workers ko zyada exploit hone dega. Government ka tark hai ki seasonal industries (textiles, garments, agriculture processing) ko flexibility chahiye.

Employees ko yaad rahe: Overtime voluntary hona chahiye — forced overtime employee rights violation hai. Double rate mandatory hai — agar employer nahi de raha, yeh Wage Code violation hai.

State Variations — Note karo

OSH Code national framework hai. States ke apne rules ho sakte hain — kuch provisions pe states stricter rules bana sakti hain (zyada protective). UP, Gujarat, Haryana ne rules notified ki hain. Maharashtra, TN, Kerala state-specific variations explore kar rahi hain.

State-specific factory rules ke liye apne state Labour Department ki official notification check karein.