Rules 2026 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Three special chapters of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Bihar) Rules, 2026 cover audio-visual workers (rules 57 to 59), beedi and cigar workers (rules 60 to 63) and plantation workers (rules 79 to 85). Each applies only to employers in that line of work, so this article is set out so a reader can go straight to the chapter that fits.
The rules are the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Bihar) Rules, 2026, notified under notification 1/OSHC-01/2021-100, as notified on 30 June 2026 and published in the Bihar Gazette (Extraordinary) No. Patna 699 of 1 July 2026. Rule 1(3) says they come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. A beedi or cigar premises licence is applied for in Form XVII at least thirty days before opening (rule 60). A plantation with fifty or more workers provides crèche facilities (rule 79(B)). Workers handling pesticides are examined at the time of employment and once in six months (rule 83).
Later amendments and State notifications under these rules should be checked in the State Gazette. A labour law compliance review can identify which of these chapters applies to your premises.
Audio-visual workers (rules 57 to 59)
| Item | Rule | As printed |
|---|---|---|
| Agreement | 57(1) | The agreement between the audio-visual worker and the producer is in Form-XVI |
| Registration | 57(2) | The agreement is registered with the competent authority as notified by the State Government |
| Copy | 58 | The producer forwards a copy of the agreement to the authority notified by the State Government |
| Disputes | 59 | Reference to a conciliation officer or a tribunal is in conformity with the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 and the rules under it |
The rules print no wage, period or fee for audio-visual workers; those come from the Code and from State notifications. Our post on rules 105 and 106 of the OSH Central Rules, audio-visual worker agreement and reference of disputes covers the Central rules.
Beedi and cigar premises (rules 60 to 63)
An application for a licence to use any place or premises for manufacturing beedi or cigar or both as industrial premises is made electronically in Form XVII. The licence is granted in Form XVIII (rule 60).
| Item | Rule | As printed |
|---|---|---|
| Documents | 60(2) | Plans uploaded electronically showing the site, the areas for manufacturing processes, the surroundings, and the plan, elevation and cross-sections with natural lighting, ventilation, means of escape in case of fire, plant and machinery, aisles and passage-ways |
| Prior conduct | 60(3) | The authority considers whether the site was altered or any industrial premises closed during the preceding twelve months with a view to prejudicing labour |
| Time of application | 60(4) | At least thirty days before the proposed date of opening |
| Appeal | 61(i) | Within Ninety days from receipt of the order, electronically, to the appellate officer; there is no fee for appeal (61(vii)) |
| Decision | 61(v) | The appellate officer decides in not more than 60 days from filing, by a reasoned order |
The appeal rule also says the order is communicated and "disposed of within a period of thirty days from the date of receipt of appeal" (rule 61(vi)); an employer should work to the shorter periods where the two overlap and check the Gazette for any correction.
The licence fee, for grant or renewal, depends on the number of employees proposed to be employed on any day during the licence period:
| Number of employees | Fees |
|---|---|
| No licence is required up to 10 | NIL |
| 10 but does not exceed 50 | Rs. 100 |
| 51 but does not exceed 100 | Rs. 250 |
| 101 but does not exceed 250 | Rs. 500 |
| 251 but not exceeding 500 | Rs. 750 |
| 501 and above | Rs. 1000 |
An employee who wants to work outside the industrial premises does so only if the employer applies for permission in Form XIX electronically and keeps records in Form XX (rule 62). Every employer provides, without charge to each home-worker, two books in Form XXI, the home-workers' log-books, in which the home-worker records the daily work done, the number of beedis and cigars made and the wages received; supply is arranged so that one book stays with the home-worker at all times between two successive supplies of raw materials (rule 63). For the Central position, see rules 33 to 35 of the OSH Central Rules on beedi and cigar premises.
Plantation workers (rules 79 to 85)
Facilities (rule 79).
- Housing. Every employer provides housing as near as possible to the place of work, for the worker and family residing in the plantation, with separate rooms for women employees, adequate ventilation and lighting, a floor area of at least 10 square meters per person excluding kitchen and toilet, protection against heat, wind and rain, and a smooth, hard and impervious floor. The site is dry, well-drained land with potable drinking water, with lighting in and around the area, approach roads, sewers and drains kept in good condition.
- Crèche. Every employer of a plantation where fifty or more workers (including workers employed by any contractor) are employed or were employed on any day of the preceding twelve months provides crèche facilities.
- School. If the workers' children between the ages of six and fourteen exceed 25, the employer provides and maintains a Primary School or schools, or facilitates admission in a Government school.
- Health. Basic health facilities, with workers covered in the Employee State Insurance Scheme; the State may notify additional facilities by Gazette notification.
Pesticides and chemicals (rules 80 to 85).
| Duty | Rule | As printed |
|---|---|---|
| Adolescents | 80 | No adolescent worker handles, stores or transports insecticide, pesticide, hazardous chemicals or toxic substances |
| Supervisor | 81 | A competent person supervises use, handling, storage and transport: a graduate in Agriculture or Chemistry, or holder of a certificate course in handling chemicals from a recognised institute, with a valid first-aid certificate |
| Training | 82 | Suitable training by the supervisor or a person with similar qualification |
| Medical examination | 83 | At the time of employment and thereafter once in six months, recorded in Form XXVIII; a health record kept on the plantation and accessible to the worker |
| Facilities | 84 | Washing, bathing and cloak room facilities; protective clothing that resists penetration and is washable, with a complete suit of outer garment with hat, rubber gloves reaching the forearm, dust proof goggles, boots and reusable cloth masks |
| Notices | 85 | Twenty precautionary notices displayed at or near the place where chemicals are handled, such as using protective clothing, not eating, drinking or smoking while handling, keeping chemicals locked in a store room, and following re-entry periods suggested by the manufacturers |
The Central rules are explained in our post on rules 42 and 43 of the OSH Central Rules, plantation cleanliness and dust.
A worked example
Champaran Tea and Spice Estates Pvt Ltd runs a plantation in Bihar with 140 workers, including contractor workers, and 30 children aged six to fourteen. It must provide crèche facilities (fifty or more workers) and, as the number of children exceeds 25, a Primary School or admission in a Government school. A supervisor with an agriculture degree and a first-aid certificate oversees spraying; sprayers are examined at joining and every six months and issued the full protective suit. The estate displays the precautionary notices near the chemical store.
Need help with beedi, audio-visual or plantation rules in Bihar?
These chapters are short but specific: a licence form, a fee band, a school threshold, a six-month medical. Our labour law compliance team can check which chapter applies and prepare the application or facility checklist.
Key takeaways
- Audio-visual agreements are in Form-XVI and registered with the notified competent authority (rule 57).
- A beedi or cigar licence is applied for in Form XVII at least thirty days before opening; fees run from Rs. 100 to Rs. 1000 by employee band; no licence up to 10 employees (rule 60).
- Home-workers get two log-books in Form XXI, without charge (rule 63).
- A plantation with fifty or more workers provides crèche facilities; a school if children aged six to fourteen exceed 25 (rule 79).
- Workers handling pesticides are examined at employment and every six months (rule 83).
Read next
- OSH (Bihar) Rules, 2026: the contractor's licence, fees and security deposit and inter-State migrant workers
- OSH (Bihar) Rules, 2026: factories, site appraisal, emergency plans and licence
- Rules 42 and 43 of the OSH Central Rules: plantation cleanliness and dust
Disclaimer: Based on the State or Union territory rules named above, as notified under the Labour Codes and consulted on 4 October 2026. Later amendments, State notifications, fees and forms should be checked in the State Gazette and on the State labour department website. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.