Rajasthan 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.
Chapters VI and VII of the Rajasthan OSH Rules say which registers an occupier or employer keeps, which notices go on the board, how the unified annual return is filed and what an Inspector-cum-Facilitator may do on inspection. This article follows rules 49 to 60.
Four registers are kept: Form-16 (workers), Form-17 (attendance cum muster roll), Form-18 (wages, overtime, deductions) and Form-19 (leave with wages), all preserved for five calendar years from the last entry (rule 49). The unified annual return in Form-22 is uploaded on or before 1 February each year (rules 49(5) and 51). The Inspector-cum-Facilitator issues a notice after every inspection that finds non-compliance (rule 55).
Which rule set this is
These are the Rajasthan Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules, 2026, as notified by S.O.23 dated 30 June 2026 in the Rajasthan Gazette Extraordinary of the same date. Later amendments and State notifications under these rules should be checked in the State Gazette. Rule 1(3) says they come into force "from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette". The wage registers under the State's Code on Wages rules are explained in registers, wage slip, forms and miscellaneous rules.
If your records are spread across several State and Central formats, our labour law compliance team can reconcile them to the Forms below. The Central rule is explained in maintenance and production of reports, registers and records.
Registers and returns
| Record | Rule | Form | Time or period as printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Register of workers and employees | 49(1)(a) | Form-16 | Preserved five calendar years from last entry |
| Attendance cum muster roll | 49(1)(b) | Form-17 | Same |
| Register of wages, overtime and deductions | 49(1)(c) | Form-18 | Same |
| Register of leave with wages | 49(1)(d), 53 | Form-19 | Five years after last entry; not destroyed even after that unless transferred to a new register |
| Wage slip | 49(2) | Form-20 as prescribed under rule 52 of the Code on Wages (Central) Rules 2026 | Issued "before one day of payment of wages" |
| Notice board | 50(1) | Form-21, in English and Hindi | Displayed at conspicuous places |
| Unified annual return | 49(5)(a), 51 | Form-22, uploaded online; copy to Director General Labour Bureau electronically | On or before the 1st day of February each year (so as to reach the Inspector-cum-Facilitator not later than 1st February following the calendar year) |
| Further return on sale, abandonment or discontinuance | 49(5)(b) | Form-22 | Within one month of sale or abandonment, or four months of discontinuance |
| Register of accident and dangerous occurrences | 52 | Form-24 | Kept as the register under section 33(a)(v) |
Registers are maintained electronically or otherwise, with entries in English and Hindi or the language understood by a majority of the persons employed, kept at an office or the nearest convenient building within the precincts of the workplace or within a radius of three kilometers, complete and up to date (rule 49(1) and (4)). They are produced on demand before the Inspector-cum-Facilitator or an authorised person, electronically or by registered or speed post. If an original record is lost or destroyed before five years, true copies are preserved. Under rule 49(3), where an establishment already keeps the employee register, attendance cum muster roll, wage register and wage slip under the Wages or Social Security rules, those are deemed maintained under these rules. See also the Central rules on the annual return and the register of accidents and leave with wages.
What goes on the notice board (rule 50)
Every employer or occupier displays, in English and Hindi, in Form-21: the name and address of the factory or establishment, hours of work, wage period, date of payment of wages, details of accidents and dangerous occurrences for the last five years, the name and address of the Inspector-cum-Facilitator and the date of payment of unpaid wages. In a factory the following are also displayed at a conspicuous place: hazard identification at the workplace; do's and don'ts for hazardous substances, processes, dangerous operations and MAH installations; identification of storages with chemical name, capacity, hot or cold, pressure and HAZCHEM number if applicable; at least two emergency contact numbers of factory personnel; emergency numbers of the local administration; and a fire and emergency escape route chart. The Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator may require other information. Notices must be clear and legible.
Inspector-cum-Facilitator (rules 54 to 56)
- Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator (rule 54). For factories, the Chief Inspector appointed under the Rajasthan Service of Inspector of Factories and Boilers and Inspector of Factories (Chemical) Rules, 1958; for other establishments, the Labour Commissioner or an Additional Labour Commissioner under the Labour Commissioner's direction and control.
- Notices after inspection (rule 55). After every inspection as deemed necessary, the Inspector-cum-Facilitator issues a notice pointing out non-compliance to the employer, occupier and manager. At each inspection he checks whether earlier shortcomings were rectified, and findings and orders are recorded and maintained. Other powers may be notified by the State Government. The Central rule is in powers and duties of Inspector-cum-Facilitator and improvement notice.
- Samples (rule 56). As per the inspection scheme on the Official Portal, after informing the employer, the Inspector-cum-Facilitator may take a sufficient sample of a substance believed to be used in contravention of the Code, or likely to injure health. The sample is divided into three portions, sealed and marked in the presence of the person informed, who may add his own seal. One portion goes to that person, the second to a Government Analyst or an NABL laboratory, and the third is retained for production to the Court.
Third party, alternative employment and Medical Officer (rules 57 to 60)
Rule 57 leaves the scheme for third-party experts to be prescribed and notified by the State Government. Under rule 58, an occupier gives affected workers alternative employment in other parts of the factory, at wages not reduced because of the alternative work; if a whole establishment or site is closed by order, the employer pays wages under the Code on Wages, 2019 for the days it was closed. Rules 59 and 60 require the Medical Officer to hold a recognised medical qualification under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 and to be trained in an occupational health course including the ILO classification of chest radiographs, and set his duties on a reference for an age and fitness certificate, including giving prior notice of date, time and place of examination.
A worked example
Sagar Steel, a Bhilwara factory, keeps its Form-16 and Form-17 in a cloud system and prints Form-18 monthly. Compliance executive Neha uploads the Form-22 unified annual return on the Official Portal before 1 February, with a copy to the Labour Bureau. After an inspection notice, she records the rectification of each shortcoming and presents the notice file to the Inspector-cum-Facilitator on the next visit. Records are retained for five calendar years from the last entry.
Common lapses
- Missing the 1 February date for Form-22.
- Keeping entries in English alone where the workers read Hindi or another language.
- Not displaying the factory hazard notices in English and Hindi.
- Failing to track the rectification of earlier inspection notices.
- Storing registers more than three kilometers from the workplace.
Need help with registers and returns?
If your records and returns need to be mapped to Forms 16 to 22 and 24, our labour law compliance team can prepare a checklist for each site. Bring the existing registers and the last return.
Key takeaways
- Keep Form-16, 17, 18 and 19 registers for five calendar years from the last entry.
- Form-22 is the unified annual return, due on or before 1 February.
- Form-21 notice board entries appear in English and Hindi; factories add hazard and emergency information.
- The Inspector-cum-Facilitator issues notices after inspection and checks rectification.
- Registers kept under the wages or social security rules are deemed maintained under these rules.
Read next
- Rajasthan OSH Rules: hours of work, overtime, leave and employment of women
- Rajasthan OSH Rules: contract labour licence and inter-State migrant workers
- Rajasthan Code on Wages Rules: registers, wage slip, forms and miscellaneous rules
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.