Rules 1-2 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.
Rules 1 and 2 of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026 (the Central Rules) give the short title, say that the rules extend to the whole of India and come into force on publication in the Official Gazette, and define four terms. The rules were notified as G.S.R. 345(E) on 8 May 2026 and replace fifteen older sets of rules. To see which of your obligations moved into these rules, our labour law compliance team can map the change.
Rule 1: the rules are called the OSH (Central) Rules, 2026, extend to the whole of India and come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. The notification, G.S.R. 345(E) of 8 May 2026, was made under sections 133 and 134 of the Code after the draft of 30 December 2025 and supersedes 15 sets of old rules, except for things done before. Rule 2: defines Code, FORM, Officer in charge of canteen and Annexure; other words take their Code meaning. The rules apply where the Central Government is the appropriate Government.
Rules 1 and 2 at a glance
| Rule | Subject | Content |
|---|---|---|
| 1(1) | Short title | Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026 |
| 1(2) | Extent | The whole of India |
| 1(3) | Commencement | On the date of publication in the Official Gazette |
| 2(1)(a) | "Code" | The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (37 of 2020) |
| 2(1)(b) | "FORM" | Forms annexed in Annexure VII |
| 2(1)(c) | "Officer in charge of canteen" | Person (other than manager) appointed by the employer to secure compliance with canteen provisions |
| 2(1)(d) | "Annexure" | List annexed to the rules |
| 2(2) | Other words | Words not defined in the rules but defined in the Code have the Code's meaning |
The notification behind the rules
The preamble records the path. The draft rules, as required under sections 133 and 134 of the Code, were published under G.S.R. 934(E) dated 30 December 2025, inviting objections and suggestions within forty-five days of the Gazette copies being made available to the public, which happened on 30 December 2025. The objections and suggestions were considered, and the Ministry of Labour and Employment then notified the final rules on 8 May 2026 as G.S.R. 345(E). This follows the prior-publication rule in section 137 of the Code (see sections 137 to 139).
The rules have 186 rules in 14 Chapters, with Annexures I to VII and Forms I to XXVII.
Rule 1: title, extent and commencement
- Title. Rule 1(1): the "Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026".
- Extent. Rule 1(2): they "extend to the whole of India".
- Commencement. Rule 1(3): they "come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette".
Two points should be kept apart. The Code is in force from 21 November 2025, when the four Labour Codes were brought into force. Some of its provisions may be notified later. The Central Rules come into force on publication in the Gazette, and the notification is dated 8 May 2026. Time limits that run "from the date on which rules come into force" therefore count from the publication date of these rules. For example, rule 3(6) gives an employer of an establishment already registered under another Central labour law six months from the date the rules come into force to update registration particulars (see rule 3). This article does not give a Gazette publication date beyond the notification date in the document.
Extent does not mean everyone. The rules extend to all India, but they are made by the Central Government. They apply to establishments for which the Central Government is the appropriate Government. Where the State Government is the appropriate Government, the State's own OSH rules apply (see our definitions article on the appropriate Government). Some Central Rules, such as those on inter-State migrant workers and contractors operating across States, reach beyond a single State by their nature.
The fifteen superseded rule sets
The preamble says the Central Government makes these rules "in supersession of" the following, "except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession":
| No. | Superseded rules |
|---|---|
| 1 | Dock Workers (Safety, Health and Welfare) Rules, 1990 |
| 2 | Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Condition of Services) (Central) Rules, 1998 |
| 3 | Mines Rules, 1955 |
| 4 | Mines Rescue Rules, 1985 |
| 5 | Mines Vocational Training Rules, 1966 |
| 6 | Pithead Bath Rules, 1959 |
| 7 | Mines Crèche Rules, 1966 |
| 8 | Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Central Rules, 1971 |
| 9 | Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Central Rules, 1979 |
| 10 | Working Journalists (Conditions of Service) and Miscellaneous Provisions Rules, 1957 |
| 11 | Cine-Workers and Cinema Theatre Workers (Regulation of Employment) Rules, 1984 |
| 12 | Sales Promotion Employees (Conditions of Service) Rules, 1976 |
| 13 | Ease of Compliance to Maintain Register under various Labour Laws Rules, 2017, to the extent stated in the preamble |
| 14 | Working Journalist (Fixation of Rates of Wages) Rules, 1958 |
| 15 | Working Journalists and Other Newspaper Employees Tribunal Rules, 1979 |
Item 13 is superseded only "to the extent these rules are made in exercise of the powers conferred by" the provisions the preamble names: section 62 of the BOCW Act, 1996; section 35 of the Contract Labour Act, 1970; section 35 of the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979; sections 58 read with 59 of the Mines Act, 1952; section 12 of the Sales Promotion Employees Act, 1976; and section 20 of the Working Journalists Act, 1955, "and applicable accordingly".
The saving for "things done or omitted to be done before such supersession" means acts under the old rules, such as a licence granted or a return filed, are not wiped out by the change. Section 143(3) of the Code separately keeps rules under the repealed Acts in force to the extent not contrary to the Code, until the Central Government repeals them (see our commencement and repeal article). The preamble now names the specific rule sets that are superseded.
Rule 2: the four definitions
- "Code" (2(1)(a)): the OSH Code, 2020 (37 of 2020).
- "FORM" (2(1)(b)): forms annexed in Annexure VII. All 27 forms sit there.
- "Officer in charge of canteen" (2(1)(c)): "the person (other than manager) appointed by the employer for securing compliance with the provision in respect of canteen under the code." Employers who must run a canteen should name this person on file (see section 24).
- "Annexure" (2(1)(d)): a list annexed to the rules.
Rule 2(2) then fills the gap: words used in the rules and not defined in them, but defined in the Code, have the meanings in the Code. So "employer", "establishment", "contract labour" and the like are read from section 2 of the Code (see our definitions articles).
Example. A building contractor asks whether it may still use the forms of the BOCW Central Rules, 1998. Those rules are in the superseded list. The contractor should use the forms in Annexure VII of the Central Rules, if the Central Government is the appropriate Government, and confirm the position for State-sphere sites under the State's rules.
Need help moving to the new rules?
If you used forms, registers or returns under any of the fifteen superseded rule sets, our labour law compliance team can map each to the matching rule and form in the Central Rules, 2026 and help with the transition.
Key takeaways
- The Central Rules, 2026 extend to the whole of India and come into force on publication in the Official Gazette; the notification is G.S.R. 345(E) of 8 May 2026.
- They were made under sections 133 and 134 after the draft of 30 December 2025 and supersede 15 sets of rules, except things done before.
- Rule 2 defines Code, FORM, Officer in charge of canteen and Annexure; other terms follow the Code.
- They apply where the Central Government is the appropriate Government; State rules apply otherwise.
Read next
- Rule 3: application for registration of establishment
- Rule 4: notice of commencement and cessation of operation
- Section 134: power of Central Government to make rules
- Sections 1 and 143: commencement and repeal of 13 Acts
Disclaimer: Based on the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (as enacted) and, where noted, the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026 (G.S.R. 345(E), 8 May 2026), as on 30 September 2026. The Code is in force from 21 November 2025; some provisions may be notified later, and State Governments make their own rules for establishments where the State is the appropriate Government. Verify the current position before acting.