Rule 15 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.
Rule 15 says who sits on the Safety Committee constituted under rule 14 in every establishment other than a mine. The employer and the workers have equal numbers, which cannot exceed twenty in all. The management side has a named line-up, the workers' side is chosen through the union structure or by the workers themselves, and women must have fair representation.
Employer and worker representatives are equal in number and the committee shall not exceed twenty members. The management side is led by a senior official as Chairman; the Safety Officer is Secretary; one representative each from production, maintenance and purchase departments sit on it. Workers' representatives come from the negotiating union or council, or are chosen by the workers; women's share must be at least their share of the workforce. Minutes must be recorded and members serve three years.
Where rule 15 fits
Rule 14 makes a Safety Committee compulsory for establishments with five hundred or more workers; see our rule 14 explainer. Rule 15 supplies the composition for establishments other than mines, and section 22(1) of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (the OSH Code) is the parent provision, which requires workers' representatives to be not fewer than the employer's and to be chosen as prescribed. Mines have their own composition in rule 16; see our rules 16 and 17 explainer.
These are Central Rules. Where the State Government is the appropriate Government, its rules apply. For help constituting committees across units and regimes, see our labour law compliance service.
The management side: rule 15(1) and (3)
Except in a mine, the representatives of management consist of:
- a senior official, who by position can contribute effectively to the functioning of the committee, as Chairman;
- a Safety Officer and a qualified medical practitioner wherever available, with the Safety Officer acting as Secretary; and
- one representative from each of the production, maintenance and purchase departments.
Rule 15(3) adds that the employer's representatives are nominated by the employer and, as far as possible, are officials directly associated with the working of the establishment, preferably heads of major departments.
Note the drafting: the medical practitioner and Safety Officer are included "wherever available". An establishment of 500 or more workers will usually fall under section 22(2) of the Code's safety officer requirement if it is a factory, so the Safety Officer should exist; the medical practitioner's inclusion depends on availability.
Size and balance: rule 15(2)
The committee "shall consist of an equal number of members representing the employer and the workers, which shall not exceed twenty". So the maximum is twenty in total, ten on each side. The floor is not stated beyond the equal-numbers requirement.
| Point | Rule 15 position |
|---|---|
| Employer : worker ratio | Equal |
| Maximum size | Twenty in all |
| Management nominees | Nominated by the employer; preferably heads of major departments |
| Chairman | Senior official of management |
| Secretary | Safety Officer |
| Tenure | Three years |
| Minutes | To be recorded |
The workers' side: rule 15(4)
Where a union structure exists. Where there is a sole negotiating union, a negotiating council or a negotiating union, it nominates the workers' representatives. For a negotiating council, every registered Trade Union in the council must be represented on the Safety Committee in proportion to the number of workers of the industrial establishment who are members of that union.
Where none exists. The workers of the establishment choose representatives from among themselves. Three provisos apply:
- the employer may deploy an electronic process for choosing the workers' representatives;
- there must be adequate representation of women, not less than the proportion of women workers to the total number of workers employed;
- if there is no recognised negotiating union or council and a dispute arises about choosing the workers' representatives, the matter may be referred to the concerned Regional Labour Commissioner (Central), who decides after hearing the parties, and the decision is final.
Rule 15(4)(c) fixes the tenure of members at three years.
The arithmetic on women's representation is simple but easy to get wrong. If women are 30 percent of the workforce and the workers' side has ten seats, at least three of those seats must go to women representatives. The rule sets a floor by proportion; the text does not say how to round.
Functions and duties: rule 15(6)
The rule lists what the committee does:
- assisting and cooperating with management in achieving the aims and objectives of the establishment's Safety and Health Policy;
- dealing with all matters of health, safety and environment and arriving at practicable solutions;
- creating safety awareness among all workers;
- undertaking educational, training and promotional activities;
- discussing reports on safety, environmental and occupational health surveys, safety audits, risk assessment, emergency and disaster management plans and implementation of the recommendations in those reports;
- looking into matters likely to cause danger to the safety and health of workers and suggesting corrective measures; and
- reviewing the implementation of its own recommendations.
The last function closes the loop with rule 14(5): the committee recommends, the employer acts within fifteen days of receipt, and the committee reviews what was done.
Minutes
Rule 15(5) says the minutes of each meeting "shall be recorded". It does not prescribe a format or retention period. Good practice is to record attendance, the data tabled under rule 14(4), each recommendation with a unique number, the date of receipt and the action taken.
Practical examples
Example 1. A factory with 800 workers decides on a committee of sixteen: eight for management and eight for workers. Management nominates the general manager (Chairman), the Safety Officer (Secretary), the factory doctor and heads of production, maintenance, purchase and two other departments. The workers' side is nominated by the sole negotiating union. Women are 25 percent of the workforce, so the union ensures at least two of eight worker seats are held by women.
Example 2. A logistics company has no recognised union. Workers elect representatives through an electronic poll run by the employer. Two candidates dispute the result. The matter goes to the Regional Labour Commissioner (Central), who hears both sides; the decision is final.
Need help constituting your Safety Committee?
Getting the seats, the nominations and the women's share right on day one avoids disputes later. Our labour law compliance team can help you design the committee, run the selection process and keep the minutes and action log in a format an inspector would expect.
Key takeaways
- Employer and worker representatives are equal in number, with a cap of twenty.
- Chairman is a senior official; Safety Officer is Secretary; production, maintenance and purchase each have a representative.
- A qualified medical practitioner and the Safety Officer are included wherever available.
- Workers' representatives come from the negotiating union or council, or are chosen by the workers.
- Women's representation must be at least their proportion of the workforce.
- Disputes go to the Regional Labour Commissioner (Central); minutes must be recorded; tenure is three years.
Read next
- Rule 14: safety committee
- Rules 16 and 17: safety committee in mines
- Section 22 of the OSH Code: safety committee and safety officers
- Rules 18 and 19: safety officers for dock work and construction work
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.