Rules 30-32 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 30, 31 and 32 are the health rules for every building or other construction work. Rule 30 covers cleanliness and hygiene of the site, rule 31 covers hazard prevention, heat stress, ventilation and tunnelling, and rule 32 limits exposure to dust, gas, fume and vapour.
The employer of a building or other construction work must keep the site clean and hygienic, remove scrap, waste and debris at appropriate intervals, and keep access routes clear (rule 30). Rule 31 requires preventive measures against chemical, physical and biological hazards, heat-stress controls, regular air measurements and specific ventilation and instruments for tunnelling. Rule 32 bars entry into any workplace or confined space until noxious gas, fume, vapour or dust is within permissible limits.
The Code source
Section 23 of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (the OSH Code) makes the employer responsible for health, safety and working conditions as prescribed. Rules 30 to 32 apply that duty to building and construction sites. Read the Code provision in our section 23 explainer. The same subjects are covered for factories in rules 22 to 25 and for mines in rules 26 to 29.
Central Rules apply where the Central Government is the appropriate Government. Where the State Government is the appropriate Government, the State's own OSH rules apply. If you run sites and want your site routines tested against these rules, our labour law compliance service can help.
Rule 30: cleanliness and hygiene
Every employer of a building or other construction work shall ensure that:
- (i) the site, including its premises and surroundings, is kept clean and maintained in hygienic and sanitary condition;
- (ii) a place is provided for proper storage of materials and equipment;
- (iii) scrap, waste and debris are removed at appropriate intervals;
- (iv) loose materials not required for use are not placed or allowed to accumulate so as to obstruct means of access to and egress from workplaces and passageways;
- (v) slippery workplaces and passageways are cleaned up or strewn with sand, sawdust, ash or the like;
- (vi) where a floor is liable to become wet in the course of the work, effective drainage is maintained, the floor is kept dry and non-slippery, and suitable safety and protective gear is provided to employees without charge; and
- (vii) suitable arrangements exist for daily collection, storage, disposal or treatment of every type of waste, under effective supervision.
Note that "appropriate intervals" in clause (iii) is not defined; the site should fix and record its own interval based on the pace of work.
Rule 31: ventilation, temperature and humidity
Rule 31 is the longest of the three. In summary:
| Clause | Duty |
|---|---|
| (i) | Appropriate preventive measures where an employee is likely to be exposed to a chemical, physical or biological hazard to an extent dangerous to health |
| (ii) | Those measures comprise (a) replacing hazardous substances with harmless or less hazardous ones wherever possible, or (b) technical measures applied to plant, machinery, equipment or process. Where that is not possible, other effective measures, including appropriate personal protective equipment and protective clothing, are provided without charge |
| (iii) | Adequate measures to guard against danger where employees must enter an area with a toxic or harmful substance, oxygen deficiency or a flammable atmosphere |
| (iv) | Where heat stress, cold or wet conditions can impair health or cause extreme discomfort: proper design of workload and workstation (with special regard to cabins, command or driving operations), training to detect early signs of disorders, protective equipment and clothing, routine medical surveillance, and drinking water and electrolyte |
| (v) | Constant, adequate ventilation at all workplaces to clear smoke, fume, steam and dust, dilute inflammable or noxious gases, supply air with sufficient oxygen, and prevent harmful rise of temperature or humidity |
| (vi) | Where the work involves excessively high temperatures, practicable measures such as separating the process, insulating hot parts or other effective means |
| (vii) | Where risk arises from metabolic heat or direct sunlight and high outdoor temperatures, and other methods are impracticable, a work-rest cycle, preferably in a shaded, cooler resting space |
| (viii) | Regular measurement of air quantity, temperature and humidity, with entries at each air measurement station brought up to date |
| (ix) | Ventilation in tunnelling (see below) |
The sub-rule numbering in the printed text is slightly untidy: the proviso under (ii) refers to "sub-rule (ii)" although the provision it qualifies is clause (ii)(a) and (b). Read the proviso as applying to those two measures.
Tunnelling: rule 31(ix)
For underground building or construction work sites, ventilation in tunnelling shall provide for:
- (a) removal of pollutants (vehicle exhaust gases, blasting fume, dust) and a climatic state (temperature, humidity) suited to the physical activity of the workforce;
- (b) choice of ventilation system for the site depending on complexity (tunnel length and diameter, single or double bore, cooling requirements, intermediate multifunction stations and so on);
- (c) natural or artificial ventilation designed to introduce a sufficient quantity of fresh or purified air per person per hour, considering the nature and conditions of the work;
- (d) appropriate measures to keep a suitable hygrometric level in enclosed premises;
- (e) these instruments on the tunnelling site: oxygen level measuring instrument; flammable gas measuring instrument; temperature measuring instrument; dust concentration measuring instruments; and toxic gas measuring instrument; and
- (f) air supply intake points of all air compressors located where the intake air does not get contaminated with dust, fumes, vapour and exhaust gases or other contaminants.
The text gives no numeric air quantity per person per hour. It says "sufficient", so the figure must come from the project design and any standards notified under the Code.
Rule 32: dust, noxious gas, fumes and other impurities
The employer shall ensure that:
- (i) necessary steps are taken to minimise emissions of any gas, fume, vapour or dust into the air at any workplace, and employees' exposure to respirable dust, gas, fume or vapour is limited to an extent that is reasonably practicable but, in any case, not exceeding the limits that are harmful to health; and
- (ii) no employee is required or allowed to enter any workplace or confined space until all practicable measures have been taken to bring noxious gas, fume, vapour or dust within the permissible limits.
Permissible exposure limits are addressed in section 88 of the Code; see our sections 86 to 88 explainer.
Consequences
Rules 30 to 32 state no penalty of their own. Contravention is dealt with under the Code's penalty provisions; see our section 94 explainer. For the older framework these rules succeed, see our guide to BOCW Act safety, health and welfare provisions.
Practical examples
Example 1. A builder stacks excess shuttering on a staircase landing. Under rule 30(iv) loose material must not accumulate so as to obstruct access and egress, so the supervisor has it moved to the designated storage place required by rule 30(ii).
Example 2. A highway contractor's crew lays asphalt in peak summer. Rule 31(iv) and (vii) point to a work-rest cycle in a shaded space, drinking water and electrolyte, training to spot early heat disorders and routine medical surveillance.
Example 3. A metro tunnel contractor keeps oxygen, flammable gas, temperature, dust and toxic gas instruments on site, and keeps compressor intakes away from exhaust. After a blast, nobody re-enters until readings are within permissible limits (rules 31(ix) and 32(ii)).
Need help with construction site health compliance?
Site routines are easy to run and hard to prove after an incident. Our labour law compliance team can help you map each clause of rules 30 to 32 to a checklist, a record and a responsible person on your sites.
Key takeaways
- Rule 30 sets seven cleanliness and hygiene duties for every building or other construction work.
- Rule 31 covers hazard prevention, heat stress, ventilation, air measurement and tunnelling.
- Tunnelling sites need five named measuring instruments.
- Rule 32 bars entry until gas, fume, vapour or dust is within permissible limits.
- State rules apply where the State is the appropriate Government.
Read next
- Section 23: employer responsibility for health, safety and working conditions
- Rules 26 to 29: mines cleanliness, ventilation, dust and humidification
- Rules 33 to 35: beedi and cigar premises
- BOCW Act: safety, health and welfare provisions at construction sites
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.