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.
Chapters VI and VII of the Uttar Pradesh Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules, 2026 (rules 55 to 75) set out which registers an employer keeps, how long they are preserved, which returns go to the Inspector-cum-Facilitator and when, what must be displayed at the premises, and how inspections, improvement notices and third-party audits work.
Registers and records are kept for five calendar years from the last entry (medical records of notifiable or occupational disease, seven years). The annual return in Form-17 is due on or before 31 January. A leave book in Form-14 is given to every employee. After inspection an Inspector-cum-Facilitator can issue a prohibition order or improvement notice in Form-20, and the employer then asks for verification.
The rule set
This article covers the Uttar Pradesh Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules, 2026, as notified by notification no. 962/XXXVI-03-2026-1903305 dated 27 August 2026. Later amendments and State notifications under these rules should be checked in the State Gazette. Rule 1(4) says the rules "shall come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette". The registers under the wage rules are in our article on the wage registers, wage slip and forms.
The Central companions are explained in rule 72 on maintenance of registers, rules 73 and 74 on notices and annual return, rules 75 and 76 on the accident and leave registers and rule 78 on the Inspector-cum-Facilitator. The Uttar Pradesh numbers differ. A labour law compliance review can match your register set to this list.
Rules 55 to 65: registers and records
| Register or record | Rule | Form | Key points as printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| General records, registers, testing certificates, licences, NOCs | 55 | - | Kept electronically or otherwise, readily available at the premises; manual entries in ink in Hindi, English or the language most employees understand |
| Preservation | 55(3), 65(2) | - | Five calendar years from the last entry; true copies if the original is lost within one year; kept until a pending case ends |
| Leave book | 56 | Form-14 | One for each employee; property of the worker; manager may not keep it more than one week; replacement on payment of rupees ten, subject to section 21 of the Code on Wages, 2019 |
| Leave with wages register | 57 | Form-15 | Filled weekly, fortnightly or at least once a month |
| Overtime register and slips | 58 | Under the Uttar Pradesh Code on Wages Rules, 2026 | Overtime slip in duplicate; copy to the worker immediately after the overtime |
| Register of workers or attendance register | 59 | Form-6 | No worker may work unless entered in it; separate "Attendance Register of Adolescent Workers"; produced on demand |
| Accidents and dangerous occurrences | 60 | Form-16 | A register of all accidents and dangerous occurrences under rules 15 and 16 |
| Wage slips | 61 | As under the wage rules | On or before payment; overtime wage slip separate from the regular slip, showing overtime hours |
| Annual return | 62(a) | Form-17 | On or before January 31 every year |
| Half-yearly return (Major Accident Hazard installation) | 62(b) | Form-18 | On or before July 31, for January 1 to June 30 |
| Nomination for balance of leave wages | 64 | Form-19 | Signed and attested by two witnesses; balance paid to the nominee within one month of intimation of the worker's death |
A seasonal establishment submits its return within fifteen days after the closure of the season (the last of the seasons, if more than one). Rule 65(1) requires information demanded by an Inspector-cum-Facilitator during inspection to be given forthwith if available, and, if the demand is written, within fifteen days. Medical records of employees who contracted a notifiable disease, were declared unfit, or suffered an occupational disease or accident are preserved for seven years (rule 65(3)).
Rule 63: notices and the signboard
Every establishment displays a notice with abstracts of the Code, notifications and rules on health, safety and welfare (sections 18, 23 and 24), not less than 2000 words, with the name and office address of the Inspector-cum-Facilitator. Notices are in Hindi and English at a conspicuous place, on the notice board and at or near the main entrance, kept clean and legible. The Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator can require other notices or posters by written order. A painted sign board in white or luminous letters at the main entrance, visible from outside, shows the registration or licence number, name, address, employer and manager.
Rules 66 to 75: authorities and inspection
- Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator (rule 66). For factories, the qualification and experience are those prescribed for the Director of Factories under the Uttar Pradesh Inspector of Boilers and Factories Service Rules, 1980; for other establishments, those of the Additional Labour Commissioner, Enforcement Headquarter under the Uttar Pradesh Labour Service Rules, 1991.
- Powers on plantations (rule 67). The Inspector-cum-Facilitator may photograph a child worker, take samples, copies and measurements, require returns and satisfy himself at each inspection that health and welfare rules, fitness certificates for adolescents, registers, rest periods, hours of work, notices of periods of work and leave and maternity benefits are in order.
- General powers and notices (rule 68). An Inspector-cum-Facilitator has the powers in section 35 of the Code. After inspection, an Inspector-cum-Facilitator may issue a prohibition order or improvement notice in Form-20. The employer ensures compliance and asks the Inspector-cum-Facilitator to verify; if the contraventions persist, the Inspector-cum-Facilitator starts compounding where the violation is compoundable, or sends a report to the officer one rank above for sanction of prosecution.
- Samples (rule 69). A sample of a substance is divided into three sealed portions: one to the person in charge, one to a Government Analyst, one kept for Court.
- Identification cards (rule 70). An inspecting officer shows an authorised identification card, electronically or otherwise, if the employer asks.
- Third-party auditors (rule 71). The Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator may recognise third-party auditors of two types: a Labour Law Auditor and a Technical Occupational Health, safety and welfare Auditor. The firm must be registered in India under a suitable legal framework and with the Labour Department. A labour law auditor has a Bachelor's degree in Law with a minimum of 7 years of experience of labour laws or as a legal practitioner, or is a retired Additional, Deputy or Assistant Labour Commissioner with at least 5 years in that capacity. The technical auditor has the engineering and experience qualifications stated in rule 71(5), an age limit of 65 years (a medical fitness certificate above 60), and empanelment of not more than 2 years at a time.
- Alternative employment (rule 72). The occupier provides alternative employment to a person whose employment is affected by an order of the specified kind.
- Medical practitioners and adolescents (rules 73 to 75). Rules 73 to 75 deal with the qualifications of the medical practitioner, the types of examination and the examination of adolescents. Employers of adolescent workers should read those rules directly in the Gazette.
Practical example
A foundry in Kanpur receives an improvement notice in Form-20 after an inspection. The occupier completes the repairs, sends a written request for verification, and keeps the Form-16 accident register, Form-14 leave books and Form-17 annual return ready. When the Inspector-cum-Facilitator asks for information in writing, the safety manager sends the reply well inside the fifteen days that rule 65(1) allows.
Common lapses
- Missing the 31 January date for the Form-17 annual return.
- Keeping the leave book with the manager beyond one week.
- A seasonal unit failing to file within fifteen days of the close of the season.
- Treating an improvement notice as closed without asking for verification.
- Keeping medical records for five years instead of seven where the rule requires seven.
Need help with registers and inspections?
If you want one register map for your Uttar Pradesh units, with owners and dates for Form-17 and Form-18, our labour law compliance team can prepare it and test it against rules 55 to 65. A register missing at inspection is the commonest avoidable finding.
Key takeaways
- Keep records five calendar years (seven for notifiable disease and similar medical records).
- Form-17 annual return by 31 January; Form-18 half-yearly return for major accident hazard installations by 31 July.
- Leave book Form-14; leave register Form-15; attendance register Form-6; accident register Form-16.
- Display notices in Hindi and English and a signboard at the entrance.
- After a Form-20 notice, request verification; unresolved contraventions lead to compounding or prosecution sanction.
Read next
- Uttar Pradesh OSH Rules, 2026: hours of work, overtime, leave and employment of women
- Uttar Pradesh OSH Rules, 2026: contract labour licence and inter-State migrant workers
- Uttar Pradesh Code on Wages Rules, 2026: registers, wage slip and forms
- Central OSH rules 73 and 74: display on notice board and annual return
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.