Lok Sabha Question No. 1115 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-02
Subject: Safe Working Conditions
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shri Sudhakar Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1115 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.12.2024

## SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS

1115. SHRI SUDHAKAR SINGH:

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)whether  the  Government  has  formulated  any  plans  to  improve access to health insurance and establish medical facilities near major migration hubs where workers in hazardous industries are concentrated;
- (b)if so, the details thereof, including timelines and implementation
- strategies;
- (c)the  specific  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to strengthen enforcement mechanisms aimed at preventing exploitation  and  ensuring  safe  working  conditions  in  high-risk industries such as construction, brick kilns, mining, and manufacturing;
- (d)whether the Government has any plans to introduce more stringent occupational safety standards or increase the frequency of labour inspections to mitigate health risks associated with these jobs; and
- (e)if so, the details thereof along with safety standards/ inspection enhancements  and  the  expected  impact  on  worker  safety  in hazardous job sectors?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

- (a) to (e): The Central Government has enacted the Factories Act, 1948  for  ensuring  the  occupational  safety,  health  and  welfare  of workers employed in the factories, including hazardous industries, across the country. The Factories Act, 1948 and the rules framed thereunder  are  enforced  by  States/Union  Territories  through  their Chief  Inspector  of  Factories  (CIF)/  Director  of  Industrial  Safety  & Health (DISH).

The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of  Employment  and  Conditions  of  Service)  Act,  1996  provides  for welfare  and  safety  measures  for  building  and  other  construction workers. The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment  and  Conditions  of Service) Act, 1979, inter alia, mandates the contractor to provide suitable and adequate medical facilities  to  migrant  workers.  Central  and  state  governments  are responsible to implement the relevant provisions of these Acts and Rules/ Regulations made thereunder within their respective jurisdiction.

To  ensure  the  occupational  safety  of  mines  workers, Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) undertakes inspection of any violation/contravention, as per the provisions under the Mines Act, mines and takes appropriate action in case of 1952 and rules/ regulations made thereunder.

The  Government  has  also  set  up  the  Central  Industrial Relations  Machinery  (CIRM)  which  is  the  country-wide  network  of Deputy Chief Labour Commissioners (Central) and Regional Labour Commissioners  (Central)  under  the  control  of  the  Chief  Labour Commissioner (Central) to ensure enforcement of the labour laws in the central sphere.

Further,  the  Government  has  enacted  the  Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 to consolidate and amend  the  laws  regulating  the  occupational  safety,  health  and working  conditions  of  the  persons  employed  in  an  establishment, inter-alia, covering establishments of any industry, trade, business, manufacturing or occupation; building and other construction work, factory and mine subject to conditions prescribed therein.

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