Draft Notification – Uttar Pradesh Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules, 2026 – Dated  March 23, 2026.

The Government of Uttar Pradesh, through the Labour Department, has issued Notification[1] dated March 23, 2026, proposing the “Uttar Pradesh Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules, 2026”. This draft seeks to supersede several legacy regulations, including the U.P. Factories Rules (1950), the U.P. Contract Labour Rules (1975), and the U.P. Building and Other Construction Workers Rules (2009), among others, to align the state’s legal framework with the central Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020. These rules will extend across the entire state and apply to all factories, construction sites, and establishments once finalized.

Under the proposed framework, every employer must register their establishment electronically via the official state portal within prescribed timelines. The draft introduces a structured fee schedule for registration based on the number of workers, ranging from ₹5,000 for small establishments to ₹1,00,000 for those employing over one thousand workers. Additionally, the rules mandate the issuance of formal appointment letters and identity cards to all employees within three months of the rules coming into force, ensuring systematic documentation of the workforce.

The rules place significant emphasis on worker safety and health, mandating the constitution of Safety Committees in establishments with 250 or more employees or those involved in hazardous processes. Employers are required to provide free annual health examinations for employees over 40 years of age and maintain detailed health registers. Furthermore, the draft outlines specific “Dangerous Manufacturing Processes” across 35 schedules ranging from lead manufacture to high-noise operations requiring specialized medical supervision and periodic re-examinations by qualified Factory Medical Officers.

Specific protections are introduced for women and migrant workers to ensure equitable and safe working conditions. Women may be employed between 7:00 PM and 6:00 AM only with their written consent and provided the employer ensures dedicated transport, supper, and CCTV-monitored safe passages. For inter-state migrant workers, the rules mandate the payment of a journey allowance for travel to their home state if they have worked for 180 days in a year, alongside the establishment of a toll-free helpline to address their grievances. Regarding operational standards, the draft fixes the maximum weekly working hours at 48, with a daily spread-over limit of 10.5 hours, which may be extended to 12 hours under specific state notifications. Overtime work is permitted under certain conditions such as urgent repairs or exceptional workloads but is capped at 115 hours per quarter and requires the worker’s written consent. To ensure transparency, employers must maintain electronic registers for leave, wages, and accidents, and are required to file annual returns by January 31st each year.

[1] No. 500/XXXVI-3-2026-1903305