In May 2026, the Ministry of Labour & Employment issued revised Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (OSHWC) Rules, 2026, tightening standards for textile and apparel manufacturing units. Key provisions mandate hazard identification audits, mandatory worker safety training, and quarterly incident reporting—all effective immediately for units employing 50+ workers.
Apparel factories across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Gujarat now face a compliance sprint as auditors prepare inspections and enforcement intensifies.
Market signals
Units must complete baseline occupational hazard assessments by 30 June 2026. Assessment reports must identify chemical, thermal, noise, and ergonomic risks specific to cutting, stitching, and finishing lines, with documented remediation plans.
All shop-floor staff—including temporary and contract workers—require certified induction training on hazard recognition and emergency response. Units must maintain digital training registers, audit-ready and subject to surprise inspection.
Even minor occupational injuries must now be logged in a central digital portal within 24 hours. Quarterly compliance certificates signed by factory management become a prerequisite for export clearance from June onwards.
Compliance with the revised OSHWC Rules is now a direct labour-law obligation enforced by State Factory Inspectorates. Non-compliance invites penalties of ₹50,000–₹5 lakh and suspension of manufacturing licences; more critically, customs and port authorities are aligning with the Ministry of Labour to flag non-certified factories, risking export delays. Vinayakam Consultants supports apparel manufacturers through end-to-end occupational safety audits, training programme design, and digital incident-reporting system implementation—ensuring factories remain audit-ready and export-compliant while protecting worker welfare.
Your action checklist
- Commission an independent occupational hazard assessment before 25 June; identify chemical exposures (dyes, solvents), noise levels, and ergonomic stressors in cutting and pressing units.
- Develop and roll out in-house worker safety induction training; maintain digital attendance and competency records; include temporary and contract staff.
- Establish a 24-hour incident-reporting protocol and assign a trained Safety Officer to log all injuries, near-misses, and remedial actions in the Ministry's online portal.
- Request a pre-inspection compliance walkthrough from your labour consultant and obtain a preliminary safety certificate for export documentation by 30 June 2026.
Frequently asked questions
The revised OSHWC Rules 2026 mandate hazard identification audits, mandatory worker safety training, and quarterly incident reporting for units employing 50+ workers, effective immediately.
Non-compliance invites penalties of ₹50,000–₹5 lakh, suspension of manufacturing licences, and export hold-ups as customs authorities flag non-certified factories.
Apparel factories across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Gujarat must comply with the revised occupational safety standards by the June 2026 deadline.