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The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 — the BOCW Act — and the BOCW (RE and CS) Central Rules, 1998 set out detailed safety, health, and welfare requirements for construction workers in India. Safety communication and display requirements are embedded across these rules and are enforced by the state BOCW Welfare Boards and inspecting authorities.
Who Does the BOCW Act Apply To?
The BOCW Act applies to establishments that employ 10 or more building and other construction workers on any day. Construction workers include those employed in building, roads, tunnels, dams, bridges, irrigation works, and related activities. Almost all commercial and infrastructure construction projects in India fall within the BOCW Act’s scope.
Safety Notice Requirements Under BOCW Rules
The BOCW Central Rules require that the employer display the extract of the Act and Rules in Hindi and in the language understood by the majority of workers at the construction site. The name, address, and telephone number of the nearest hospital, ambulance service, and police station must be prominently displayed. In multi-employer project sites, the principal employer’s safety notice requirements extend to all contractors and sub-contractors operating on site.
Language of Safety Communication Under BOCW
The BOCW Rules specifically require that safety instructions be in a language understood by the workers. On a construction project in Maharashtra where the workforce is primarily from UP and Bihar, safety notices in Marathi or English alone do not satisfy the BOCW requirement. Hindi, as the common language of the migrant workforce, is typically required. In states with predominantly local workers, the state language applies.
Recommended Safety Posters for BOCW Compliance
A construction site safety poster set that supports BOCW compliance should include general safety rules for the site in Hindi, PPE requirements at site entry, fall protection and working at height procedures, excavation and confined space entry rules, scaffolding inspection and usage rules, electrical safety on temporary installations, fire prevention and first aid locations, and emergency contact information.
At Industry Visuals, we deliver visual posters for all industries across India. Browse our construction site safety poster collection.
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