Draft Metalliferous Mines Safety Regulations 2026 Issued for Public Feedback

Notification G.S.R. 109(E); Dated: 04.02.2026

Section 136 of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, (OSH&WC Code) empowers the Central Government to make regulations in relation to mines and dock work. Accordingly, the Central Government has notified the draft Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Metalliferous Mines) Regulations, 2026, prescribed under the OSH&WC Code. The draft regulations apply to all mines except coal or oil mines.

Objections and Suggestions can be submitted within 45 days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette. The key highlights of the draft Regulations are as follows:

• Constitution of the Board of Mining Examination – The draft regulations provide for the constitution of a Board of Mining Examination, consisting of the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator as the Chairperson (ex-officio) and five members possessing a degree in mining engineering. Each member of the Board other than its Chairperson must hold office for 3 years from the date of appointment or until their successor is appointed, whichever is later.
• Qualifications of Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator or Inspectors-cum-Facilitators – As per the draft regulations, no person must be appointed as the Chief Inspector cum facilitator or Inspector-cum-Facilitator unless such person holds a degree in mining engineering from an educational institution approved by the Central Government.
• Safety Management Plan – Under the draft regulations, the owner, agent and manager of every mine must:

1. 1. identify hazards to the health and safety of the persons employed at the mine to which they may be exposed while at work,
   2. assess the risks to health and safety to which employees may be exposed while they are at work,
   3. follow an appropriate process for identification of the hazards and assessment of risks
   4. record the list of hazards identified and risks assessed, and
   5. make those records available for inspection by the employees.

• List of Plans, Sections and Instruments and Their Storage – All plans and sections, and tracings or copies thereof, kept at the mine must be serially numbered. Suitable arrangements must be made at every mine for the proper storage and maintenance of every plan and section and of all instruments and materials to provide for flat storage of every plan and section maintained in physical form or secured in digital form.
• Maintenance of Reports, Records and Registers – As per the draft regulations, all reports, records and registers required to be maintained must be kept in interleaved bound paged registers and signed by the concerned competent persons or officials and countersigned by the manager.
• Payment of Fees – The draft regulations provide that any fees payable must be paid through an electronic mode or any other means as specified from time to time by the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator.
• Standing Orders – As per the draft regulations, the manager of every mine in which a mechanical ventilator other than an auxiliary fan is installed must submit standing orders specifying the action that must be taken with respect to the withdrawal of persons from the mine or part thereof in the event of a stoppage of the ventilator. The standing orders must be submitted within a period of 30 days of the installation to the Regional Inspector-cum-Facilitator.
• Appeal to the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator – As per the draft regulations, an appeal against an order made by the Regional Inspector-cum-Facilitator may be preferred before the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator, who may confirm, modify or cancel the order. The appeal must be made within 15 days of receipt of the order by the aggrieved person.

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