Rule 18: Safety officer for Dock Work and Building or Other Construction Work
Reviewed by Finin2min Editorial Desk · Last reviewed 30 August 2026
Rule 18 — Governs safety officer for dock work and building or other construction work and the rights, duties, powers or procedure expressly stated in this rule. Key operative text: (1) In every establishment of dock work wherein five hundred or more workers and building or other construction work wherein two-hundred and fifty or more workers are ordinarily employed, the employer shall employ safety…
Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026 were finally notified under G.S.R. 345(E), 8 May 2026. The Central Rules must be read with the Code and any later amendment/corrigendum.
Finin2min analysis — operative rule mechanics
Operative clauses
- (1) In every establishment of dock work wherein five hundred or more workers and building or other construction work wherein two-hundred and fifty or more workers are ordinarily employed, the employer shall employ safety officer as per the scale mentioned below:- (a) For dock work- (i) up to 1000 workers - one safety officer;
- (2) A person shall not be eligible for appointment as a safety officer relating to dock work or building or other construction work unless possesses – (a) a recognised degree in any branch of engineering or technology and has had practical experience of working in a supervisory capacity for a period of not less than two years; or (b) a recognised degree in physics or chemistry and has had practical experience in…
- (b) possesses a recognised degree or diploma in engineering or technology and has had experience of not less than five years in training, education, consultancy, or research in the field of accident prevention in industry or in any institution; shall be eligible for appointment as a Safety Officer.
Provisos / explanations
- No proviso/explanation was separately extracted from this rule.
Thresholds & timelines
- (2) A person shall not be eligible for appointment as a safety officer relating to dock work or building or other construction work unless possesses – (a) a recognised degree in any branch of engineering or technology and has had practical experience of working in a supervisory capacity for a period of not less than two years; or (b) a recognised degree…
- (3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rules (1) and (2), any person who – (a) possesses a recognised degree or diploma in engineering or technology and has had experience of not less than five years in a department of the Central Government or the State Government which deals with the administration of legislations pertaining to the factories or…
- (b) possesses a recognised degree or diploma in engineering or technology and has had experience of not less than five years in training, education, consultancy, or research in the field of accident prevention in industry or in any institution; shall be eligible for appointment as a Safety Officer.
Mapped Code sections
Full notified text — Rule 18
18. Safety officer for Dock Work and Building or Other Construction Work.- (1) In every
establishment of dock work wherein five hundred or more workers and building or other construction
work wherein two-hundred and fifty or more workers are ordinarily employed, the employer shall
employ safety officer as per the scale mentioned below:-
(a) For dock work-
(i) up to 1000 workers - one safety officer;
(ii) up to 2000 workers – two safety officers;
(iii) up to 5000 workers – three safety officers;
(iv) up to 10,000 workers –four safety officers;
(v) for every additional 5000 workers or part thereof- one safety officer.
(b) For building or other construction work-
(i) up to 500 workers- one safety officer;
(ii) up to 1000 workers – two safety officers;
(iii) up to 2000 workers – three safety officers;
(iv) up to 5,000 workers –four safety officers ;
(v) for every additional 2000 workers or part thereof- one safety officer.
(2) A person shall not be eligible for appointment as a safety officer relating to dock work or building
or other construction work unless possesses –
(a) a recognised degree in any branch of engineering or technology and has had practical
experience of working in a supervisory capacity for a period of not less than two years; or
(b) a recognised degree in physics or chemistry and has had practical experience in a supervisory
capacity for a period of not less than five years; or
(c) a recognised diploma in any branch of engineering or technology and has had practical
experience in a supervisory capacity for a period of not less than five years;
(d) possesses a degree or diploma in industrial safety recognised by the Central or State
Government; or post-graduate diploma in industrial safety from Central Labour Institute or
Regional Labour Institutes under Directorate General of Occupational Safety and Health.
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rules (1) and (2), any person who –
(a) possesses a recognised degree or diploma in engineering or technology and has had experience
of not less than five years in a department of the Central Government or the State Government
which deals with the administration of legislations pertaining to the factories or building or
other construction works or dock works;
(b) possesses a recognised degree or diploma in engineering or technology and has had experience
of not less than five years in training, education, consultancy, or research in the field of accident
prevention in industry or in any institution; shall be eligible for appointment as a Safety Officer.Application and evidence
- Primary statutory test — (1) In every establishment of dock work wherein five hundred or more workers and building or other construction work wherein two-hundred and fifty or more workers are ordinarily employed, the employer shall employ safety officer as per the scale mentioned below:- (a) For dock work- (i) up to 1000 workers - one safety officer;
- Additional operative limb — (2) A person shall not be eligible for appointment as a safety officer relating to dock work or building or other construction work unless possesses – (a) a recognised degree in any branch of engineering or technology and has had practical experience of working in a supervisory capacity for a period of not less than two years; or (b) a recognised degree in physics or chemistry and has had practical experience in…
- Numerical or timing control — (2) A person shall not be eligible for appointment as a safety officer relating to dock work or building or other construction work unless possesses – (a) a recognised degree in any branch of engineering or technology and has had practical experience of working in a supervisory capacity for a period of not less than two years; or (b) a recognised degree…
- Code Section mapping — 22. Read the mapped provision together with this text rather than treating the concordance as a substitute for it.
- Evidence file — retain facts and records proving the role/status of: Employer, Worker, Central Government, State Government.
Cross-references & prescribed forms
Sections cited/mapped
Forms
No form is directly mapped in the current rule register.
Worked example
For an establishment affected by safety officer for dock work and building or other construction work, the compliance owner should identify the applicable sector and authority, document the prescribed control/notice/record and retain inspection or training evidence. A text point to test is: “(2) A person shall not be eligible for appointment as a safety officer relating to dock work or building or other construction work unless possesses – (a) a recognised degree in any branch of engineering or technology and has had practical experience of working in a supervisory c” Reconcile the mapped Code Section(s) 22.
Illustrative only. Use the exact notified rule, prescribed form and competent authority.
Q&A — Rule 18
What is Rule 18 of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026?
Rule 18 — Governs safety officer for dock work and building or other construction work and the rights, duties, powers or procedure expressly stated in this rule. Key operative text: (1) In every establishment of dock work wherein five hundred or more workers and building or other construction work wherein two-hundred and fifty or more workers are ordinarily employed, the employer shall employ safety…
What does Rule 18 require or permit?
A principal operative clause extracted from the notified rule is: “(1) In every establishment of dock work wherein five hundred or more workers and building or other construction work wherein two-hundred and fifty or more workers are ordinarily employed, the employer shall employ safety officer as per the scale mentioned below:- (a) For dock work- (i) up to 1000 workers - one safety officer;” Read it with all sub-rules and provisos below.
Does Rule 18 contain a proviso or explanation?
No standalone proviso or explanation was extracted from this rule text. Check the complete rule below for clause-level conditions.
What deadline, period, percentage or amount appears in Rule 18?
The rule contains this numerical/time expression: “(2) A person shall not be eligible for appointment as a safety officer relating to dock work or building or other construction work unless possesses – (a) a recognised degree in any branch of engineering or technology and has had practical experience of working in a supervisory capacity for a period of not less than two years; or (b) a recognised degree…” Apply it only in its notified context.
Which Code sections are linked to Rule 18?
The current concordance maps Rule 18 to Section(s) 22.
When did Rule 18 come into force?
The final Central Rules were notified as G.S.R. 345(E), 8 May 2026; Rule 1 states that the Rules come into force on publication. Check any later amendment or corrigendum before reliance.