Rule 44: Potable water
Reviewed by Finin2min Editorial Desk · Last reviewed 30 August 2026
Rule 44 — Governs potable water and the rights, duties, powers or procedure expressly stated in this rule. Key operative text: Employer of every factory, mine, building or other construction work, industrial premise for manufacture of beedi and cigar, motor transport undertaking, dock work and plantation shall ensure that:- (i) adequate supply of…
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
- Employer of every factory, mine, building or other construction work, industrial premise for manufacture of beedi and cigar, motor transport undertaking, dock work and plantation shall ensure that:- (i) adequate supply of clean, wholesome and safe drinking water is provided for and be readily accessible to, all employees in all workplaces;
- (iii) except where the water is delivered by a rising jet, the use of common drinking tumblers or cups is prohibited.
- Provided in case of building or other construction work every employer shall ensure that- (a) drinking water for common use is stored only in closed containers from which the water is dispensed through taps;
Provisos / explanations
- No proviso/explanation was separately extracted from this rule.
Thresholds & timelines
- No explicit day/month/year/hour/percentage/rupee expression was detected in this rule text.
Mapped Code sections
Full notified text — Rule 44
44. Potable water.- Employer of every factory, mine, building or other construction work, industrial
premise for manufacture of beedi and cigar, motor transport undertaking, dock work and plantation shall
ensure that:-
(i) adequate supply of clean, wholesome and safe drinking water is provided for and be readily
accessible to, all employees in all workplaces;
(ii) any supply of drinking water other than the piped supply is contained in suitable vessels clearly
marked or displayed in Hindi or English and in local language, to indicate that the water is safe
for drinking and such supply is replenished daily and all necessary precautions are taken to
preserve the water and vessels from contamination;
(iii) except where the water is delivered by a rising jet, the use of common drinking tumblers or cups
is prohibited.
(iv) where water is unsafe for drinking purposes or is provided for use in other purposes, it is to be so
indicated in Hindi or English and in local language:
Provided in case of building or other construction work every employer shall ensure that-
(a) drinking water for common use is stored only in closed containers from which the water is
dispensed through taps;
(b) if drinking water has to be transported to the worksite, the transport tanks, storage tanks and
dispensing container are cleaned and disinfected at regular intervals;
(c) a supply of drinking water is never connected to a supply of water that is unfit to drink.Application and evidence
- Primary statutory test — Employer of every factory, mine, building or other construction work, industrial premise for manufacture of beedi and cigar, motor transport undertaking, dock work and plantation shall ensure that:- (i) adequate supply of clean, wholesome and safe drinking water is provided for and be readily accessible to, all employees in all workplaces;
- Additional operative limb — (iii) except where the water is delivered by a rising jet, the use of common drinking tumblers or cups is prohibited.
- Code Section mapping — 23. 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, Employee / worker.
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 potable water, 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: “Employer of every factory, mine, building or other construction work, industrial premise for manufacture of beedi and cigar, motor transport undertaking, dock work and plantation shall ensure that:- (i) adequate supply of clean, wholesome and safe drinking water is provided for a” Reconcile the mapped Code Section(s) 23.
Illustrative only. Use the exact notified rule, prescribed form and competent authority.
Q&A — Rule 44
What is Rule 44 of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026?
Rule 44 — Governs potable water and the rights, duties, powers or procedure expressly stated in this rule. Key operative text: Employer of every factory, mine, building or other construction work, industrial premise for manufacture of beedi and cigar, motor transport undertaking, dock work and plantation shall ensure that:- (i) adequate supply of…
What does Rule 44 require or permit?
A principal operative clause extracted from the notified rule is: “Employer of every factory, mine, building or other construction work, industrial premise for manufacture of beedi and cigar, motor transport undertaking, dock work and plantation shall ensure that:- (i) adequate supply of clean, wholesome and safe drinking water is provided for and be readily accessible to, all employees in all workplaces;” Read it with all sub-rules and provisos below.
Does Rule 44 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 44?
No explicit day/month/year/hour/percentage/rupee expression was detected in this rule text.
Which Code sections are linked to Rule 44?
The current concordance maps Rule 44 to Section(s) 23.
When did Rule 44 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.