Rule 45: Overcrowding
Reviewed by Finin2min Editorial Desk · Last reviewed 30 August 2026
Rule 45 — Governs overcrowding 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 and dock work shall ensure that:- (i) the floor space in any building or…
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 and dock work shall ensure that:- (i) the floor space in any building or any dock area, wharf, jetty in case of dock work is not crowded with machinery in a manner dangerous to employees or be overcrowded with materials or products so as to constitute a menace to…
- (iii) adequate provisions are made to prevent overcrowding at any place where employees are required to work or assemble for any reason in the premises, including:- (a) design and use of signs or symbols (in English or Hindi and in local language) that indicate and illustrate overcrowding related hazards in all working areas specifying the number of employees allowed to work at such places at any one time;
- Provided that the sub-rule (i) and (ii) shall not be applicable in case of building or other construction work, beedi and cigar work and sub-rule (ii) shall not be applicable to motor transport undertaking.
Provisos / explanations
- Provided that the sub-rule (i) and (ii) shall not be applicable in case of building or other construction work, beedi and cigar work and sub-rule (ii) shall not be applicable to motor transport undertaking.
Thresholds & timelines
- No explicit day/month/year/hour/percentage/rupee expression was detected in this rule text.
Mapped Code sections
Full notified text — Rule 45
45. Overcrowding.- Employer of every factory, mine, building or other construction work, industrial
premise for manufacture of beedi and cigar, motor transport undertaking and dock work shall ensure
that:-
(i) the floor space in any building or any dock area, wharf, jetty in case of dock work is not crowded
with machinery in a manner dangerous to employees or be overcrowded with materials or products
so as to constitute a menace to them;
(ii) sufficient space is provided around the individual machines or process units to allow for normal
operation, adjustments, ordinary repairs, for materials supplied, in process, or completed;
(iii) adequate provisions are made to prevent overcrowding at any place where employees are required
to work or assemble for any reason in the premises, including:-
(a) design and use of signs or symbols (in English or Hindi and in local language) that indicate and
illustrate overcrowding related hazards in all working areas specifying the number of employees
allowed to work at such places at any one time;
(b) vehicle and pedestrian pathways are kept separated using barriers indicated by distinctive colours;
and
(c) deployment of vehicles are managed effectively and overcrowding is avoided:
Provided that the sub-rule (i) and (ii) shall not be applicable in case of building or other construction
work, beedi and cigar work and sub-rule (ii) shall not be applicable to motor transport undertaking.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 and dock work shall ensure that:- (i) the floor space in any building or any dock area, wharf, jetty in case of dock work is not crowded with machinery in a manner dangerous to employees or be overcrowded with materials or products so as to constitute a menace to…
- Additional operative limb — (iii) adequate provisions are made to prevent overcrowding at any place where employees are required to work or assemble for any reason in the premises, including:- (a) design and use of signs or symbols (in English or Hindi and in local language) that indicate and illustrate overcrowding related hazards in all working areas specifying the number of employees allowed to work at such places at any one time;
- Qualification / exception to test — Provided that the sub-rule (i) and (ii) shall not be applicable in case of building or other construction work, beedi and cigar work and sub-rule (ii) shall not be applicable to motor transport undertaking.
- 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 overcrowding, 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 and dock work shall ensure that:- (i) the floor space in any building or any dock area, wharf, jetty in case of dock work is no” Also test the express qualification/proviso before concluding the result. Reconcile the mapped Code Section(s) 23.
Illustrative only. Use the exact notified rule, prescribed form and competent authority.
Q&A — Rule 45
What is Rule 45 of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026?
Rule 45 — Governs overcrowding 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 and dock work shall ensure that:- (i) the floor space in any building or…
What does Rule 45 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 and dock work shall ensure that:- (i) the floor space in any building or any dock area, wharf, jetty in case of dock work is not crowded with machinery in a manner dangerous to employees or be overcrowded with materials or products so as to constitute a menace to…” Read it with all sub-rules and provisos below.
Does Rule 45 contain a proviso or explanation?
Yes. One extracted qualification is: “Provided that the sub-rule (i) and (ii) shall not be applicable in case of building or other construction work, beedi and cigar work and sub-rule (ii) shall not be applicable to motor transport undertaking.”
What deadline, period, percentage or amount appears in Rule 45?
No explicit day/month/year/hour/percentage/rupee expression was detected in this rule text.
Which Code sections are linked to Rule 45?
The current concordance maps Rule 45 to Section(s) 23.
When did Rule 45 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.