Section 29: Prohibition of overlapping shifts
Reviewed by Finin2min Editorial Desk · Last reviewed 30 August 2026
Section 29 — Sets the statutory prohibition and conditions governing overlapping shifts. Key operative text: — (1) The work shall not be carried on in any establishment by means of a system of shifts so arranged that more than one relay of workers is engaged in work of the same kind at the same time.
All provisions were brought into force from 21 November 2025 under S.O. 5321(E), subject to the Central/State appropriate-Government split and provision-specific appointments/notifications.
Provision / India Code ↗ · Official Act PDF ↗ · 2026 Central Rules ↗
Finin2min analysis — what the section actually does
Operative clauses
- — (1) The work shall not be carried on in any establishment by means of a system of shifts so arranged that more than one relay of workers is engaged in work of the same kind at the same time.
- (2) The appropriate Government or subject to the approval of the appropriate Government, the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator, may, by written order and for the reasons specified therein, exempt on such conditions as may be deemed expedient, any establishment or class of establishments or any department or section of an establishment or any category or description of workers therein from the provisions of…
- Provided that the provisions of this sub-section shall not apply to mines.
Provisos, explanations & qualifications
- Provided that the provisions of this sub-section shall not apply to mines.
Thresholds and timelines in the text
- No explicit day/month/year/hour/percentage/rupee expression was detected in this section text.
Actors expressly appearing in the text
Worker, Appropriate Government, Inspector-cum-Facilitator
Full statutory text — Section 29
29. Prohibition of overlapping shifts. — (1) The work shall not be carried on in any establishment by
means of a system of shifts so arranged that more than one relay of workers is engaged in work of the
same kind at the same time.
(2) The appropriate Government or subject to the approval of the appropriate Government, the Chief
Inspector-cum-Facilitator, may, by written order and for the reasons specified therein, exempt on such
conditions as may be deemed expedient, any establishment or class of establishments or any department
or section of an establishment or any category or description of workers therein from the provisions of
sub-section (1):
Provided that the provisions of this sub-section shall not apply to mines.How to apply this provision
- Primary statutory test — — (1) The work shall not be carried on in any establishment by means of a system of shifts so arranged that more than one relay of workers is engaged in work of the same kind at the same time.
- Additional operative limb — (2) The appropriate Government or subject to the approval of the appropriate Government, the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator, may, by written order and for the reasons specified therein, exempt on such conditions as may be deemed expedient, any establishment or class of establishments or any department or section of an establishment or any category or description of workers therein from the provisions of…
- Qualification / exception to test — Provided that the provisions of this sub-section shall not apply to mines.
- Central Rule mapping — 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71. 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: Worker, Appropriate Government, Inspector-cum-Facilitator.
Rules, forms and cross-references
Forms mapped
No prescribed form is directly mapped in the current concordance.
Other sections cited in this text
Related Labour Hub resources
A direct concordance is not exhaustive. Central/State jurisdiction, schemes, authority appointments, saved instruments and later notifications may change the practical route without changing the section wording.
Worked example
For an establishment affected by prohibition of overlapping shifts, 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: “— (1) The work shall not be carried on in any establishment by means of a system of shifts so arranged that more than one relay of workers is engaged in work of the same kind at the same time.” Also test the express qualification/proviso before concluding the result. Read the mapped Central Rule(s) 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71.
Illustration only; it is not statutory text or a substitute for applying the actual facts, jurisdiction, current rule/scheme and official instrument.
Q&A — Section 29
What does Section 29 of the OSHWC Code cover?
Section 29 — Sets the statutory prohibition and conditions governing overlapping shifts. Key operative text: — (1) The work shall not be carried on in any establishment by means of a system of shifts so arranged that more than one relay of workers is engaged in work of the same kind at the same time.
What is the main legal requirement or power in Section 29?
The first operative clause identified from the official text is: “— (1) The work shall not be carried on in any establishment by means of a system of shifts so arranged that more than one relay of workers is engaged in work of the same kind at the same time.” Read it with the remaining subsections and any proviso below.
Does Section 29 contain a proviso or explanation?
Yes. A qualification extracted from the official text is: “Provided that the provisions of this sub-section shall not apply to mines.”
What time limit, percentage or amount appears in Section 29?
No explicit day/month/year/hour/percentage/rupee expression was detected in the official section text.
Which 2026 Central Rules are linked to Section 29?
The current concordance maps Section 29 to Central Rule(s) 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71.
Is Section 29 currently operative?
All provisions were brought into force from 21 November 2025 under S.O. 5321(E), subject to the Central/State appropriate-Government split and provision-specific appointments/notifications.
Source & verification trail
Act: Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 — official India Code PDF ↗
Central Rules: Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026 — G.S.R. 345(E), 8 May 2026 ↗
Official library: Ministry of Labour & Employment — Labour Codes ↗
Source check: 20 August 2026. Individual professional interpretation should be re-reviewed when the section, rules, notification, scheme, State overlay or controlling judgment changes.