The Supreme Court on Monday sought the response of the Centre on a petition alleging lack of a safety code for construction workers under the new Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026 in the light of a recent wall collapse in Gurugram that killed seven workers and injured four.
The excavation was being carried out for a sewage treatment plant; the accident that claimed seven lives. However, till date, the rules cater to cleanliness, ventilation and dust and not the vital aspect of labourer safety. The petition also sought a complete inquiry into the March collapse as well as determination and payment of compensation and statutory dues to the deceased and injured workers and their families. It also sought establishment of a national record of construction fatalities and their causes. The petition has made the Haryana government, the relevant state departments and police authorities as parties. The court order requires a response to be filed by them.
He pointed out that the new Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026 which came into operation on May 7 casts an obligation on the Centre to frame rules with regard to building or other construction work.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner told the court that the immediate occasion for filing the petition was the collapse of a retaining wall during an excavation work carried out at the Signature Global City of Colours project at Sidhrawali, Gurugram in March . Terming the incident an eye-opener, Bhushan said that the recent episode exposes a gap in legislation which is depriving labourers of safety guarantees and compensation benefits. Bhushan said that the March incident showed that there is no rule on excavation, shoring, sloping, placement of excavated material, inspection before entry, scaffolding, formwork, or demolition.
