DGMS (Tech) Circular 12 of 2026 — Employment of women in mines

Summary

Addressed to the owner, agent and manager of all mines and to manufacturers of mining equipment and appliances. Sets out the special provisions on the employment of women that apply to mines under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code 2020, in force from 21 November 2025 [S.O. 5321(E)]. Section 43 entitles women to be employed in all establishments for all types of work, and permits their employment with their consent before 6 a.m. and beyond 7 p.m. subject to prescribed conditions on safety, holidays and working hours. Section 44 allows the appropriate Government, where it considers the employment of women dangerous to their health and safety in a hazardous or dangerous process, to require the employer to provide adequate safeguards first. The circular reads these with rule 83 on the employment of women in an establishment and rule 84 on adequate safety in dangerous operations under the OSH&WC (Central) Rules 2026, in force from 8 May 2026, and with the earlier DGMS (Legis.) Circular 02 of 24 May 2019 on framing SOPs for the employment of women.