What is the OSHWC Code?

The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSHWC) Code, 2020 places specific obligations on employers who engage women employees during night shifts. 

One of the key requirements is providing safe, reliable transport for women working between 7 PM and 6 AM. Non-compliance exposes organizations to legal liability, and more importantly, puts employees at risk.

What the OSHWC Code Requires

The Code mandates that employers must:

• Obtain written consent from women employees before assigning night shift duties
• Provide adequate transport from the workplace to the employee’s residence after night shifts
• Ensure transport is available at or near the workplace premises, not at a distant pickup point
• Maintain a safe working environment as a precondition for deploying women on night shifts

State-specific rules (Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, etc.) add further requirements on top of the central Code, including marshal mandates and vehicle standards.

Step 1: Establish a Night Shift Consent Process

Before rostering any woman employee for night shifts, obtain documented written consent. This should be stored in your HRMS and renewed periodically. 

Consent must be voluntary. Employees cannot be coerced or penalized for declining night shift assignments.

Step 2: Define Your Night Shift Transport Policy

Create a dedicated transport policy for night shift women employees that covers:

• Eligible shift hours (typically 7 PM – 6 AM)
• Door-to-door drop commitment – employees should be dropped as close to home as safely possible
• No lone-travel rule. A marshal or guard must accompany a woman traveling alone in the vehicle
• SOS/panic button availability on all transport vehicles or in the employee app

Step 3: Vet and Configure Your Transport Vendor

Not all vendors meet the standards required for night shift women’s transport. Ensure your vendor provides:

• Police-verified, background-checked drivers with valid commercial licenses
• Real-time GPS tracking on all vehicles
• Compliance with your state’s specific transport safety rules

MoveInSync allows you to configure compliance requirements and flags non-compliant trips automatically. 

Step 4: Implement Live Tracking and Alerts

Passive GPS is not enough. Set up the following safety features with MoveInSync:

• Live vehicle tracking visible to the employee, transport admin, and security team
• Automated alerts if a vehicle deviates from the planned route
• Geofence-based notifications when the employee is dropped at their destination
• An SOS button in the MoveInSync employee app that notifies security and management instantly

Step 5: Maintain Compliance Records

In the event of an inspection or incident, you need documented proof of compliance. Maintain:

• Written consent records for all women on night shifts
• Trip logs with GPS data, driver details, and timestamps for every night shift journey
• Vendor verification documents – driver licenses, police clearances, vehicle fitness certificates
• Incident reports and resolution records

MoveInSync automatically generates and stores audit trails, making compliance documentation straightforward.