Rule 59 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Rule 59 is one of the shortest rules in the Central Rules and one of the easiest to miss. It requires employers in six listed sectors to conduct mock drills every quarter to check emergency preparedness, and it allows plantations to do so once a year.
The employer of every factory, mine, building or other construction work, industrial premises for manufacture of beedi and cigar, motor transport undertaking and dock work must ensure quarterly mock drills to check emergency preparedness. The employer of every plantation must ensure mock drills annually. The rule text does not name a form, a record format or a penalty of its own.
What rule 59 says
The rule has a main part and one proviso. The main part says that the employer of every factory, mine, building or other construction work, industrial premises for manufacture of beedi and cigar, motor transport undertaking and dock work "shall ensure quarterly conduct of Mock drills to check emergency preparedness to deal with various emergencies". The proviso says that the employer of every plantation "shall ensure annually conduct of mock drills" for the same purpose.
| Employer | Frequency under rule 59 |
|---|---|
| Factory | Quarterly |
| Mine | Quarterly |
| Building or other construction work | Quarterly |
| Industrial premises for beedi and cigar manufacture | Quarterly |
| Motor transport undertaking | Quarterly |
| Dock work | Quarterly |
| Plantation | Annually |
Quarterly means four drills in a year, so an employer with several sites needs a drill calendar for each site. The rule does not say which calendar quarter, whether the quarters are of the financial year or the calendar year, or whether a drill held late in one quarter and early in the next counts twice. Pick a consistent calendar and keep to it.
Where the duty sits in the Code
Rule 59 sits in the welfare and safety chapter of the Rules, next to the crèche rule. The rule text does not cite a section of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (the OSH Code) as its source. The general background is the employer's duty in section 6 of the Code to provide a workplace without hazards that cause or are likely to cause injury or occupational disease, and our section 6 explainer covers it. Treat rule 59 as a specific way in which that general duty is to be shown: by testing, in practice, whether people and systems respond to an emergency.
The Central Rules apply where the Central Government is the appropriate Government. Where the State Government is the appropriate Government, the State's own OSH rules apply, and their drill requirements may differ. If you have sites in several States, a labour law compliance review can sort which set of rules governs each.
What a mock drill should test
The rule says the purpose is "to check emergency preparedness to deal with various emergencies". It does not list the emergencies. Reading the rule with the nature of your business, sensible scenarios include:
- Fire or explosion in a factory, where the drill tests alarm, evacuation route, muster point and headcount.
- Flooding, roof or pillar failure, or fire underground in a mine, where the drill tests communication and rescue arrangements.
- Collapse, fall from height or electrical contact on a construction site.
- Vehicle fire, accident or medical emergency at a motor transport depot or halting station.
- Fall into water, crane or cargo incident in dock work.
- Chemical spill, gas leak or fire in a beedi or cigar unit or a plantation processing shed.
These are examples for planning. The rule does not require any specific scenario, so choose the emergencies your risk assessment identifies and vary them across the four drills in a year.
Records: what to keep
Rule 59 does not prescribe a register or form for drills. That silence does not remove the need for proof. During an inspection, an Inspector-cum-Facilitator can ask for any register or document relating to the workplace or work activity under section 35(1)(vi) of the Code; see our section 35 explainer. A simple drill record is the practical answer. A useful record shows:
- date and time of the drill and the scenario tested;
- who took part and the headcount at the muster point;
- time taken to evacuate or respond;
- gaps found, for example a blocked exit or a dead alarm;
- the corrective action and who closed it.
Where the company has a safety committee, the drill findings are a natural agenda item; see our note on section 22, safety committees and safety officers.
Who is responsible
The rule puts the duty on "the employer". For a contractor-run site, the question of who is the employer for the contract workers depends on the Code's definitions and on the contract structure; our definitions article explains the principal employer and contractor roles. As a practical matter, the principal employer should run a site-wide drill and include contractor workers, because an emergency does not distinguish between them.
Practical examples
Example 1. A factory with 400 workers runs a fire drill on the first Friday after each quarter ends. One drill is held in the night shift. The safety officer records an exit blocked by stacked pallets and the stores head clears it within a week.
Example 2. A tea plantation holds one annual drill before the plucking season. It tests the alarm for the processing shed and the route to the nearest medical help, and records the result.
Example 3. A construction company with three sites runs separate quarterly drills at each, with a different scenario at each visit: fall from height, electrical emergency and fire in the site office.
Compliance checklist
- List every site that falls under rule 59 and its frequency.
- Fix a drill calendar and assign an owner for each site.
- Vary the scenario and include every shift and contractor workers.
- Keep a dated record and close every gap found.
- Check the State rules where they apply.
Need help with emergency and safety compliance?
If your sites sit across different sectors and States, it is easy to lose track of which drill frequency applies where. Our team can help you map each site against the Central Rules and draw up a drill calendar and record format. Start with our labour law compliance service.
Key takeaways
- Six listed employers must ensure quarterly mock drills; plantations must ensure them annually.
- The purpose is to check emergency preparedness for various emergencies.
- The rule does not prescribe a form, scenario list or penalty of its own.
- Keep dated drill records and close the gaps the drill reveals.
- State rules apply where the State is the appropriate Government.
Read next
- Rule 58: creche facility
- Section 6 of the OSH Code: duties of employer
- Rule 7: notice of accidents and dangerous occurrences
- Rule 54: first aid and medical appliances
Disclaimer: Based on the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (as enacted) and, where noted, the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026 (G.S.R. 345(E), 8 May 2026), as on 30 September 2026. The Code is in force from 21 November 2025; some provisions may be notified later, and State Governments make their own rules for establishments where the State is the appropriate Government. Verify the current position before acting.