The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 consolidates how many Central Labour Acts, and which of the following is a key new provision introduced for the first time under it?

The OSH Code, 2020 consolidates  13 Central Labour Acts  including the Factories Act, 1948; Mines Act, 1952; Dock Workers Act, 1986; Building and Other Construction Workers Act, 1996; and several others into a single unified framework, reducing total sections from  620 to 143  for ease of compliance. A landmark new provision introduced for the first time is the mandate that  employers must provide free annual health check-ups  to all employees, ensuring preventive healthcare as part of the employment contract. Another notable change is that  women can be employed in night shifts (before 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.) with their consent , a significant shift from earlier restrictions. The Code also requires a  Safety Committee  to be mandatorily constituted in factories with  500+ workers , construction establishments with  250+ workers , and mines with  100+ workers . A single  National Occupational Safety & Health Advisory Board  a tripartite body replaces the 6 separate earlier boards that existed under the individual Acts.