Central rules
Dock work, building and construction
Rule 5 of the OSH (Central) Rules, 2026: a free check-up for every employee who has completed 40 years, by a qualified medical practitioner, recorded on Form VIII.
Annual health check-up for employees over 40: what the law says and how to run it.
A plain guide for HR and EHS teams, and for the clinics that run their checkups: who the rule covers, when the check-up is due, what to record, and how to get it done.
A summary, not legal advice
Request a free trialFor clinics and providers
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- Once a yearWorkers 40+
- No costEmployer pays
- Doctor-signedCertificate given
How we got here, in dates.
The rules arrived in steps, and states are still finishing theirs. These are the dates that decide your first season.
21 Nov 2025
The OSH Code comes into force
The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 replaces 13 older labour laws, including the Factories Act, 1948.
Jan 2026
Karnataka publishes draft rules
An annual check-up for workers aged 40 and above, within 120 days of the start of the year.
Feb – May 2026
ESIC starts free check-ups for insured workers over 40
Camps from February. Sources differ on the date it went nationwide.
6 May 2026
Maharashtra publishes draft rules
Workers aged 40 and above, within 120 days of 1 January, with the report within 15 days of the examination.
8 May 2026
The central rules are notified
OSH (Central) Rules, 2026 (G.S.R. 345(E)). Rule 5 covers dock work and building or other construction work. Factories were in the draft and left out of the final rules.
31 Oct 2026
The Centre's target for every state's rules
A target, not a legal deadline. Trackers disagree on which states have final rules, so check your state's official Gazette.
1 Jan – 30 Apr 2027
The first window, if the drafts are kept
120 days from 1 January. Large sites need several camp days, so book them in December.
Does it apply to you?
It depends on who regulates the workplace: the Centre or your state.
- Their own rules
Mines
Mines have their own initial and periodic medical examinations under the central rules, separate from Rule 5.
- State rules
Factories and most other workplaces
Your state's OSH rules decide the age, the window and the form. Many go wider than the central rule.
What some states say, as reported
| State | Status | Age | When | Also |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gujarat | Status: Final rules, June 2025 | Age: 45 and above | When: Within 120 days of the start of the year | Also: Certificate in Form 5 |
| Maharashtra | Status: Draft, May 2026 | Age: 40 and above | When: Within 120 days of 1 January | Also: Report within 15 days of the examination |
| Karnataka | Status: Draft, January 2026 | Age: 40 and above | When: Within 120 days of the start of the year | Also: Factories, construction, plantations and more |
Drafts can change before they are final. Check the version in your state's Gazette before you plan.
What the examination covers, and what to keep.
Form VIII under the central rules has two parts. The worker fills Part A; the doctor fills Part B, then signs and seals it.
Tests listed in Form VIII
- Height, weight, chest and waist
- Body mass index
- Vision and colour vision
- Blood pressure and SpO2
- Complete blood count
- Fasting and post-meal blood sugar
- Kidney: urea and creatinine
- Liver: bilirubin, SGOT, SGPT
- Lipid profile and TSH
- Chest X-ray (PA view)
- ECG
State forms may list different tests. The doctor decides what else the worker's job needs.
Records to keep
- A certificate for bothOne for the employer and one for the employee.
- A copy on the establishment's recordThe one an inspector-cum-facilitator will ask to see.
- The worker's job and hazardsPart A records the job and its physical, chemical, biological and ergonomic hazards.
- No charge to the workerThe employer pays in full. Nothing is deducted from wages.
Why not just send staff to ESIC?
You can. The central rules let employers use ESIC for the examination, and ESIC runs free annual check-ups for insured workers aged 40 and above. It works well for some companies and leaves gaps for others. Many use both.
ESIC
- Free for insured persons
- At ESIC hospitals, dispensaries and camps
- Workers go to ESIC's facility or camp
An on-site camp by your provider
- Covers every worker, insured by ESIC or not
- Held at your site, planned around shifts
- Your company keeps the certificates and history in its own portal
Running the over-40 season as a provider.
Four months, every client at once. It is the same camp, repeated, so set it up once.
Set up the check-up once
Pick the annual checkup type, the forms and lab reports it needs, and the client's report layout. Missing your state's form? Ask for it — we'll build it for you.
Import each company's employee list
From Excel. Put each site's camp on the company's calendar.
Examine, review and sign
Staff record on tablets or laptops. Doctors see last year's results beside today's, decide and sign.
Deliver and bill
Locked, branded reports in each company's free portal, and the bill made from the finished checkups.
Packs or the yearly plan?
Checkup packs₹9.80 a checkup
250, 500 or 1,000 checkups, valid 12 months. Good for a first season.
Yearly camps plan₹14,999 a year
1,800 checkups included (₹8.33 each). Cheaper than packs from about 1,500 checkups a year.
Prices exclude 18% GST. Practice camps are free.
Before 1 January: a checklist for employers.
Find out who regulates each site
The central rules for dock and construction work; your state's rules for factories and most others.
Count who is due
Workers at each site who meet the age your rules set: 40 in most, 45 in Gujarat.
Choose how
ESIC, an on-site camp by your provider, your own occupational health centres (OHCs), or a mix.
Book the dates
Inside the window your state sets. Large sites need several camp days.
Agree the record
Which form, who keeps the certificate, and where each worker's history lives when you change provider.
Questions about the over-40 check-up
Is the annual health check-up mandatory for all employees over 40?
Not everywhere. The central rules make it mandatory in dock work and building or other construction work. For factories and most other workplaces, your state's OSH rules decide, and several states include factories. Check your state's final rules.
Who pays for the over-40 check-up?
The employer, in full. The examination is free for the employee and is not deducted from wages.
When must the check-up be done?
Once a year. Maharashtra's and Karnataka's draft rules ask for it within 120 days of the start of the calendar year, from 1 January to 30 April. Gujarat's final rules use the same 120 days.
Which form records the over-40 check-up?
Under the central rules, Form VIII, with one certificate for the employer and one for the employee. States can set their own form: Gujarat's rules use Form 5.
Can we use ESIC instead of a private provider?
Yes. The central rules let employers use ESIC, and ESIC runs free annual check-ups for insured workers aged 40 and above. Workers who are not insured by ESIC still need another arrangement.
What tests are in the over-40 check-up?
Form VIII lists height, weight, BMI, vision and colour vision, blood pressure, SpO2, blood count, blood sugar, kidney and liver tests, lipid profile, TSH, a chest X-ray and an ECG. State forms can differ.
Sources
This page summarises public rules and reports as of 5 November 2026. It is not legal advice. Rules differ by state, sector and process, and drafts can change: confirm with the official Gazette or your compliance adviser. Where we rely on a report rather than the Gazette itself, it is listed here.
- Rule 5, OSH (Central) Rules 2026: annual health examinationTaxclue · 1 Oct 2026(opens in a new tab)
- Forms VIII to X: health examination and medical certificate formsTaxclue · 1 Oct 2026(opens in a new tab)
- OSH (Central) Rules, 2026: key highlightsSCC Online · 13 May 2026(opens in a new tab)
- The free health check-up for employees over 40: Rule 5 and the state draftsShiftelio · 4 Sep 2026(opens in a new tab)
- Is an annual health check-up mandatory for staff over 40?ekincare · 13 Oct 2026(opens in a new tab)
- Gujarat OSH rulesLakshmikumaran & Sridharan · Retrieved 5 Nov 2026(opens in a new tab)
- All states and UTs may notify labour code rules by 31 OctoberBusiness Standard · 24 Sep 2026(opens in a new tab)
- State labour code rules: status trackerKhanna & Associates · 21 Oct 2026(opens in a new tab)
- ESIC annual health check-up camps for workers launchedNews on AIR · 24 Feb 2026(opens in a new tab)
Get ready for the January–April window.
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