New Boilers Bill Ushers Modern Safety and Compliance Standards

The Rajya Sabha has approved the Boilers Bill, 2024, modernizing boiler safety regulations by repealing the Boilers Act of 1923. The bill decriminalizes certain offenses, promotes business ease, and enhances safety measures. It groups provisions into six chapters for clarity, benefiting users, including the MSME sector.

The Rajya Sabha has passed the Boilers Bill, 2024, a significant step in updating boiler safety laws by replacing the nearly century-old Boilers Act of 1923. The new legislation focuses on enhancing safety for life and property, stemming potential hazards posed by boiler explosions.

This newly enacted bill decriminalizes several offenses, aiming to foster business ease while maintaining criminal penalties for serious safety violations. There are provisions especially targeted at ensuring adequate safety for boiler operators and maintenance by skilled personnel. Additional reforms address boiler repairs, confined to qualified entities.

Highlighting benefits for stakeholders including micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME), the bill simplifies legal proceedings by converting fines into administrative penalties. The provisions are consolidated into six coherent chapters, aiming for user-friendly legal navigation. This move follows its Union Cabinet clearance on August 2, seeking to streamline existing complex regulations.

(With inputs from agencies.)