Safety and Welfare of the workers - Indian Factories Act(1948), Industrial Laws | Industrial Laws - B Com PDF Download

Employee Safety 

• The machinery in every factory should be properly fenced. {Section 21}
• Only the trained adult male worker, wearing tight fitting clothing which should be supplied by the Occupier, should be allowed to work near the machinery in motion. {Section 22}
• No young person shall be employed on dangerous machinery, unless he is fully instructed as to the danger arising in connection with the machine and the precautions to be observed and he has received sufficient training in work at the machine. {Section 23}
• Suitable arrangements should be made to provide striking gear and devices for cutting off power in case of emergencies. {Section 24}
• Sufficient precautions should be taken with regard to self-acting machines to avoid accidents. {Section 25}
• To prevent danger, all machinery driven by power should be encased and effectively guarded. {Section 26}
• Woman worker and children should not be employed in any part of the factory for pressing cotton in which a cotton-opener is at work. {Section 27}
• Hoists and Lifts in a factory should be periodically inspected by the Competent Person. {Section 28}
• Lifting Machines, Chains, Ropes and Lifting Tackles in a factory should be periodically inspected by the Competent Person. {Section 29}
• Where process of grinding is carried on, a notice indicating the maximum safe working peripheral speed of every grind-stone or abrasive wheel etc., should be fixed to the revolving machinery.{Section 30}
• Where any plant or machinery or any part thereof is operated at a pressure above atmospheric pressure, effective measures should be taken to ensure that the safe working pressure of such plant of machinery or part is not exceeded.{Section 31}
• Floors, stairs and means of access should be soundly constructed and properly maintained. {Section 32}
• Pits, sumps opening in floor etc., should be either securely covered or fenced. {Section 33}
• No workman shall be employed in any factory to lift, carry or move any load so heavy as to be likely to cause him injury. {Section 34}
• Necessary protective equipment should be provided to protect the eyes of the workman, where the working involves risk of injury to the eyes. {Section 35}

More hours spent in front of computer screens is increasing incidents of eye stress and strain. Suggestions for reducing eye strain include: reduce glare by positioning computer monitors away from windows, position screens five to nine inches below line of sight, use drops for dry eyes or contact lenses, take a 20-second break every 20 computer work minutes.

• Suitable precautionary arrangements should be taken against dangerous fumes, gases etc. {Section 36}
• Every practicable measures should be taken to prevent any explosion where the manufacturing process produces dust, gas, fume or vapour etc. {Section 37}
• Every practicable measures should be taken to prevent the outbreak of fire and its spread, both internally and externally. {Section 38}
• The Inspector of Factories can ask the Occupier or the Manager of the Factory to furnish drawings, specification etc., of any building, machinery or a plant, in case he feels that condition of such building, machinery or the plant may likely to cause danger to human life. {Section 39}
• The Inspector of Factories can suggest suitable measures of steps to take by the Occupier or Manager for implementation, when he feels the condition of any building, machinery or a plant may likely to cause danger to human life. {Section 40}
• Wherein 1000 or more workmen are employed in a factory, the Occupier should appoint a Safety Officer to look after the safety aspects of the factory. {Section 40-B}

 Employee Welfare 

• Adequate and suitable 'washing facilities' should be provided in every factory. {Section 42}
• Provision should be made to provide suitable places for keeping clothing not worn during working hours and for the drying of wet clothing.{Section 43}
• In every factory, suitable arrangements for sitting should be provided and maintained for all workers obliged to work in a standing position, in order that they may take advantage of any opportunities for rest which may occur in the course of their work.{Section 44}
• First-Aid Boxes with the prescribed contents should be provided and maintained so as to be readily accessible during all working hours at the rate of at least one Box for every 150 workmen. {Section 45}
• In every factory wherein more than 500 workers are employed there should be provided and maintained an Ambulance containing the prescribed equipment and in the charge of such medical and nursing staff. {Section 45(4)}
• The Occupier should provide a canteen for the use of workers in every factory, where the number of workmen employed is more than 250.{Section 46}
• In every factory wherein more than 150 workers are employed adequate and suitable shelters or rest rooms and a suitable lunch room, with provision for drinking water, where workers can eat meals brought by them, should be provided and maintained for the use of the workers. {Section 47}
• In every factory wherein more than 30 women workers are ordinarily employed there should be provided and maintained a suitable room for the use of children under the age of six years of such women. {Section 48}

The employer trend of providing on-site childcare continues as more businesses discover the positive impact child care has in attracting and retaining quality workers. Eighty-five percent of employers report that providing child care services improved employee recruitment and almost two-thirds of employers found that providing child care services reduced turnover.

INDIA, 2012: 20-year-old woman had labour pain, she had to give birth to her daughter within a rice mill in Alapakkam village in Madurantagam, 78 km south of Chennai state, where she was working as a bonded worker for five years for a daily salary of Rs 8/- (0.15$) (as against the norms of Rs 113.50 per day under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948. Under the bonded labour System (Abolition) Act 1976,a labourer should have the freedom to work anywhere and there should not be any advance payment that would hold him back.).

The owner of the mill did not provide medical help. Deterioration of their health without medical care has forced them along with other 19 employees at the rice mill to revolt against the mill owner. Based on a plea by one of the workers who escaped from the mill a few day's ago, Kancheepuram collector sent a team of revenue officials and doctors to inspect the mill on Thursday. The team rescued 21 people including 11 children.

• In every factory wherein more than 500 or more workers are employed, the Occupier should employ in the factory such number of Welfare Officers as may be prescribed. {Section 49}