Factory Act 1948 Short Note
Factory Act 1948 Short Note
Factory Act 1948 Short Note
Objectives
To know the objectives, scope and coverage
of the Act
To take note of the provisions relating to
health, safety and welfare
To understand the provisions relating to
working hours, holidays and leave
To develop an understanding about the special
provisions for women and young persons
To appreciate the administrative and
enforcement machinery
Structure
Historical Development of Factory
Legislation
Object of the Act
Scope and Applicability of the Act
Definitions
Approval, Licencing and Registration
of Factories
Structure .
Structure .
Welfare of Workers
Working Hours of Adult Workers
Employment of Young Persons
Annual Leave with Wages
Other Features
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
OF FACTORY LEGISLATION
Cotton Mills in 1851, and a Jute Mill in
Bengal in 1855,ushered in modern factory
system in India.
Women ,children employed. long hours of
workers used to have their way.
Indian Factories Act 1881: protection to
employees& children.
The Factory Commission, 1890
recommendations of the Commission an Act
was passed in 1891, Factory defined as fifty
persons or more were employed.
Amended in The Act of 1911 & 1922
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
OF FACTORY LEGISLATION
.
Act,1948
Factories Act, 1934 revised 1948: scope extended
to welfare, health, cleanliness, overtime . safe and
healthy working conditions in the factories, bodily
strain and without fear and danger of accidents.
Amended periodically up to 1976. Chemical
factories , hazardous and toxic chemicals led to
safety and health problems, Bhopal
In 1987, Factories (Amendment) Act, 1987 was
passed, a memorial to the victims of Bhopal.
provides better safeguards in the use and handling
of hazardous substance , management for greater
safety measures
Act,1987
Portable electric light in the factories),
Safety officers :1000 or more workers ,risk of bodily
injury, poisoning ,disease, health hazard
investigations of all fatal accidents within a month
Safety and occupational health surveys. Chief
Inspector / Director General of Factory Advice Service /
Labour Institutes / DGHS
Protection for contract labour &other category of
labour
Creche facility: more than 30 women workers (instead
of 50)
Discharge /dismissal/superannuation/death in service;
wages in lieu of the quantum of leave due.
Penalty: Rates modified & revised
New Chapter-IV-A
i) Constitution of Site Appraisal
ii) Compulsory disclosure of information by the
occupier
iii) Specific responsibility of the occupier in relation to
hazardous processes
iv) Power of Central Government to appoint Inquiry
Committees
v) Emergency standards
vi) Permissible limits of exposure of chemical and
toxic substances
vii) Workers' participation in safety management
viii) Right of workers to warn about imminent danger.
DEFINITIONS: Factory
Section 2:
any premises i) where on ten or more workers are working, or
were working on any day of the preceding twelve
months, and in any part of which a manufacturing
process is being carried on with the aid of power,
or is ordinarily so carried on.
ii) where on, twenty or more workers are working,
or were working on any day of the preceding
twelve months, and in any part of which a
manufacturing process is being carried on without
the aid of power, or is ordinarily so carried on.
Specifically excludes Mines
Manufacturing Process
Sec 2(k)
i) making, altering, repairing, ornamenting, finishing,
packing, oiling, washing, cleaning, breaking up,
demolishing, or otherwise treating or adapting any
article or substance with a view to its use, sale,
transport, delivery or disposal; or
ii) pumping oil, water, sewage, or any other substance;
or
iii) generating, transforming or transmitting power; or
iv) composing types for printing, printing by letter
press, lithography, or other similar process or book
binding; or
v) constructing, reconstructing, refitting, finishing or
breaking up ships or vessels; or
vi) preserving or storing any article in cold storage.
Worker: Sec2(1)
A person employed, directly or through
any agency (including a contractor) with or
without knowledge of principal employer,
whether for remuneration or not, in any
manufacturing process, or in cleaning any
part of the machinery or premises used for
a manufacturing process or in any other
kind of work incidental to, or connected
with, the manufacturing process, or the
subject of the manufacturing process but
does not include any member of the
armed forces of the Union
Worker: Interpretation
i) who is employed;
ii) who is employed either directly or through
any agency;
iii) who is employed in any manufacturing
process, or in clearing any part of the machinery
or premises used for a manufacturing process or
in any other kind of work incidental to, or
connected with the manufacturing process or
the subject of the manufacturing process.
If the aforesaid conditions are satisfied, then it is
immaterial whether a person was employed for
remuneration or not.
Approval,Licencing &
Registration of Factories
Responsibility for getting the premises approved lies
on the occupier.
State Government to frame rules (Sec6)
Can declare departments/branches of a factory as
separate factories, if requested by the occupier.
Sec4
But there is no provision to enable two or more
factories of the same occupier being declared as a
single factory.
Can exempt any factory or class from provisions of
the Act (except section 67) for a specified period in
case of public emergency, which means grave
emergency for 3 months at a time.
i) Appointment
State Government to appoint Inspectors by notification.
Six types. (i) Chief Inspector (ii) Additional Chief Inspectors,
(iii) Joint Chief Inspectors (iv) Deputy Chief inspectors (v)
Inspectors and Additional Inspectors.
In addition to the powers of a Chief Inspector all above can
exercise the powers of an Inspector throughout the State.
No person to become directly or indirectly interested in a
factory
Every district Magistrate shall be an Inspector for his
district.
State Government to appoint-public officers as additional
Inspectors
Inspectors.
ii) Status
Inspectors.
Direct occupier that premises be left undisturbed
for examination
take measurements and photographs /recordings
for examination under clause (b), with instrument
or equipment;
Direct dismantlement or subject to process/ test
found in any premises, being an article or
substance which appears to him as having caused
or is likely to cause danger to the health or safety
of the workers, to damage or destroy it and take
possession of any such article or substance and
detain it for such examination;
exercise such other power as may be prescribed.
HEALTH
i) Cleanliness
Dust, fumes and refuse be removed daily; floors, stair-cases
and passages be cleaned regularly by sweeping; washing of
interior walls and roofs at least once in 14 months ; washable
water paint, repainted every three years and for oil paint at
least once in five years. All doors and window frames and
other wooden or metallic framework and shutters be kept
painted or varnished at least once in five years. Sec11
ii) Disposal of Wastes and Effluents
Owner to make effective arrangements for the treatment of
wastes and effluents to render them innocuous and for their
disposal.
iii) Ventilation and Temperature
The occupier to make adequate ventilation of fresh air and to
maintain such temperature as will secure to workers
reasonable conditions of comfort and prevent injury to
health.
HEALTH
iv) Dust and Fume
To keep the workrooms free from dust and fume, prevent its inhalation
and accumulation in any work-room. If any exhaust appliance is
necessary for the above purposes, it shall be applied as near as
possible to the point of origin of the dust, fume or other impurity and
such point shall be enclosed as far as possible. Sec14(1)
v) Artificial Humidification
Section 15 (1) lays down that in respect off all factories in which the
humidity of the air is artificially increased the State Government may
make rules prescribing standard of humidification;
regulating the methods used for artificially increasing the humidity of the
air;
directing prescribed tests for determining the humidity of the air to be
correctly carried out and recorded;
prescribing methods to be adopted for securing adequate ventilation and
cooling of the air in the workroom.
vi)
HEALTH
Overcrowding
No room be to be injurious. Each worker to have
minimum 9.9 cubic meters which was there on the
commencement of this Act, 1948 or 4.2 cubic meters
after such commencement (Section 16). No account
shall however be taken of any space which is more
than 4.2 meters above the level of the floor of the
room for the aforesaid purpose, (a) (b) (c) (d) Law on
Working
vii) Lighting
Section 17 (1) provides that in every part of the
factory, where workers are working or passing, there
shall be provided and maintained sufficient and
suitable lighting, natural, artificial or both.
.
HEALTH..
viii) Drinking Water
To provide and maintain at suitable conveniently
situated a sufficient supply of wholesome drinking
water.Sec18
ix) Conservancy Arrangements
provided and' maintained, separate arrangement
for toilets for male and female workers at
convenient places; adequately lighted, ventilated
and maintained in a clean sanitary condition. Sec19
x) Spittoons
Sufficient spittoons in convenient places in a clean
and hygienic condition. Sec20
SAFETY
i) Fencing of Machinery sec21(1)
The following must be securely fenced by safe guards of
substantial construction while the machinery are in motion or
use :
i) every moving part of a prime mover and fly wheel connected to
prime mover,
ii) the headrace and tailrace of every water-wheel and water turbine;
iii) any part of stock-bar which projects beyond the head stock of a
lathe; and
iv) unless they were securely fenced, the following, namely,
every part of electric generator, a motor or rotary converter;
every part of transmission machinery; and
every dangerous part of any other machinery;
Compulsory disclosure of
information by the occupier
The occupier to disclose dangers, health hazards and the
measures to overcome them arising from the exposure to
or handling of the materials or substances in the
manufacture, transportation, storage and other processes
to : (i) Workers employed in the factory (ii) the Chief
Inspector, (iii) the local authority within whose jurisdiction
the factory is situated and (iv) general public in the vicinity.
While registering the factory involving a hazardous process,
the occupier shall lay down a detailed policy with respect to
the health and safety of the workers-and intimate such
policy to the Chief Inspector
Such information, shall include accurate quantity,
specifications and other characteristics of wastes and
manner of their disposal (Sub-section 3).
(1)
Powers of Central
Government to appoint
Inquiry Committee:
1). The Central government may,in a factory
engaged in hazardous process, appoint an Inquiry
Committee to inquire into the standards of health
and safety to finding out the causes of any failure
of neglect in the adoption of any measures or
standards prescribed affecting general public
2). The Committee appointed under sub-section
(1) shall consist of a Chairman and two other
members and the terms reference of the
Committee and the tenure of office of its members
shall be such as may be determined by the
Central Government according to the
requirements of the situation.
3). The recommendation of the Committee shall
be advisory in nature.
Emergency Standards:
1). Where the Central Government is satisfied
that no standards of safety have been
prescribed in respect of a hazardous process or
inadequate, it may direct the Director-General of
Factory Advice Service and Labor Institutes or
any institution specialized in matters relating to
standards of safety in hazardous processes, to
lay down emergency standards for enforcement
of suitable standards in respect of such
hazardous processes.
2). The emergency standards laid down under
sub-section (1) shall be enforceable
Worker's participation is
safety management:
1). The occupier shall, in every factory, where a
hazardous process takes place, or where hazardous
substance are used or handled, set up a Safety
Committee consisting of equal number or representative
of workers and management to promote co-operation
between the workers and management in maintaining
proper safety and health at work and to review
periodically the measure taken in that behalf :
State Government may,exempt the occupier of any
factory or class of factories from setting up such
Committee.
2). The composition of the Safety Committee, the tenure
or office of its members and their rights and duties shall
be such as may be prescribed.
Welfare of Workers
Welfare of Workers..
Creches Facility: More than thirty women
workers- adequate size, well lighted and
ventilated, maintained in clean and sanitary
condition for children below 6 years.
v) The Appointment of Welfare Officers
The main duty to look after the welfare of
the workers Where more than 500 workersto appoint fully qualified welfare officers.
Compensatory Holidays
Deprived weekly holiday: compensatory holidays of equal
number within the month in which the holidays due to him or
within a month following
iv) Intervals for Rest, Spread Over, Night Shifts and
Double Employment
Rest during working hours of at least half an hour. This interval
be placed to break the for a maximum of 5 hours at a stretch
extendable to six hours by the permission of the State
Government v) Extra Wages for Overtime
Work in excess of the maximum hours of work to be paid extra
wages at twice the ordinary rate of wages. Ordinary rate of
wages for this purpose shall be the basic wages plus such
allowances including the cash equivalent or the advantage
accruing through the concessional sale of food grains . Further,
where any worker is employed on a piece rate basis the time
rate wages be deemed to be equivalent to daily average wages
for the piece rated worker.
iii)
Employment of Young
Persons
Prohibition of Employment of Children and Adolescents
Sec67
Total prohibition in employing children below 14 years.
adolescent: above 15 years below 18 years cannot be employed
unless (i) certificates of fitness granted by the Certifying Surgeon
and (ii) carries with him while at work a token giving a reference
to such certificate issued to him. (Sec 68)
ii) Effect of Certificate of Fitness Granted to Adolescent
An adolescent with certificate of fitness treated as adult for
working hours and annual leave with wages. If certificate not
granted- to be treated as child irrespective of age. Not
seventeen but obtained a certificate of fitness can work between
6 a.m. and 7 p.m. only. State Government may exempt but
i) No such female adolescent work between 10 p.m. and 5
a.m.;
ii) grant exempt serious emergency where national interest is
involved.
i)
Other Features
State Govt to declare that all or any of the provisions
of the Act shall apply to any place wherein a
manufacturing process is ordinarily carried on with
less then 10 persons or less than 20 person as the
case may be, with or without using power.. Sec85
Empowers an inspector to prohibit employment
causing serious hazard injury or death to employed/
general public in the vicinity. Sec 87
Chief inspector of factories or the Director General
Factory Advisory Services and Labour Institutes or
any other authorised officer to undertake safety and
occupational health surveys. Where medical
examination required, such worker shall present
himself for the purpose. Time spent deemed as work.
Sec 91
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