Health and Safety

In factories act 1934 following provisions are kept.

Cleanliness:
The occupier of the factory legally required to keep factory clean. Legal requirements include
daily sweeping, weekly washing, white washing in every 14 months, painting of doors etc once in
a year, repairing of infrastructure & proper drainage.

Disposal of Waste and Effluents:

Every employer is bound to take effective measures for disposal of factory manufacturing process
waste.

Ventilation & Temperature:

As per legally requirement every room having manufacturing process must have adequate
ventilation for circulation of fresh air and proper machinery not effect the health of workers
adversely.

Dust and Fumes:

Measures should be taken in factories to avoid accumulation of dust & fumes and their inhalation
by the worker to safe guard their health
 Health and Safety
Artificial Humidification:
As per this act provincial government is empowered to make rules for the factories in which
humidity of the air artificially created. These rules will cover.
a) Prescribing standards of humidification.
b) Regulating the method artificially increasing the humidity.
c) Recommending tests to measures humidity of the air.
d) Prescribing methods to be adopted for securing adequate ventilation and cooling of the air in
work room.
e) Purified water be used for humidification.

Over Crowding:
According to this act there must be a space of 350 cubic feet for one person. But labour laws
were amended under ordinance in 1972 and this space has been increased to 500 cubic feet.
Every factory having 500 or more workers is required to employ a welfare officer.

Lighting:
I every factory during working hour, sufficient light should be made available by management. In
case of failure of an ordinary electric system, emergency lighting of special points in work room
and passages be maintained.
 Health and Safety
Drinking Water:
In every factory drinking water and washing / bath water should be adequately arranged.
Drinking water points should be conveniently situated for all workers employed in a factory. Its
supply should be maintained. In every factory where 250 or more workers are employed
provision shall be made for cooling the drinking water during the hot weather.

Latrine and Urinals:

As per this act separate and sufficient latrines / urinals are required in a factory. These should be
adequate lighted and ventilated. These should be kept neat and clean at all times.

Spittoons:
Sufficient number of spittoons are required to be provided at convenient places and should be
maintained in a clean hygienic conditions.

Infection disease, compulsory vaccination and inoculation:

Every worker in the factory is required to be vaccinated and inoculation. A hygienic card for every
worker should be maintained entries should be recorded that worker is not suffering from any
contagious or infections disease.
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Safety:
There are several provisions which are for the safety of worker. Any negligence in this respect will
make incumbents suffer the consequences contravention of law. In this respect important issues
are identified below.

Precaution in case of fire:

Every factory is legally required to be provided clearly audible means of giving warning in case of
fire to every person employed in a factory.

Fencing of Machinery:
In every factory machinery should be securely fenced even the part of machinery be secured. In
this case every moving part of prime mover & every fly wheel connect to prime mover, head race
& tail race of water wheel and water turbine, parts of electric generator, converter.

Working on or near machinery in motion:

For lubricating adjusting or examining the working of machinery only outrush persons with tight
fitting dress are allowed to work. Their names be noted in a separate register kept in the factory.
Adult male worker should be detailed. Moving pullies & parts should not be lubricated while in
motion.
 Safety
Casing of a new machinery:
Every set screw, bolt and key on any revolving shaft, spindle, wheel or pain and other toothed or
friction gearing with which such workers would otherwise be liable to come into contact, shall be
securely fenced to prevent such contact.

Prohibition of employment of women and children near cotton openers:

No women or child is allowed to be employed in any part of a factory for pressing cotton in which
a cotton opener is at work. As exception they can be employed in a room where delivery end is
situated and there is a partition wall up to the roof.

Cranes and other lifting machinery:

Cranes and lifting machinery must be in a sound condition. Its capacity must be marked clearly
on them. Travelling crane should not approach within 20 feet of a place where man is working. All
precautions must be taken to avoid a risk to a worker.
 Safety
Hoist and lift:
Hoist & lifts must be constructed with sound material and mechanism. After six months they are
to be checked by a competent person. It should have proper door lock system. Its load capacity
should be clearly displayed and adhered to.

Floors, stairs and means of access:

All means of access e.g floor, stairs, passengers etc must be of sound construction and properly
maintained. They should be provided with hand to make them safe.

Excessive weight:
No person shall be employed in any factory to lift, move any heavy load which may cause him
injury. The provincial government has the powers to specify the maximum weights to be lifted by
men, women, adolescent and children.

Protection of eyes:
It is mandatory for employer to provide protective equipment to a worker who works at heating
environments or is expose to excessive light e.g. welding
 Safety
Power to require specifications of defective part or test of stability:
Inspector can ask for drawing, specifications etc of machinery or plant in a factory if it appears
dangerous to him for workers. He may ask for tests to determine strength of building, machinery
or plant of its quality check.

Safety of building, machinery and manufacturing process:

It is appears to inspector that any building or part of building, machinery or manufacturing
process is in such a condition. That it is dangerous to human, health or safety he may serve an
order to manager to adopt the measures to improve the situation.

Powers to make rules to supplement chapter # 3:

The provincial government has been empowered to make rules requiring the safety of persons
employed in the factories.

Precautions against dangerous fumes:

No person is permitted to entry any chamber, tank, vat, pit, pipe or confined space in which
dangerous fumes are likely to be presented and can harm the workers health & safety.
 Safety
Explosive or inflammable dust, gas etc:
Where in any factory, any manufacturing process produces dust, gas, fume or vapor of such
character which is likely to explode and ignition all practical measures shall be taken to prevent
any such explosion.

Power to exclude children:

The provincial government has been empowered to make rules prohibiting the admission of any
specified class of factories or specify parts there to, of children who can not be lawfully employed
therein.

Notice of certain accidents:

As per legal requirements in any factory, an accident occurs which may causes death or bodily
injury or any person injured is prevented from work must be reported during 48 hours after the
accident.

Appeals:
The manager of factory has been allowed to appeal against the inspector order within 30 days to
such authority as nominated by the government. The appeal authority may reject the order or its
any part.
 Safety
Additional powers to make health and safety rules relating to shelters during rest:
The provincial government has been empowered to make rules requiring that in any specified
factory where more than 150 workers are employed, adequate shelter be provided for rest which
should be of specific standards, it has to be separate for women, children and adult.
 Working hours
It is knower fact that if working hours are kept at acceptable level for worker it will enhance their
efficiency for factories & establishment following working hours have been kept under section 34
to 36 & 37 of this act.

Working hours for adults:

The law has laid down that no adult shall be allowed or required to work for more than 48 hours
in a week. No adult worker is allowed to work or required to work more than 09 hours on any day
or 48 hours in a week. He will be entitled to be paid over time which is double the rate ordinary
paid to him.

Seasonal factories working hours:

In case of seasonal factories (sugar can, cotton etc) worker is allowed to work for 50 hours in a
week, but it can be extended to a period of 56 hours if the work is of a technical nature and
required continuity.

Working hours for children:

As per labour laws a child shall not be allowed to work in a factory for more than 05 hours on any
day. No adult or child worker is allowed to work in any factory on any day on which he has
already worked in another factory.
 Working hours
Rest intervals during working hours:
For adolescent work his working hours should be kept as per the following two sets.
• Continuity of work 06 hours at a stretch and at least one hour of rest. Worker should not be
put on a work again till the time he has rest of one hour.
• Continuity of work should not exceed for more than 05 hours then rest time but total
working should not exceed more than 8 ½ hours.