CHAPTER V: WELFARE (Section 42- 50), THE FACTORY ACT, 1948

SECTION 42: WASHING FACILITIES

Every factory must provide-
- Workers with adequate and suitable facilities for washing,
- Male and female workers, a separate and adequate screening facility,
- Convenient access and clean maintenance of such facilities.
The state government may, prescribe standards of adequate and suitable facilities for washing, for any-
- Factory or class or description of any factories or,
- Description of any manufacturing process.

SECTION 43: FACILITIES FOR STORING AND DRYING CLOTHING

The State government may for, any factory or class or description of factories, make rules regarding-

SECTION 44: FACILITIES FOR SITTING

Factory obligation-
- Every factory shall provide with and maintenance suitable sitting arrangements for all workers, who are obliged to work in standing position. So, while them in course of their work they find any opportunity to rest by availing the advantage of sitting.
Chief inspector responsibility-
- If in his opinion a worker would rather work efficiently in a sitting position, when a worker is engaged in:
  - Particular manufacturing process or
  - Work particularly carried out in a room.
- Further, he may order the occupier to provide above mentioned workers with sitting provision, by:
  - Written order and
  - Specifically mentioning a date, before with occupier has to provide such workers with.
State government authority, declares factory obligations ( sec. 44(1)) in applicable through notification in the Official Gazette, to-
- Specified factory or class or description of factories or
- Specified manufacturing process.

SECTION 45: FIRST AID APPLIANCES

During all working hours, every factory provides and maintains at least one of the following for every 150 workers, ordinarily employed at any one time in factory-
- First aid boxes or
- Cupboards equipped with prescribed contents.
No add on content needs to be in a first aid box or cupboard except those prescribed.
A separate responsible person must be in charge of each first aid box or cupboard, who-
- Holds certificate in first aid treatment (recognized by state government) and
- Always remain reading available during the working hours of the factory.
Factory, where more than 500 workers are ordinarily, must provide and maintain with-
- An ambulance room of prescribed size, containing prescribed equipment and
- In charge of such medical and nursing staff (as prescribed) and
- Above facilities should always be made readily available during the working hours of the factory.

SECTION 46: CANTEENS

Any specified factory where more than 250 workers are ordinarily employed, the State Government may make rules regarding-
- Provision of a canteen or canteens for use of workers and
- Maintenance of such provided canteen by an occupier of such factory.
Such rules, which State Government may provide, without preconceiving an idea of what those rules could be are-
- Date by which canteen is to be provided,
- Standers of the canteen regarding- construction, accommodation, furnishing and other equipment,
- What food stuff is to be served and at what rate,
- Constitution of managing committee for, as a representative of workers in canteen management,
- Expenditure on items for running of canteen, which are not taken inn account and borne by the employer,
- Delegation of powers to the Chief inspector, who may rules regarding queries of food stuff to be served and its rates.

SECTION 47: SHELTERS, REST ROOMS AND LUNCH ROOMS

Every factory with 150 workers as ordinary employed ones must provide and maintain the workers with adequate and suitable-
- Shelter or rest rooms and
- Lunch room:
  - With drinking water provision,
  - Where workers can eat, meals brought by them.
Above mentioned facilities of this section must be provided with-
- Sufficient light and ventilation
- Maintenance of cool and clean conditions.
The state government may-
- Prescribe the standards in respect of construction, accommodation, furniture and other equipment of shelters, rest rooms to be provided under this section.
- By notification in the official gazette, exempt any factory or class or description of factories from requirements of this section.

SECTION 48: CRECHES

All factories with more than 30 ordinarily employed women workers shall provide and maintain-
- Suitable room or rooms for the use of children under age of 6 years) of such women.
Such room must be provided with-
- Adequate accommodation
- Adequate light and ventilation
- Maintained clean and sanitary conditions.
- A woman trained in care of children and infants, as in charge.
The state government may make rules-
- Prescribing location and standards in respect of construction, accommodation, furniture and other equipment of room to be provided, under this section.
- Requiring factories provision, applicable to this section, to provide additional facilities for care of children belonging to women workers (including suitable provision of facilities for working and changing their clothing).
- Factories requirement of free milk or refreshment or both for such children.
- Requirement of facility shall be given in a factory for mother of such children to feed them at necessary intervals.

SECTION 49: WELFARE OFFICERS

Factory with 500 or more workers ordinarily employed, the occupier shall employ the prescribed number of welfare officers.
State government prescribed, officers employed under this section-
- Duties,
- Qualifications and
- Conditions of service.

SECTION 50: POWER TO MAKE RULES TO SUPPLEMENT THIS CHAPTER

The state government may make rules for any factory or description of factories from compliance with any of provision of this chapter-

To exempt, subject to compliance with such alternative arrangement for the welfare of workers as may be prescribed.
To make representatives of the workers employed in the factory, associated with the management of the welfare arrangement of workers.

Published by FARHEEN DHANJAL