The Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India enacted the Factories Act 1948 to consolidate and amend the laws regulating workers that work in the factories. It is applied to every factory that has 20 or more workers.
To safeguard workers, the government of India has prescribed certain standards related to safety, welfare and working hours that are mandatory to be followed by every employer. Here, we have listed those safety and welfare measures that every employer and owner of the factory needs to enforce.
Employee Health
Cleanliness: It is required to keep the factory clean and free from effluvia arising from a drain, privy and any other sources that can create annoyance and irritation.
Discarding Waste and Effluents: Every factory deals with waste and sewage due to heavy manufacturing processes. Hence, there should be effective arrangements in the factories for the treatment of effluents.
Temperature Maintenance and Proper Ventilation: For securing and maintaining the working environment, every factory must have an adequate ventilation system that circulates fresh air. It is also required to maintain the temperature within the factory to prevent injuries and provide comfortable conditions to work.
Dust and Fume: Factories produce various toxic gases and fumes. So, it is necessary to keep the workers safe from these dangerous gases. In order to do so, employers must provide respiratory masks and other safety equipment that prevent workers from inhaling dust and fumes.
Lighting: Workers can face various health hazards in factories due to poor lighting. To secure workers from being injured, there should be proper lighting so that they can work efficiently.
Employee Safety
To prevent workers from various hazards, there are some points that should be implemented in factories:
- Machinery in factories should be properly fenced.
- Only trained adult workers should be allowed to work near machinery in motion and they must be provided with proper safety wear to prevent injuries.
- To avoid accidents, proper precautions should be taken while working with self-acting machines.
- In the case of emergencies where power cut is required, suitable arrangements should be made.
- All machinery run by power should be encased and effectively guarded.
- There should be a competent person to frequently inspect hoists and lifts.
- A proper inspection of lifting machines, chains, ropes, and lifting tackles must be done before using them and at regular intervals.
- Floors, stairs, and means of access should be properly maintained.
- Personal protective equipment must be provided to the workers for better safety.
Employee Welfare
There are also some measures that should be applied for employee welfare:
- Every factory should have adequate and suitable washing facilities.
- The first aid box should be available in the factories with prescribed contents.
- Factories with than 500 workers should have an ambulance.
- Every factory that has more than 150 workers must have adequate and suitable shelters or restrooms.
Working Hours
Generally, the workers should not be allowed to work in a factory for more than 48 hours a week. Workers should be given one full day holiday within a week. If a worker is asked to work on a scheduled weekly holiday, he should be provided compensatory off within three days of his scheduled weekly holiday.
It is not possible to protect workers from every hazard. But the prevention can be easier if an employer provides them with personal protective equipment. The chances of being injured get very less in this situation. If you are planning to purchase PPE, visit moglix.com. Moglix offers the best and reliable products that can protect workers from various health hazards.