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Unit 4: Factories Act, 1948

vessel, cage, basket, fly-wheel, pulley, disc or similar appliances run by power. [Sub-section (3) Notes
of Section 30].

10. Pressure Plant
Section 31 (1) provides that effective measures should be taken to ensure safe working pressure
of any part of the plant or machinery used in the manufacturing process operating at a pressure
above the atmospheric pressure.
11. Pits, Sump and Opening in Floors

Section 33(1), of the Factories Act, 1948 requires that every fixed vessel, sump, tank, pit or opening
in the ground or in the floor in every factory should be covered or securely fenced, if be reason of
its depth, situation, construction or contents, they are or can be a source of danger.

Section 33(2) empowers the State Government to grant exemption from compliance of the
provision of this section (i) in respect of any item mentioned in the section, (ii) to any factory or
class of factories, and (iii) on such condition as may be provided in the rules.
12. Precautions against Dangerous Fumes, and Gases

In order to prevent the factory workers against dangerous fumes, special measures have been
taken under the Factories Act. The Act prohibits entry in any chamber, tank, vat, pit, pipe, flue, or
other confined space in any factory in which any gas, fume, vapour or dust is likely to be present,
to such an extent as to involve risk to persons being overcome thereby, except in cases where
there is a provision of a manhole of adequate size or other effective means of egress. [Section
36 (1)]. No person shall be required or allowed to enter any confined space such as is referred
to in sub-section (1) until all practicable measures have been taken to actually remove the gas,
fumes or dust, which may be present so as to bring its level within the permissible limits and to
prevent any ingress of such gas, fume, vapour or dust unless [Section 36 (2)].

13. Precaution Against Using Portable Electric Light

The Act prohibits any factory to use portable electric light or any other electric appliance of
voltage exceeding 24 volts in any chamber, tank, vat, pipe, flue or other confined space unless
adequate safety devices are provided [Section 36A (a)] The Act further prohibits the factory to
use any lamp or light (other than that of flame-proof construction if any inflammable gas, fume
or dust is likely to be present in such chamber, tank, vat, pet, pipe, flue or other confined space.
[Section 36A (b)].

14. Explosive or Inflammable Materials

These measures include: (i) effective enclosures of the plant or machinery used in the process;
(ii) removal or prevention of the accumulation of such dust, gas or vapour; (iii) exclusion or
effective enclosure of all possible sources of ignition. [Section 37 (i)]

15. Precaution in Case of Fire

In every factory all practical measures shall be taken to prevent outbreak of fire and its spread,
both internally and externally, and to provide and maintain (i) safe means of escape for all persons
in the event of fire, and (ii) the necessary equipment and facilities for extinguishing fire. Further
effective measures should be taken to ensure that in every factory all the workers are familiar
with the means of escape in case of fire and have been trained in the routine to be followed in
such cases. (Section 38).

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