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Unit 12: The Factories Act, 1948

12.4 Welfare Measures for Workers

This Act provides the general welfare measures for the laborers working in the factory premises.
It is a statutory requirement on the part of the employers to provide these basic necessities for
the health and safety of the workers. They are of two types – health measures and welfare
measures.
12.4.1 Health Measures

Cleanliness

Section 11 of the Factories Act, 1948 provides for general cleanliness of the factory. It lays down
that dust, fumes and refuse should be removed daily; floors, stair-cases and passages should be
cleaned regularly by sweeping and other effective means, while washing of interior walls and
roofs should take place at least once in 14 months and where these are painted with washable
water paint, be repainted after every three years and where oil paint is used at least once in five
fears.

Disposal of Wastes and Effluents

Section 12 of the Factories Act makes it obligatory on the owner of every factory to make
effective arrangements for the treatment of wastes and effluents due to the manufacturing
process carried on therein, so as to render them innocuous and for their disposal.

Ventilation and Temperature

The occupier is required to make effective and suitable provisions for securing and maintaining
adequate ventilation for the circulation of fresh air at workplaces and to maintain such
temperature as will secure to workers reasonable conditions of comfort and prevent injury to
health.

Dust and Fume

Section 14 (I) deals with the measures, which should be adopted to keep the workrooms free
from dust and fume. Every factory in which by reason of the manufacturing process carried on,
there is given off any dust or fume or other impurity of such a nature and to such an extent as is
likely to be injurious or offensive to the workers employed therein, or any dust in substantial
quantities, effective measures shall be taken to 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.

Artificial Humidification

Section 15 (I) lay down that in respect off all factories in which the humidity of the air is
artificially increased, the State Government may make rules:

1. Prescribing standard of humidification;
2. Regulating the methods used for artificially increasing the humidity of the air;
3. Directing prescribed tests for determining the humidity of the air to be correctly carried
out and recorded;

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