Rule 14. Constitution of State Occupational Safety and Health Advisory Board under sub-sections (1) and (2) of Section17 (herein after called State Advisory Board)

(1) The Andhra Pradesh Government may constitute a State Board to be called the Andhra Pradesh Occupational Safety and Health Advisory Board, and the members of the Board shall be nominated and approved by the State Government.

(2) The State Government may, in consultation with the State Advisory Board, determine the number, nature and categories of other officers andemployees required to assist the State Advisory Board in the efficient discharge of its functions, and the terms and conditions of service of such officers and employees of the State Advisory Board shall be as such as notified by the State Government.

(3) The State Board has to discharge the functions conferred on it by or under this Code and to advise the State Government on the matters relating to:

a) Standards, rules and regulations to be declared or framed under this Code;

b) Implementation of the provisions of this Code and the standards, rules and regulations relating thereto;

c) The issues of policy and programme relating to occupational safety and health referred to it from time to time by the State Government;

d) Any other matter in respect of this Code referred to it, from time to time, by the State Government.

(4) (a). The State Advisory Board shall be constituted as specified in Section 17(2) with the following members to advise the State Government on such matters arising out of the administration of this code as may be referred to it by the State Government:

1 Principal Secretary to the Government, Labour, Chairperson ex Factories, Boilers and Insurance Medical officio Services.

2 Director of Factories, Chief Inspector cum Member Secretary Facilitator appointed under this Code Ex-officio

3 Commissioner of Labour, Chief Inspector cum Member Ex-officio Facilitator appointed under this Code

4 Member Secretary, Andhra Pradesh Pollution Member Ex-officio Control Board

5 Director of Boilers, Boilers Department, Andhra Member Ex-officio Pradesh

6 Director, Insurance and Medical Services, Member Ex-officio Andhra Pradesh

7 Director General, AP Disaster Response &Fire Member Ex-officio Service, Andhra Pradesh

8 Director of Electrical Safety & Chief Electrical Member Ex-officio Inspector, A.P. 9 Director, Public Health and Family Welfare Member Ex-officio Department.

10 Five representatives of employers Members

11 Five representatives of employees Members

12 A representative of a professional body Member associated with the matter for which standards, rules, and policies are being framed

13 Five eminent persons connected with the field of Member Occupational Safety and Health or representatives from reputed research institutions or similar other disciplines.

14 Special invitees as decided by the Government Members of Andhra Pradesh for seeking inputs in specific matters or industry or sector that is predominant in the State

(b). Members of the State Advisory Board, as specified above, shall be nominated, and approved by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The Board shall be reconstituted once in every three (3) years from the date of its constitution.

Provided that, the State Government may invite any person in any meeting of the Board as special invitee, for whom State Government is satisfied that such person is an expert for any such matter which has to be discussed or have arisen before the Board for decision

Provided further that, such special invitee shall not be entitled to vote in Board’s meetings.

(5) Meetings of the Board and Quorum: -

a) The State Advisory Board shall meet as frequently as necessary depending up on the business to be carried on, to discharge the functions as specified in section 17(1) of the Code and as specified in rule 14(c).

Provided that the Chairperson shall, within fifteen days of the receipt of a requisition in writing from not less than one third of the members of the Board, call for a special meeting thereof. b) No business shall be transacted at any meeting unless atleast 1/3rd of the members are present, Provided that if at any meeting less than 1/3rd members are present, the Chairperson may adjourn the meeting for one hour informing the members of the Board present and giving notice to the other members that he/she proposes to dispose of the business at the adjourned meeting where prescribed quorum is there or not, and it shall there upon be lawful for him/her to dispose of the business at the adjourned meeting irrespective of the number of members attending.

Provided further that where the Chairperson calls for a meeting to consider any matter which in his/her opinion is of an urgent nature, notice of not less than three days shall be deemed sufficient.

(6) The State Government may, in consultation with the State Advisory Board, determine the number, nature and categories of other officers and employees required to assist the State Advisory Board in the efficient discharge of its functions. The terms and conditions of service of such officers and employees of the State Advisory Board shall be, as such as notified by the State Government.

(7) Minutes of Meetings: -

The proceedings of each meeting of the board shall be recorded and circulated to all members after approval by the Chairperson as soon after the meeting as possible, subject to confirmation in the next meeting of the Board. After such confirmation, they shall be recorded in a Minute Book, which shall be kept for permanent record.

(8) Resignation. -

(a) A member of the State Advisory Board, not being an ex-officio member, may resign his office by a letter in writing addressed to the Chairperson of the State Advisory Board.

(b) The seat of such a member shall fall vacant from the date on which his resignation is accepted by the State Government, or on the expiry of thirty days from the date of receipt of the letter of resignation by the State Government, whichever is earlier.

(9) Cessation of membership: -If any member of the State Advisory Board, not being an ex-officio member, fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the Board, without obtaining leave by the Chairperson of the Board for such absence, he shall cease to be a member of the State Advisory Board:

Provided that the State Government may, if it is satisfied that such a member was prevented by sufficient cause from attending three consecutive meetings, direct that such cessation shall not take place, and on such direction being made, such member shall continue to be a member of the State Advisory Board.

(10) Disqualification for membership: A person shall be disqualified from being a member of the State Advisory Board;

(a) if he/she is of unsound mind and stands so declared by a competent authority;

(b) if he/she is an un-discharged insolvent, or

(c) if he/she has been convicted for an offence, having a penalty of imprisonment of three months (3) or more;

(11) Removal from membership: -The State Government may remove any member of the State Advisory Board, if in its opinion, such member has ceased to represent the interest which he/she purports to represent on such State Advisory Board:

Provided that no such member shall be removed unless a reasonable opportunity of beingheard for making a representation against the proposed action under this rule is given.

(12) Chairperson to preside at meetings:-The Chairperson shall preside over all meetings of the Board, and if the Chairperson is, for any reason, unable to attend a meeting of the Board, any member nominated by the Chairperson in this behalf, and in the absence of such nomination, any other member elected by the members present from amongst themselves at the meeting, shall preside at the meeting.

(13) Every decision taken at the meeting of the Board shall be recorded in a Minutes Book, which shall be a permanent record.

(14) Travelling Allowance for members: -

(a) The travelling allowance of an official member shall be governed by the rules applicable to him/her for journeys performed by him/her on official duties and shall be paid by the authority paying his/her salary as approved by the State Advisory Board.

(b) The non-official members of the State Advisory Board shall be paid a travelling allowance for attending the meeting of the State Advisory Board at such places as per the instructions issued by the State Advisory Board from time to time.