Rule 78. Occupational Health Centers

(1) In respect of any factory carrying on ‘hazardous process’ there shall be provided and maintained in good order an occupational Health Center with the services and facilities as per scale laid down hereunder :

(a) for factories employing up to 50 employees –

(i) the services of a Factory Medical Officer on retainership basis in his clinic to be notified by the occupier. He will carry out pre-employment and periodical medical examinations as stipulated in Rule 77 and render medical assistance during an emergency.

(ii) a minimum of 5 persons trained in first aid procedures of whom at least one shall always be available during the working period.

(iii) a fully equipped first aid box in all the departments.

(b) for factories employing 51 to 200 employees –

(i) an Occupational Health Centre having a room with a minimum floor area of 15 square metre with floors and walls made of smooth and impervious surface and with adequate illumination and ventilation as well as equipment as per the Schedule ‘J’ annexed to this rule ;

(ii) a part time Factory Medical Officer shall be in overall charge of the Centre who shall visit the factory at least twice in a week and whose services shall be readily available during medical emergencies.

(iii) one qualified and trained dresser-cum-compounder on duty throughout the working period ;

(iv) a fully equipped first aid box in all departments.

(c) for factories employing above 200 employees –

(i) one full-time Factory Medical Officer for factories employing up to 500 employees and one more Medical Officer for every additional 1000 employees or part thereof ;

(ii) an occupational Health Centre having at least two rooms each with a minimum floor area of 15 square metre with floors and walls made of smooth and impervious surface and adequate illumination and ventilation as well as equipment as per the Schedule annexed to this rule.

(iii) there shall be one nurse, one dresser-cum-compounder and one sweeper-cum- ward boy throughout the working period ;

(iv) the Occupational Health Centre shall be suitably equipped to manage medical emergencies.

(2) The Factory Medical Officer required to be appointed under sub-rule(1) shall have a recognized medical qualification as defined in the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, (Central Act No. 30 of 2019) and should be enrolled on the National Register as defined in clause of section 2 or on the State Register as defined in clause (v) of section 2 of the aforesaid Act; and possess a Certificate of Training in Industrial Health of a minimum of three months duration recognized by the State Government Provided that –

(i) a person possessing a Diploma in Industrial Health or its equivalent shall not be required to possess the certificate of training as aforesaid ;

(ii) the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator may, subject to such conditions as he may specify, grant exemption from the requirement of this sub-rule, if in his opinion a suitable person possessing the necessary qualification is not available for appointment ;

(iii) in case of a person who has been working as a Factory Medical Officer for a period of not less than three years on the date of commencement of this rule, the Chief Inspector may, subject to the condition that the said person shall obtain the aforesaid certificate of training within a period of three years, relax the qualification.

(3) The syllabus of the course leading to the above certificate, and the organizations conducting the course shall be approved by the Directorate General of Factory Advice Service and Labour Institutes or the State Government in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Directorate General of Factory Advice Service and Labour Institutes.

(4) Within one month of the appointment of Factory Medical Officer, the occupier of the Factory shall furnish to the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator the following particulars:

(a) Name and address of the Factory Medical Officer,

(b) Qualifications,

(c) Experience, if any, and

(d) The sub-rule under which appointed.