Rule 117. Occupational Health Centres

(1) In respect of any factory carrying on hazardous process, there shall be provided and maintained in good order an Occupational Health Centre with the services and facilities as per the scale laid down hereunder: -(a) For factories employing up to fifty workers -(i) the services of a qualified medical practitioner on retainership basis in his clinic to be notified by the occupier. He will carry out the pre-employment and periodical medical examination as stipulated in rule 116 and render medical assistance during any emergency;

(ii) at least five persons trained in first-aid procedures amongst whom at least one shall always be available during the working period; and

(iii) a fully equipped first-aid box.

(b) For factories employing fifty-one to two hundred workers: -

(i) an occupational health Centre having a room with a minimum floor area of fifteen square metres with floors and walls made of smooth and impervious surface and with adequate illumination and ventilation as well as equipment as per the Schedule annexed to this rule;

(ii) a part-time qualified medical practitioner shall be the 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; and

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

(c) For factories employing above two hundred workers: -

(i) one full-time qualified medical practitioner for factories employing up to five hundred workers and one more qualified medical practitioner for every additional one thousand workers or part thereof;

(ii) an Occupational Health Centre having at least two rooms each with a minimum floor area of fifteen square metres with floor and walls made of smooth and impervious suliace 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; and

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

(2) The qualified medical practitioner required to be appointed under sub-rule (1) shall have any recognised 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 (m) of section 2 or on the State Register as defined in clause (v) of section 2 of the aforesaid Act and should possess a certificate of Training in industrial Health of minimum three months duration recognised by the UT Administration of Lakshadweep:

Provided that-

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

(ii) the 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; and

(iii) in case of a person who has been working as qualified medical practitioner for a period of not less than three years on the date of commencement of these rules, the Inspector-cum-Facilitator 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 organisations conducting the Sate course shall be approved by the Director General, Factory Advice Service and Labour Institute or the UT Administration of Lakshadweep in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Director General, Factory Advice Service and Labour Institute.

(4) Within one month of the appointment of a qualified medical practitioner, the occupier of the factory shall furnish to the Inspector-cum-Facilitator the following particulars, namely: -

(a) Name and address of the qualified medical practitioner;

(b) qualifications;

(c) experience, if any; and

(d) the sub-rule under which appointed.