Schedule XVI

(See rule 84)

Processing of Cashew nut

1. Application- This schedule shall apply to all factories in which roasting, scrubbing and shelling of

cashew nuts or extracting oil from cashew nuts or cashew nut shells are carried on.

2. Prohibition of employment of women and young persons- No woman or young person shall be

employed in any of the processes specified in paragraph 1 except in shelling of roasted cashew nuts.

3. Protective clothing and equipment- The occupier shall provide and maintain for the use of all persons

employed in roasting and scrubbing of cashew nuts or extracting oil from cashew nuts or cashew nuts

shells-

(a) a suitable rubber or washable leather gloves;

(b) suitable type of impervious aprons with sleeves to cover body down to knees and shoulders; and

(c) suitable type of footwear to afford protection to feet and legs against cashew nut oil; and for the

workers employed in cashew nut shelling, either-

(d) a protective ointment containing 10% of shellac, 55% of alcohol, 10% of sodium pergorate, 5% of

carbitol and 20% talc; or

(e) sufficient quantity of kaolin and coconut oil; and

(f) any other material or equipment- which the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator of factories may

deem to be necessary for the protection of the workers.

4. Use of protective clothing and equipment. -Every person employed in processes specified in paragraph

1 shall make use of protective clothing and equipment supplied and arrangements shall be made by the

occupier to supervise its use, maintenance and cleanliness.

5. Disposal of shells, ashes or oil of cashew nut

(a) Shells, ashes or oil of cashew nut shall not be stored in any room in which workers are employed

and shall be removed at least twice a day to any pit or enclosed place in the case of shells and ashes

and to closed containers kept in a separate room in the case of oil.

(b) No worker shall be allowed to handle shells or oil of cashewnuts without using the protective

clothing or equipment provided under paragraph 3 above.

6. Floors of workrooms- The floor of every workroom in which processes specified in paragraph 1 are

carried on, shall be of a hard material so as to be smooth and impervious and of even surface and shall

be cleaned daily, and spillage of any cashew nut oil in any workroom shall be washed with soap and

cleaned immediately.

7. Seating accommodations- Workers engaged in shelling of cashew nuts shall be provided with adequate

seats of work benches which shall be cleaned daily.

8. Messroom-

(a) There shall be provided and maintained for the use of all persons employed in process specified

in paragraph 1, a suitable restroom furnished with sufficient tables and chairs or benches.

(b) Separate lockers shall be provided where food, etc, shall be stored by workers before it is consumed

in the restroom.

9. Food, drinks, etc. prohibited in work room- No food, drink, pan supari, or tobacco, shall be brought or

consumed by any worker in any room in which processes specified in paragraph 1 are carried out and

no person shall remain any such room during intervals for meals or rest.

10. Washing facilities- Where roasting, scrubbing and shelling of cashew nuts or extracting oil from

cashewnuts or cashew nuts shells is carried on, there shall be provided and maintained ina clean safe

and good repair washing facilities with a sufficient supply of soap, coconut oil, nail brushes and towels

at the scale of one tap or standpipe for every 10 workers, and the taps or standpipes shall be spaced not

less than 1.2 map art.

11. Time allowed for washing- Before each meal and before the end of the day’s work, at least ten minutes,

in addition to the regular meal times, shall be allowed for washing, to each person employed in

processes specified in paragraph 1.

12. Smoke or gas produced by roasting cashewnuts- Where smoke or gas produced in the operation of

roasting, provision shall be made for removing the smoke or gas through a chimney of sufficient height

(minimum 15 m from ground level) and capacity or by such other arrangements as may be necessary

to prevent the gas or smoke escaping into the air or any place in which workers are employed.

13. Storage of protective equipment – A suitable room or a portion of the factory suitably partitioned off,

shall be provided exclusively for the storage of all the protective equipment supplied to the workers and

no such equipment shall be stored in any place other than the room or places so provided.

14. Medical facilities and records of examinations and tests-

(a) The occupier of every factory to which the schedule applies, shall–

(i) employ a qualified Factory Medical Officer for medical surveillance of the workers employed

therein whose employment shall be subject to the approval of the Chief Inspector-cum-

Facilitator of Factories; and

(ii) provided to the Factory Medical Officer all the necessary facilities for the purpose referred

to in clause (a)

(b) The said Factory Medical Officer shall inspect daily the hands and feet of all the persons employed

in the process specified in paragraph 1.

(c) The record of such examinations carried out by the Factory Medical Officer shall be maintained

in a separate register approved by the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator of Factories, which shall be

kept readily available for inspection by the Inspector-cum-Facilitator.

(d) The first aid box maintained shall also contain Burrough solution (1:20) and aqueous solution

of tannic acid (10%) for treatment of cases of dermatitis.

15. Medical examinations by Medical Officer-

(a) Every worker employed in the processes specified in paragraph 1 shall be examined by a Medical

Officer within 15 days of his first employment. Such examinations shall include skin test for

dermatitis and no worker shall be allowed to work after 15 days of his first employment in the

factory unless certified fit for such employment by the Medical Officer.

(b) Every worker employed in the said processes shall be re-examined by a Medical Officer at least

once in every three calendar months. Such examinations shall, wherever the Medical Officer

considers appropriate include asking test for dermatitis.

(c) The Medical Officer after examining a worker, shall issue a Certificate of fitness in FORM VI.

The record of examination and re-examinations carried out shall be entered in the Certificate

and the Certificate shall be kept in the custody of the manager of the factory. The record of each

examination carried out under sub-paragraph (1) and (2), including the nature and the results of

these tests, shall also be entered by the Medical Officer in a health register in Form-V.

(d) The Certificate of Fitness and health register shall be kept readily available for inspection by the

Inspector-cum-Facilitator.

(e) If at any time the Medical Officer is of the opinion that a, worker is no longer fit for employment

in the said processes on the ground that continuance therein would involve special danger to the

health of the workers he/she shall made a record of the findings in the said certificate and the

health register. The entry of his findings in those documents should also include the period for

which he/she considers that the said person is unfit to work in the said processes. The person so

suspended from the process shall be provided with alternate placement facilities unless he/she is

fully incapacitated in the opinion of the Medical Officer, in which case the person affected shall

be suitably rehabilitated.

(f) No person who has been found unfit to work as laid in sub paragraph (5)shall be re-employed

or permitted to work in the said processes unless the Medical Officer, after further examination,

again certifies him fit for employment in those processes.

16. Exemption – The Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator of Factories may grant exemptions from the

operation of any of these where he/she is satisfied that their observance is not necessary for

safeguarding the health of the workers.