Rule 23. Safety Committee

(1) In every Factory or Building and other construction work,

a) wherein one hundred or more employees are ordinarily employed; or

b) carries on “hazardous process” defined under clause (za) of sub-section (1) of section 2 of the Code; or

c) carries on any process or operations declared to be “dangerous operations” under section 82 of the Code; there shall be a safety committee to be set up by the employer.

(2) The representatives of the management on Safety Committee shall include

a) A senior official, who by his position in the organization can contribute effectively to the functioning of the committee, shall be the Chairman;

b) A Safety Officer and a Factory Medical Officer wherever available and the Safety Officer in such a case shall be the Secretary of the Committee.

c) A representative each from the production, maintenance and purchase departments wherever available.

(3) The representatives of the workers on the Safety Committee shall be chosen by the workers:

Provided that if any registered trade union or unions is functioning in the establishment the representatives of the workers shall be nominated by such union or unions in proportion to their membership. Where there is no registered trade union,workers may choose amongst themselves their representatives:

Provided further that, there shall be adequate representation of women workers in safety committee.

(4) The tenure of the safety committee shall be for three years.

(5) Safety Committee shall meet as often as necessary but at least once in every quarter of the year. The minutes of the meeting shall be recorded and produced to the Inspector-cum Facilitator on demand.

(6) Safety Committee shall have the right to be adequately and suitably informed of–

a) Potential safety and health hazards to which the workers may be exposed at workplace.

b) Data on accidents as well as data resulting from surveillance of the working environment and of the health of workers exposed to hazardous substances so far as the factory is concerned, provided that the Committee undertakes to use the data on a confidential basis and solely to provide guidance and advice on measures to improve the working environment and the health and safety of the workers.