Schedule XXIII

MANUFACTURE OR MANIPULATION OF MANGANESE AND ITS COMPOUNDS:

1. Application.—This Schedule shall apply to every factory in which or in any part of which any

manganese process is carried on.

2. Definitions.—For the purposes of this Schedule—

(a) "efficient exhaust ventilation" means localised ventilation affected by mechanical

means for the removal of dust or fume or mist at its source of origin so as to prevent it

from escaping into the atmosphere of any place where any work is carried on. No draught

shall be deemed to be efficient which fails to remove the dust or fume or mist at the point

where it is generated and fails to prevent it from escaping into and spreading into the

atmosphere of a workplace;

(b) "first employment" means first employment in any manganese process following any

cessation of employment for a continuous period exceeding three calendar months;

(c) "manganese process" means processing, manufacture or manipulation of manganese

or any compound of manganese or any mixture containing manganese; and

(d) "manipulation" means mixing, blending, filling, emptying, grinding, sieving, drying,

packing, sweeping or otherwise handling of manganese, or a compound of manganese, or

anymore or any mixture containing manganese.

3. Isolation of a processes.—Every manganese process which may give rise to dust, vapour or

mist containing manganese, shall be carried on in a totally enclosed system or otherwise effectively isolated

from other Processes so that other plants and processes and other parts of the factory and persons employed

on other processes may not be affected by the same.

4. Ventilation of process .—No process in which any dust, vapour or mist containing manganese

is generated, shall be carried out except under an efficient exhaust ventilation which shall be applied as near

to the point of generation as practicable.

5. Personal protective equipment.—(1) The occupier of the factory shall provide and maintain in

good and clean condition suitable overalls and head coverings for all persons employed in any manganese

process and such overalls and head coverings shall be worn by the persons while working on a manganese

process .

(2) The occupier of the factory shall provide suitable respiratory protective equipment for use by

worker in emergency to prevent inhalation of dust, fumes or mists. Sufficient number of complete sets of

such equipment shall always be kept near the workplace and the same shall be properly maintained and kept

always in a condition to be used readily.

(3) The occupier shall provide and maintain for the use of all persons employed, suitable

accommodation for the storage and make adequate arrangement for cleaning and maintenance of Personal

Protective Equipment(PPE).

6. Prohibition relating to women and young persons.—No pregnant women or young persons shall

be employed or permitted to work in any manganese process.

Provided that women workers may be employed with their consent to work subject to the

following conditions :-

(1) International Safety standards shall be adopted by the occupier for providing Occupational

Safety and Health (OSH).

(2) The occupier shall, as far as possible, modernise the above processes/places from time to time

and will use modern equipments.

(3) Women workers who are feeding mothers shall be exempted from the Employment.

7. Food, drinks etc. prohibited in the workrooms.—No food, drink, pan and supari or tobacco shall

be allowed to be brought into premises consumed by any worker in any workroom in which any manganese

process is carried on.

8. Mess-room.—There shall be provided and maintained for the use of the persons employed in a

manganese process a suitable mess-room which shall be furnished with sufficient tables and benches and

adequate means for warming of food. The mess-room shall be placed under the charge of a responsible

person and shall be kept clean.

9. Washing facilities.—There shall be provided and maintained in a clean state and in good

condition, for the use of persons employed on manganese process —

(a) a wash place under cover, with either—

(i) a trough with a smooth impervious surface fitted with a waste pipe without

plug, and of sufficient length to allow at least 60 centimeters for every ten such

persons employed at any one time, and having a constant supply of water from tap

or jet above the trough at intervals of not more than 60 centimeters; or

(ii) at least one wash basin for every five such persons employed at any one time,

fitted with a waste pipe and plug and having a constant supply of water; and

(b) sufficient supply of soap or other suitable cleaning materials and nail brushes and

clean towels.

10. Cloak-room.—If the Chief Inspector cum facilitator so requires there shall be provided and

maintained for the use of persons employed in manganese process a cloak-room for clothing, put-off

during working hours with adequate arrangements for drying the clothing.

11. Cautionary placard and instructions.—Cautionary notices in the form specified in appendix

and printed in the language of the majority of the workers employed, shall be affixed in prominent places in

the factory where they can be easily and conveniently read by the workers and arrangement shall be made

by the occupier to instruct periodically all workers employed in a manganese processes regarding the health

hazards connected with their duties and the best preventive measures and methods to protect themselves.

The notices shall always be maintained in a legible condition.

12. Medical facilities and records of examination and tests.—(1) The occupier of every factory to

which the Schedule applies, shall—

(a) employ a Factory medical officer for medical surveillance of the workers employed

where number of workers exceed 50; and

(b) provide to the said Factory medical officer all the necessary facilities for the purpose

referred to in clause (a).

(2) The record of medical examinations and appropriate tests carried out by the said Factory

medical officer shall be maintained in a health register Form-7, which shall be kept readily available for

inspection by the Inspector-cum-Facilitator.

13. Medical examination by Factory medical officer.—(1) Every worker employed in any

manganese process shall be medically examined by a Factory medical officer within 15 days of his first

employment. Such examination shall include tests for detection of serum calcium, serum phosphate and

manganese in blood and urine and also include steadiness tests and other neuromuscular coordination tests.

No worker shall be allowed to work after 15 days of his first employment in the factory unless certified for

such employment by the Factory medical officer.

(2) Every worker employed in a manganese processes shall be re-examined by a Factory medical

officer at least once in every three calendar months and such examination shall, wherever the Factory

medical officer considers appropriate include all the tests in sub-paragraph (1).

(3) The Factory medical officer after examining a worker shall issue a Certificate of Fitness in

Form-8. 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 records of each examination

carried out under sub-paragraphs (1) and (2) including the nature and the results of these tests shall also be

entered by the Factory medical officer in a Health Register in Form-7.

(4) The Certificate of Fitness and the Health Register shall be kept readily available for inspection

by the Inspector cum facilitator.

(5) If at any time the Factory Medical Officer or Medical Officer is of the opinion that the 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 worker, he shall make a record of his findings in the said certificate and

the Health Register. The entry of his findings in these documents should also include the period for which

he considers that the said person is unfit to work in the said process.

(6) No person who has been found unfit to work as said 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 that processes.

14. Exemption.—If in respect of any factory the Chief Inspector cum-facilitator is satisfied that

owing to any exceptional circumstances, or infrequency of the process or for any other reason, application

of all or any of the provisions of this Schedule is not necessary for the protection of the persons employed

in such factory he may, by an order in writing which he may at his discretion revoke, exempt such factory

from all or any of the provisions on such conditions and for such period as he may specify in the said order.