Section 29 of Factories Act - Lifting machines, chains, ropes and lifting tackles

Section 29: Lifting machines, chains, ropes and lifting tackles

(1) In any factory the following provisions shall be complied with in respect of every lifting machine (other than a hoist and lift) and every chain, rope and lifting tackle for the purpose of raising or lowering persons, goods or materials:--

(a) all parts, including the working gear, whether fixed or movable, of every lifting machine and every chain, rope or lifting tackle shall be--

(i) of good construction, sound material and adequate strength and free from defects;

(ii) properly maintained; and

(iii) thoroughly examined by a competent person at least once in every period of twelve months, or at such intervals as the Chief Inspector may specify in writing; and a register shall be kept containing the prescribed particulars of every such examination;

(b) no lifting machine and no chain, rope or lifting tackle shall, except for the purpose of test be loaded beyond the safe working load which shall be plainly marked thereon together with an identification mark and duly entered in the prescribed register; and where this is not practicable, a table showing the safe working loads of every kind and size of lifting machine or chain, rope or lifting tackle in use shall be displayed in prominent positions on the premises;

(c) while any person is employed or working on or near the wheel track of a travelling crane in any place where he would be liable to be struck by the crane, effective measures shall be taken to ensure that the crane does not approach within 2[six metres] of that place.

(2) The State Government may make rules in respect of any lifting machine or any chain, rope or lifting tackle used in factories--

(a) prescribing further requirements to be complied with in addition to those set out in this section;

(b) providing for exemption from compliance with all or any of the requirements of this section, where in its opinion, such compliance is unnecessary or impracticable.

(3) For the purposes of this section a lifting machine or a chain, rope or lifting tackle shall be deemed to have been thoroughly examined if a visual examination supplemented, if necessary, by other means and by the dismantling of parts of the gear, has been carried out as carefully as the conditions permit in order to arrive at a reliable conclusion as to the safely of the parts examined.

Explanation.--In this section.--

(a) "lifting machine" means a crane, crab, winch, teagle, pulley block, gin wheel, transporter or runway;

3[(b) "lifting tackle" means any chain sling, rope sling, hook, shackle, swivel, coupling, socket, clamp, tray or similar appliance, whether fixed or movable, used in connection with the raising or lowering of persons, or loads by use of lifting machines.]]

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1. Subs. by Act 25 of 1954, s. 8, for section 29 (w.e.f. 7-5-1954).
2. Subs. by Act 20 of 1987, s. 13, for "twenty feet" (w.e.f. 1-12-1987).
3. Subs. by s. 13, ibid., for clause (b) (w.e.f. 1-12-1987).