Section 7A of Factories Act - General duties of the occupier

Section 7a: General duties of the occupier

(1) Every occupier shall ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all workers while they are at work in the factory.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of sub-section (1), the matters to which such duty extends, shall include--

(a) the provision and maintenance of plant and systems of work in the factory that are safe and without risks to health;

(b) the arrangements in the factory for ensuring safety and absence of risks to health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances;

(c) the provisions of such information, instruction, training and supervision as are necessary to ensure the health and safety of all workers at work;

(d) the maintenance of all places of work in the factory in a condition that is safe and without risks to health and the provision and maintenance of such means of access to, and egress from, such places as are safe and without such risks;

(e) the provision, maintenance or monitoring of such working environment in the factory for the workers that is safe, without risks to health and adequate as regards facilities and arrangements for their welfare at work.

(3) Except in such cases as may be prescribed, every occupier shall prepare, and, as often as may be appropriate, revise, a written statement of his general policy with respect to the health and safety of the workers at work and the organisation and arrangements for the time being in force for carrying out that policy, and to bring the statement and any revision thereof to the notice of all the workers in such manner as may be prescribed.]

STATE AMENDMENT
Tamil Nadu
Insertion of new section 7-AA.--After section 7-A of the Factories Act, 1948 (Central Act LXIII of 1948), the following section shall be inserted, namely:--

"7-AA. Occupier of Match or Fire Works Factory to insure workers.--(1) The occupier of every factory wherein the manufacture of match or fire works is carried on shall get every worker employed in the factory insured for a sum of not less than fifty thousand rupees and keep the insurance alive so long as the worker is employed in the factory. The payment of premium for such insurance shall be the liability of the occupier.

(2) The occupier shall send to the Chief Inspector a report containing the details of the insurance referred to in sub-section (1) at such intervals with such particulars, in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed by the State Government.

(3) If an occupier fails to comply with the provisions of sub-section (1), the Chief Inspector may, after giving the occupier an opportunity of being heard and after considering the representation, if any, cancel the licence granted under this Act.".
[Vide Tamil Nadu Act 29 of 2007, s. 2]

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1. Ins. by Act 20 of 1987, s. 4 (w.e.f. 1-12-1987).