Section 7B of Factories Act - General duties of manufacturers, etc., as regards articles and substances for use in factories
 

Section 7b: General duties of manufacturers, etc., as regards articles and substances for use in factories

(1) Every person who designs, manufactures, imports or supplies any article for use in any factory, shall--

(a) ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the article is so designed and constructed as to be safe and without risks to the health of the workers when properly used;

(b) carry out or arrange for the carrying out of such tests and examination as may be considered necessary for the effective implementation of the provisions of clause (a);

(c) take such steps as may be necessary to ensure that adequate information will be available--

(i) in connection with the use of the article in any factory;

(ii) about the use for which it is designed and tested; and

(iii) about any conditions necessary to ensure that the article, when put to such use, will be safe, and without risks to the health of the workers:

Provided that where an article is designed or manufactured outside India, it shall be obligatory on the part of the importer to see--
(a) that the article conforms to the same standards if such article is manufactured in India, or

(b) if the standards adopted in the country outside for the manufacture of such article is above the standards adopted in India, that the article conforms to such standards.

(2) Every person, who undertakes to design or manufacture any article for use in any factory, may carry out or arrange for the carrying out of necessary research with a view to the discovery and, so far as is reasonably practicable, the elimination or minimisation of any risks to the health or safety of the workers to which the design or article may give rise.

(3) Nothing contained in sub-sections (1) and (2) shall be construed to require a person to repeat the testing, examination or research which has been carried out otherwise than by him or at his instance in so far as it is reasonable for him to rely on the results thereof for the purposes of the said sub-sections.

(4) Any duty imposed on any person by sub-sections (1) and (2) shall extend only to things done in the course of business carried on by him and to matters within his control.

(5) Where a person designs, manufactures, imports or supplies an article on the basis of a written undertaking by the user of such article to take the steps specified in such undertaking to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the article will be safe and without risks to the health of the workers when properly used, the undertaking shall have the effect of relieving the person designing, manufacturing, importing or supplying the article from the duty imposed by clause (a) of sub-section (1) to such extent as is reasonable having regard to the terms of the undertaking.

(6) For the purposes of this section, an article is not to be regarded as properly used if it is used without regard to any information or advice relating to its use which has been made available by the person who has designed, manufactured, imported or supplied the article.

Explanation.--For the purposes of this section, "article" shall include plant and machinery.]

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1. Ins. by Act 20 of 1987, s. 4 (w.e.f. 1-12-1987).
*. Ins. by s. 4, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-6-1988).