Health Check-Up As Per The Factories Act

by Manoj Kumar (Blogger and EHS Professional)Contact:HSEGURU@YAHOO.IN/+91–8252771261

The government has made it compulsory for industrial undertakings to conduct health checks of their workers every year. As per the Factories Act of India 1948, it is mandatory to conduct periodic health check-ups for all contractual and permanent employees working in manufacturing industries. These health check-ups help to ensure occupational safety and health of factory and construction workers .

Medical Examination for Factory and construction workers

• Type of Medical Examination: The medical examination varies as per the job profile of an employee or the nature of the manufacturing process he is involved in. For example, if the employee in the food industry, then the hands of the employees are periodically examined for skin diseases. If he is involved in a hazardous manufacturing process, then the medical examination may involve chest X-rays.

Therefore, an employee may be put through all routine tests and special tests depending on the job profile and nature of the manufacturing process.

• Periodicity of Medical Tests: The frequency of medical examinations also varies. For example, if the factory is involved in the lead process, then the workers are examined once in a month as per Maharashtra Factory Rules.

Pre-Employment Medical Examination As per The Factories Act, 1948:

A pre-employment medical examination is done for a young person by a Certifying Surgeon to ascertain and certify his fitness to work in a factory. The certificate of fitness is valid only for twelve months from the date of issue.

Medical Examinations for Workers Engaged in Hazardous Occupations:

A factory that is engaged in hazardous processes has to get its workers medically examined by a qualified medical practitioner, the health checkup is done as per Factories Act, the Factory Medical Officer, or Certifying Surgeon once before the employment and thereafter at periodical intervals. Workers employed in a “hazardous process” are medically examined by Factory Medical Officer,

• Once before employment to ascertain the physical fitness of a person and the suitability of his employment in a hazardous process.

• Once in 6 months, to ascertain the health status of all the workers who are exposed to occupational health hazards.

Form 7 is prepared and if the medical findings reveal any abnormality or unsuitability of a person employed in the hazardous process or discover that the worker has manifested signs and symptoms of any notifiable disease (as specified in the Third Schedule of the Factories Act), then the examined worker is required to be taken away from the process for health protection and is not employed in the same process. However, the worker taken away is provided with alternate placement or is suitably rehabilitated if fully incapacitated. The worker taken away may be employed again in the same process only after obtaining the Fitness Certificate from the Certifying Surgeon as per factories act along with form 7.

List of Medicals Tests Recommended as per Factories Act:

1. Complete Physical Examination

2. Blood Group, Rh factor

3. Blood CBC, ESR, RBS

4. Urine Test (Routine & Microscopic)

5. Creatinine

6. Electrocardiogram (Computerised ECG)

7. Chest X-Ray (Standard Size)

8. Lung Function Test

9. Vision Test (Screening)

10. Audiometric Test

11. HIV & HBS Tests