The Factory Act , 1948 – All Sections

An Act to consolidate and amend the law regulating labour in factories.

The Factory Act , 1948 has 141 sections in 12 chapters, amended 6 times. Each link below opens the official text of that section. Official PDF on India Code.

The Factory Act , 1948 PDF

All sections of the Factory Act , 1948

Chapter 1: PRELIMINARY

• Section 1 – Short title, extent and commencement
• Section 2 – Interpretation
• Section 3 – References to time of day
• Section 4 – Power to declare different departments to be separate factories or two or more factories to be a single factory
• Section 5 – Power to exempt during public emergency
• Section 6 – Approval, licensing and registration of factories
• Section 7 – Notice by occupier
• Section 7A – General duties of the occupier
• Section 7B – General duties of manufacturers, etc. as regards articles and substances for use in factories

Chapter II: THE INSPECTING STAFF

• Section 8 – Inspectors
• Section 9 – Powers of Inspectors
• Section 10 – Certifying surgeons

Chapter III: HEALTH

• Section 11 – Cleanliness
• Section 12 – Disposal of wastes and effluents
• Section 13 – Ventilation and temperature
• Section 14 – Dust and fume
• Section 15 – Artificial humidification
• Section 16 – Over-crowding
• Section 17 – Lighting
• Section 18 – Drinking water
• Section 19 – Latrines and urinals
• Section 20 – Spittoons

Chapter IV: SAFETY

• Section 21 – Fencing of machinery
• Section 22 – Work on or near machinery in motion
• Section 23 – Employment of young persons on dangerous machines
• Section 24 – Striking gear and devices for cutting off power
• Section 25 – Self-acting machines
• Section 26 – Casing of new machinery
• Section 27 – Prohibition of employment of women and children near cotton-openers
• Section 28 – Hoists and lifts
• Section 29 – Lifting machines, chains, ropes and lifting tackles
• Section 30 – Revolving machinery
• Section 31 – Pressure Plant
• Section 32 – Floors, stairs and means of access
• Section 33 – Pits, sumps, openings in floors, etc
• Section 34 – Excessive weights
• Section 35 – Protection of eyes
• Section 36 – Precautions against dangerous fumes, gases, etc
• Section 36A – Precautions regarding the use of portable electric light
• Section 37 – Explosive or inflammable dust, gas, etc
• Section 38 – Precautions in case of fire
• Section 39 – Power to require specifications of defective parts or test of stability
• Section 40 – Safety of buildings and machinery
• Section 40A – Maintenance of buildings
• Section 40B – Safety Officers
• Section 41 – Power to make rule to supplement this Chapter

Chapter IV-A: PROVISIONS RELATING TO HAZARDOUS PROCESSES

• Section 41A – Constitution of Site Appraisal Committees
• Section 41B – Compulsory disclosure of information by the occupier
• Section 41C – Specific responsibility of the occupier in relation to hazardous processes
• Section 41D – Power of Central Government to appoint Inquiry Committee
• Section 41E – Emergency standards
• Section 41F – Permissible limits of exposure of chemical and toxic substances
• Section 41G – Workers’ participation in safety management
• Section 41H – Right of workers to warn about imminent danger

Chapter V: WELFARE

• Section 42 – Washing facilities
• Section 43 – Facilities for storing and drying of wet clothing
• Section 44 – Facilities for sitting
• Section 45 – First aid appliances
• Section 46 – Canteens
• Section 47 – Shelters, rest rooms and lunch rooms
• Section 48 – Crèches
• Section 49 – Welfare officers
• Section 50 – Power to make rules to supplement this Chapter

Chapter VI: WORKING HOURS OF ADULTS

• Section 51 – Weekly hours
• Section 52 – Weekly holidays
• Section 53 – Compensatory holidays
• Section 54 – Daily hours
• Section 55 – Intervals for rest
• Section 56 – Spread over
• Section 57 – Night shifts
• Section 58 – Prohibition of overlapping shifts
• Section 59 – Extra wages for overtime
• Section 60 – Restriction on double employment
• Section 61 – Notice of periods of work for adults
• Section 62 – Register of adult workers
• Section 63 – Hours of work to correspond with notice under section 61 and register under section 62
• Section 64 – Power to make exempting rules
• Section 65 – Power to make exempting orders
• Section 66 – Further restrictions on employment of women

Chapter VII: EMPLOYMENT OF YOUNG PERSONS

• Section 67 – Prohibition of employment of young children
• Section 68 – Non-adult workers to carry tokens
• Section 69 – Certificates of fitness
• Section 70 – Effect of certificate of fitness granted to adolescent
• Section 71 – Working hours for children
• Section 72 – Notice of periods of work for children
• Section 73 – Register of child workers
• Section 74 – Hours of work to correspond with notice under section 72 and register under section 73
• Section 75 – Power to require medical examination
• Section 76 – Power to make rules
• Section 77 – Certain other provisions of law not barred

Chapter VIII: ANNUAL LEAVE WITH WAGES

• Section 78 – Application of Chapter
• Section 79 – Annual leave with wages
• Section 80 – Wages during leave period
• Section 81 – Payment in advance in certain cases
• Section 82 – Mode of recovery of unpaid wages
• Section 83 – Power to make rules
• Section 84 – Power to exempt factories

Chapter IX: SPECIAL PROVISIONS

• Section 85 – Power to apply the Act to certain premises
• Section 86 – Power to exempt public institutions
• Section 87 – Dangerous operations
• Section 87A – Power to prohibit employment on account of serious hazard
• Section 88 – Notice of certain accidents
• Section 88A – Notice of certain dangerous occurrences
• Section 89 – Notice of certain diseases
• Section 90 – Power to direct enquiry into cases of accident or disease
• Section 91 – Power to take samples
• Section 91A – Safety and occupational health surveys

Chapter X: PENALTIES AND PROCEDURE

• Section 92 – General penalty for offences
• Section 93 – Liability of owner of premises in certain circumstances
• Section 94 – Enhanced penalty after previous conviction
• Section 95 – Penalty for obstructing Inspector
• Section 96 – Penalty for wrongfully disclosing results of analysis under section 91
• Section 96A – Penalty for contravention of the provisions of Sections 41B, 41C 41C and 41H
• Section 97 – Offences by workers
• Section 98 – Penalty for using false certificates of fitness
• Section 99 – Penalty for permitting double employment of child
• Section 100 – guardian or person (omitted/repealed)
• Section 101 – Exemption of occupier or manager from liability in certain cases
• Section 102 – Power of Court to make orders
• Section 103 – Presumption as to employment
• Section 104 – Onus as to age
• Section 104A – Onus of proving limits of what is practicable, etc
• Section 105 – Cognizance of offences
• Section 106 – Limitation of prosecutions
• Section 106A – Jurisdiction of a court for entertaining proceedings, etc. for offence

Chapter XI: SUPPLEMENTAL

• Section 107 – Appeals
• Section 108 – Display of notices
• Section 109 – Service of notices
• Section 110 – Returns
• Section 111 – Obligations of workers
• Section 111A – Right of workers, etc
• Section 112 – General power to make rules
• Section 113 – Powers of Centre to give directions
• Section 114 – No charge for facilities and conveniences
• Section 115 – Publication of rules
• Section 116 – Application of Act to Government factories
• Section 117 – Protection to persons acting under this Act
• Section 118 – Restriction on disclosures of information
• Section 118A – Restriction on disclosure of information
• Section 119 – Act to have effect notwithstanding anything contained in Act 37 37 of 1970
• Section 120 – Repeal and savings