Govt mulls rationalising Factories Act

The central government is mulling amendments to the Factories Act, 1948, including provision of a "rational alternative" to the current definition of "occupier" of a factory unit to ensure industrial safety, said S K Srivastava, joint secretary, ministry of labour and employment, while addressing a two-day seminar on Industrial Process Safety Management, organised jointly by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) and the ministry of labour and employment.

A draft policy on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) would be prepared after detailed consultations with industry associations, Srivastava said.

"Ficci would immediately constitute a working group on industrial process safety and recommend detailed changes in the proposed amendment to the Factories Act," said Amit Mitra, secretary general, Ficci.