Practical Guide to Factories Act

Industrial progress is a part and parcel of human development and prosperity, but industrial harnessing of resources quite often degenerates into exploitation after a while, which necessitates regulation.India being a developing nation has to keep pace with socio-economic upheavals associated with industrial development. We saw the problems cropping up when led by the quest for making quick profits, unmindful of its social consequences, resulted in the stretching of working hours to as long as 12 hours. Even the children of tender ages were required to work more than 12 hours a day which necessitated passing of the Factories Act aiming at protecting human beings subjected to unduly long hours of bodily strain or manual labour.The Act provides that employees should work in healthy and sanitary conditions so far as the manufacturing process will allow and that precautions should be taken for their safety and the prevention of accidents. The Factories Act was amended in 1976 and has been amended again in 1987 whereby radical changes have been made in the original Act. Sweeping powers are now bestowed upon the Inspectors under section 9 of the Act to enter the premises and seize material and make enquiries and pass directions etc. This Act is a comprehensive piece of legislation conversing all aspects relating to factories, including approval, licensing and registration of factories, the inspecting authorities under the Act, health, safety, welfare, working hours, employment of adults and young children, annual leave and penalties.The book is a practical guide to Factories Act for all those who are responsible for managing people at work and the compliance of law.