Safety ,Health and Environmental Legislation > Chapter-1> Topic- The Factories Act,1948 and Rules > Subtopic- Provisions relating to Safety ,Health and welfare , Maharashtra Factories

Duties of Safety Officer as per Factories Act, 1948 and Maharashtra Factory Rules , 1963 

With reference to the section 40B- Safety Officers of Factories Act 1948 ,

(1) In every factory—

(i) wherein one thousand or more workers are ordinarily employed, or

(ii) wherein, in the opinion of the State Government, any manufacturing process or operation is carried on, which process or operation involves any risk of bodily injury, poisoning or disease, or any other hazard to health, to the persons employed in the factory,

the occupier shall, if so, required by the State Government by notification in the Official Gazette, employ such number of Safety Officers as may be specified in that notification.

(2) The duties, qualifications and conditions of service of Safety Officers shall be such as may be prescribed by the State Government.

The Maharashtra Safety Officers (Duties , Qualifications and Conditions of service) Rules,1982   

The duties of a Safety Officer shall be to advise and assist the factory management in the fulfilment of its obligations, statutory or otherwise, concerning prevention of personal injuries and maintaining a safe working environment. These duties shall include the following, namely -

1. To advise the concerned departments in planning and organizing measures necessary for the effective control of personal injuries.
2. To advise on safety aspects in all job studies, and to carry out detailed job safety studies of selected jobs
3. To check and evaluate the effectiveness of the action taken or proposed to be taken to prevent personal injuries
4. To advise the purchasing and stores departments in ensuring high quality and availability of personal protective equipment
5. To provide advice on matters related to carrying out plant safety inspections
6. To carry out plant safety inspections in order to observe the physical conditions of work and the work practices and procedures followed by workers and to render advice on measures to be adopted for removing the unsafe physical conditions and preventing unsafe actions by workers
7. To render advice on matters related to reporting and investigation of industrial accidents and diseases
8. To investigate selected accidents
9. To investigate the cases of industrial diseases contracted and dangerous occurrences reportable under rule 121
10. To advise on the maintenance of such records as are necessary relating to accidents, dangerous occurrences and industrial diseases.
11. To promote setting up of safety committees and act as adviser and catalyst to such committees.
12. To organize in association with the concerned departments, campaigns, competitions, contests and other activities which will develop and maintain the interest of the workers in establishing and maintaining safe conditions of work and procedures ; and
13. To design and conduct either independently or in collaboration with the training department, suitable training and educational Programme for the prevention of personal injuries. 

References- 

Factories Act, 1963

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