Section Text
After Chapter IV of the principal Act, the following Chapter shall be inserted, namely:--
"CHAPTER IV A
Provisions as to safety
18A. Safety.- (1) In every plantation, effective arrangements shall be made by the employer to provide for the safety of workers in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of insecticides, chemicals and toxic substances.
(2) The State Government may make rules for prohibiting or, restricting employment of women or adolescents in using or handling hazardous chemicals.
(3) The employer shall appoint persons possessing the prescribed qualifications to supervise the use, handling, storage and transportation of insecticides, chemicals and toxic substances in his plantation.
(4) Every employer shall ensure that every worker in plantation employed for handling, mixing, blending and applying insecticides, chemicals and toxic substances, is trained about the hazards involved in different operations in which he is engaged, the various safety measures and safe work practices to be adopted in emergencies arising from spillage of such insecticides chemicals and toxic substances and such other matters as may be prescribed by the State Government.
(5) Every worker who is exposed to insecticides, chemicals and toxic substances shall be medically examined periodically, in such manner as may be prescribed, by the State Government.
(6) Every employer shall maintain health record of every worker who is exposed to insecticides, chemicals and toxic substances which are used, handled, stored or transported in a plantation, and every such worker shall have access to such record.
(7) Every employer shall provide--
(a) washing, bathing and clock room facilities; and
(b) protective clothing and equipment,
to every worker engaged in handling insecticides, chemicals or toxic substances in such manner as may be prescribed by the State Government.
(8) Every employer shall display in the plantation a list of permissible concentrations of insecticides, chemicals and toxic substances in the breathing zone of the workers engaged in the handling and application of such insecticides, chemicals and toxic substances.
(9) Every employer shall exhibit such precautionary notices as may be prescribed by the State Government indicating the hazards of insecticides, chemicals and toxic substances.
18B. Power of State Government to make rules.- (1) The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules to carry out the purposes of this Chapter.
(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:--
(a) the restriction on employment of women and adolescents for handling hazardous chemicals under sub-section (2) of section 18A;
(b) the qualifications of supervisor appointed under sub-section (3) of section 18A;
(c) the matters for training of workers under sub-section (4) of section 18A;
(d) the medical examination of workers under sub-section (5) of section 18A;
(e) the facilities and equipment to be provided to the workers engaged in handling insecticides, chemicals and toxic substances under sub-section (7) of section 18A;
(f) the precautionary notices to be exhibited under sub-section (9) of section 18A.".