ROLES &

RESPONSIBILITIES OF A
SAFETY OFFICER

RASHMI . S
 CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH LED TO THE
PROVISION OF SAFETY OFFICER

¬ Factories Act, 1948 – central enactment – occupational health,

safety and welfare of workers.
¬ Factory- 10 or more workmen without power & 20 or more with
power. Workplaces with lesser no. of workmen are also
factories if State Govt. issues notifications. – Eg: rice mills,
floor mills.
¬ Act enforced- Inspector of Factories under State govt - power to
make statutory rules to supplement the provisions.
¬ The Ministry of Labour – Central Govt responsible. Controls &
co-ordinates all Factory Inspectorates through Directorate
General Factory Advice Service & Labour Institutes
( DGFASLI).

¬
¬ The original law stated that the employers were supposed to
provide safe machinery and equipment with guards at all
points when the machines were running.
¬
¬ Special Equipments for eyes, and workers working at large
heights (viz – lifts, cranes, hoists)were to be provided.
Also, no machine was to be cleaned during it’s working,
unless in special circumstances.
¬
¬ In 1976, a new provision for appointment of safety officers
was added in factories with 1000 or more workers or
workers working in hazardous or dangerous operations if
notified by the State Government.
TAMILNADU’S FACTORIES ACT 1950

¬ The TAMILNADU’S Factories act says that the

Inspector of Factories is responsible for enforcing
the Factories Act 1948 & the 13 Labour enactments
which come under the TAMILNADU’S Factories
Act, 1950.
¬ Inspections conducted periodically should have the
following inspection forms;
 First Inspection Forms for the use of Factory Inspectors
&
 Factory Inspection Report for second and subsequent
inspections by Factory Inspectors.
Sl.No. Plans related to Approved by

1. Factories employing 200 and less Deputy Chief Inspector of

workers except those engaged in Factories.

2. Dangerous operations. Factories Joint Chief Inspector of

employing above 200 workers upto Factories.
1000 workers except those engaged in
dangerous operations.

Factories employing more than 1000

3. workers and all factories engaged in Chief Inspector of Factories.
dangerous operations.
 ASPECTS CONCERNING SAFETY
MANAGEMENT IN FACTORIES

¬ SAFETY POLICY
¬ APPOINTMENT OF SAFETY OFFICERS
¬ SAFETY COMMITTEE
¬ OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH CENTRES.(FMO, Ambulance)
¬ WELFARE MEASURES (Canteen, Creche, Shelter rooms)
¬ ON SITE EMERGENCY PLANS
¬ SAFETY REPORTS
¬ SAFETY AUDITS
¬ HAZOP STUDIES
 SAFETY POLICY

¬ Rule 62(B) under the TAMILNADU’S FACTORIES ACT ,

framed under the provisions of Section 7A(3), 41B(2) & 112
requires the preparation of a written statement of safety policy
with respect to the health & safety of workers at factories
meeting the following criteria;
 Units covered under Section 2m(i) of the Factories Act &
employing more than 50 workers.
 Units covered under Section 2m(ii) of the Factories Act &
employing more than 100 workers.
 units covered under Section 87 of the Factories Act.
 Units covered under Section 2(cb) of the Factories Act.

 SAFETY POLICY (2000)

S. No. Type of factories No. of factories No. of factories

requiring Safety having Safety
Policy Policy

1. Factories employing 250 551 480

or more workers

2. MAH Units 100 99

 SAFETY OFFICERS

¬ Safety officers must be in every factory;

 Wherein one thousand or more workers are ordinarily employed or
 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 hazard to health, to the persons employed in the
factory.
 if the State Govt, gives a notification, the occupier will have to
mandatorily employ the no. of safety officers stated in the
notification.
 The duties, qualifications , conditions of service of Safety officers
shall be such as may be prescribed by the state Govt.
  

SAFETY OFFICERS (2000)

Description of factories No. of No. of Safety No. of Safety

factories Officers required Officers
to be appointed appointed

a) Factories employing
1000 or more 111 106
workers and 100
notified under
Section 40-B(1)(i)

b) Factories notified 30 30 24
under Section 40-B
(1)(ii)
 SAFETY COMMITTEE

The Rule 61-M of the Tamil Nadu Factories Rules, 1950 framed
under the provisions of Section 41 and 41-G of the Factories Act, 1948

require constitution of Safety Committee in the factories meeting

the following criteria:-

a) Units employing 250 or more workers

b) Units covered under Section 87 of the Factories Act, 1948
and employing more than 50 workers

c) Units covered under Section 2(cb) of the Factories Act, 1948
and employing more than 50 workers

As per information available 1024 units required constitution of

Safety Committees. However, only 743 units have constituted

Safety Committees.


 SAFETY COMMITTEE (2000)

S.No. Type of factories No. of No. of

factories factories
requiring having
Safety Safety
Committee Committee

(i) Factories employing 924 645

250 or more
workers

(ii) MAH Units 100 98

 SAFETY OFFICER RULES
¬ Each Safety Officer should have some delegated authority in
occupational health and safety matters which will be determined
by the department heads to whom they report, in consultation
with the Zone OHS Committee.
¬ The appointment of a Safety Officer does not diminish the
particular responsibilities of department heads and supervisors
or the primary responsibility of every individual for maintaining
occupational health and safety standards. The main role of a
Safety Officer is to act as a focal point for all occupational
health and safety matters arising at the particular location.
Carrying out the role involves:
¬ assisting with promoting occupational health and safety
awareness;

 advising on occupational health and safety problems or
obtaining advice on unfamiliar problems from
Occupational Health and Safety or other sources;
bringing to the attention of staff and students, occupational health
and
safety hazards associated with
their work;
bringing to the attention of the relevant department heads
unresolved occupational health and safety problems;
investigating and reporting on all incidents, injuries and
occupational health problems and notifying Occupational Health
and Safety of incidents and hazards in line with reporting
requirements;
liaison with Occupational Health and Safety including providing
requested information to Occupational Health and Safety;
Co-operation and liaison with occupational health and safety
representative(s) on occupational health and safety activities in
their zone or department in line with the procedures detailed in the
Appendix to the Occupational Health and Safety Policy; and
dealing with health and safety issues in line with the procedures
detailed in the Appendix to the Occupational Health and Safety Policy.
Absences from Duty by Safety Officers

If a safety officer is absent from duty, the relevant

department heads(s) should make arrangements for
OHS matters to be directed to a deputy safety officer or
the health and safety representative covering that area.
 TRAINING
Safety officers are required to attend a minimum of 2 days
Occupational Health and Safety training per year in order to
effectively fulfill their Occupational Health and Safety roles.
Newly appointed safety officers are required to attend the
following Occupational Health and Safety training courses in
the first 6 months of their appointment:
Introduction to Occupational Health and Safety (1 day) OR
the following separate modules
Monash policies and procedures (2 hours)
Hazard & incident management (2 hours)
Risk management workshop (2 hours)
Workplace safety inspections (2 hours)
Emergency warden training (2 hours)
Prevention of Occupational Bullying & Violence at Monash
 SAFETY OFFICER- RESPONSIBILITIES

Ø The Safety Officer is responsible for monitoring and assessing

hazardous and unsafe situations and developing measures to assure
personnel safety.
Ø The Safety Officer will correct unsafe acts or conditions through the
regular line of authority, although the Safety Officer may exercise
emergency authority to prevent or stop unsafe acts when
immediate action is required.
Ø The Safety Officer maintains awareness of active and developing
situations.
Ø The Safety Officer ensures the Site Safety and Health Plan is
prepared and implemented.
Ø The Safety Officer ensures there are safety messages in each Incident
Action Plan.

¬
¬ Only one Safety Officer will be assigned for each incident,
including incidents operating under Unified Command and multi-
jurisdiction incidents. The Safety Officer may have assistants, as
necessary, and the assistants may also represent assisting
agencies or jurisdictions.
¬ During initial response, document the hazard analysis process,
hazard identification, exposure assessment and controls.
¬ Participate in planning meetings to identify any health and safety
concerns inherent in the operations daily workplan.
¬ Review the Incident Action Plan for safety implications.
¬ Exercise emergency authority to prevent or stop unsafe acts.
¬ Investigate accidents that have occurred within incident areas.
¬ Ensure preparation and implementation of Site Safety and Health
Plan (SSHP)
¬ Assign assistants and manage the incident safety organization.
¬
 FUNCTIONS OF THE
SAFETY STAFF
¬ Site Safety Officer Assistant:
¬ Provide assistance to the Safety Officer. Ensure all Safety functions
continue when the Safety Officer is attending meetings.
¬ Site Characterization and Monitoring:
¬ Initial on scene hazard assessment of the incident.
¬ Deploy on scene immediately and report back to Safety Officer
¬ Ensure workers are safely monitored by use of passive dosimeters.
¬ Provide heat or cold stress monitoring, using WBGT or other
measuring device.
¬ Provide on scene fatigue monitoring for work-rest regimen
recommendations.
