The State Factories Rules require every factory carrying on a hazardous process to appoint a Factory Medical Officer and maintain an Occupational Health Centre scaled to its workforce. We supply AFIH-qualified FMOs and run the OHC and examination programme with them — anywhere in India.
The hazardous-process chapter of the Factories Act, 1948 (Sections 41-A to 41-H, inserted in 1987) is implemented through State Factories Rules that follow a common pattern. Workers in a hazardous process must be medically examined by a qualified medical practitioner — the Factory Medical Officer — once before employment and once in every six months (sooner where the FMO considers it necessary), with the details recorded in the state's Health Register and a Certificate of Fitness issued before first employment. The occupier must provide and maintain an Occupational Health Centre (OHC) whose scale depends on headcount.
In Maharashtra this is Rules 73-V and 73-W of the Maharashtra Factories Rules, 1963; in Karnataka Rules 88-L and 88-M of the Karnataka Factories Rules, 1969; in Gujarat Rules 68-T and 68-U of the Gujarat Factories Rules, 1963; in Uttar Pradesh Rule 63-I of the Uttar Pradesh Factories Rules, 1950. The OHC scale is typically: a retainer FMO in his own clinic for factories with up to 50 workers; an OHC room of at least 15 sq. m with a part-time FMO visiting at least twice a week for 51–200 workers; and a full-time FMO (one more for every additional 1,000 workers) with a two-room OHC above 200 workers. The FMO must hold a recognised industrial-health qualification such as AFIH.
The FMO is distinct from the Certifying Surgeon appointed by the State Government under Section 10. If the FMO declares a worker unfit, the worker may appeal to the Certifying Surgeon, whose opinion is final; abnormalities found by the FMO are reported to the Certifying Surgeon; and a worker taken away from a process returns only after the Certifying Surgeon's fitness certificate is entered in the register.
Scale shown is the common pattern in the Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat rules; we confirm the exact scale in your state before proposing.
Factory Medical Officer on retainer in a clinic notified by the occupier; at least five trained first-aiders with one always on duty; a fully equipped first-aid box.
An OHC room of at least 15 sq. m with smooth, impervious surfaces, adequate lighting and ventilation and the scheduled equipment; a part-time FMO visiting at least twice a week and available for emergencies; a qualified dresser-cum-compounder on duty throughout working hours.
A full-time FMO for up to 500 workers and one more medical officer for every additional 1,000; a two-room OHC of at least 15 sq. m each with the scheduled equipment; nursing and paramedical staff as prescribed.
We audit your headcount, process list and existing facility against the OHC rule in your state and list what is missing — space, equipment, staffing, records.
An AFIH-qualified doctor is engaged at the visit frequency the rule requires, with a named deputy for continuity.
Pre-employment and six-monthly examinations are scheduled as on-site batches so the register is never behind.
Health Register, Certificates of Fitness, sickness/absenteeism returns where prescribed, and management statistics — inspection-ready at all times.
Under the hazardous-process rules the Factory Medical Officer must be a qualified medical practitioner holding an additional industrial-health qualification recognised by the Central and State Governments — in practice the AFIH (Associate Fellow of Industrial Health) awarded by DGFASLI or the earlier Diploma in Industrial Health. Some states additionally require the occupier to notify the FMO's appointment to the Chief Inspector of Factories. All FMOs we place hold AFIH.
It depends on headcount. For 51–200 workers the common rule is at least two visits a week plus availability during medical emergencies; above 200 workers the FMO must be full-time. Factories with up to 50 workers may engage an FMO on retainer at the FMO's own clinic. We confirm the rule in your state — for example Rule 73-W in Maharashtra or Rule 88-M in Karnataka — before proposing a visit schedule.
No. The FMO is engaged by the occupier to examine hazardous-process workers and run the OHC. The Certifying Surgeon is appointed by the State Government under Section 10 of the Factories Act and exercises statutory powers — examining dangerous-operation workers, suspending workers from a process, and deciding appeals against the FMO's unfitness findings. We provide AFIH-qualified FMOs and coordinate with authorised Certifying Surgeons where a provision requires them.
We will assess your OHC obligations under your state's rules and propose the FMO model that fits.
Nodal Healthcare provides occupational-health services through qualified medical professionals. AFIH-qualified doctors and Factory Medical Officers are not, by virtue of that qualification, Certifying Surgeons; Certifying Surgeons are appointed or authorised by the State Government under Section 10 of the Factories Act, 1948. Where a statutory provision requires a Certifying Surgeon or other authority-approved practitioner, we coordinate compliant services through appropriately qualified, authorised or empanelled professionals, subject to the applicable state rules and appointment requirements. Content on this page is a general guide and not legal advice; always confirm current requirements with the competent state authority.
