What Form 20 is, the rule that prescribes it, how it relates to Form 32 and the Form 5/33 certificates, who signs it, how often workers are examined, and how we support Gujarat factories with on-site batches and DISH-ready documentation.
Form 20 is the Health Register prescribed by Rule 15(7) of the Gujarat Factories Rules, 1963. When the State-appointed Certifying Surgeon visits a factory carrying on notified dangerous operations and examines the exposed workers, the Certifying Surgeon issues a Certificate of Fitness in Form No. 5 and enters the record of each examination — including the nature and results of the tests — in Form 20, which the manager keeps. Suspension of a worker from the process, and sanction to resume, are recorded in the same register. Several dangerous-operation schedules (lead, chrome and others) expressly require a Form 20 register containing the names of all workers employed in the process.
Form 20 is distinct from Form 32, the register under Rule 68-T in which the Factory Medical Officer records pre-employment and six-monthly examinations of workers in a hazardous process, with the Certificate of Fitness in Form 33. We verified all four form numbers against the consolidated text published by DISH Gujarat.
The Gujarat Factories Rules, 1963, framed under Section 112 of the Factories Act, 1948 and enforced by the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH), Government of Gujarat.
Rule 15 — Duties of Certifying Surgeon — sub-rule (7): after examining a worker in a dangerous operation the Certifying Surgeon issues a Certificate of Fitness in Form No. 5 and enters the record of each examination in the Health Register in Form No. 20; sub-rule (8) provides for suspension by an entry in the register.
The factory manager keeps Form 20 in custody on the premises and produces it to the Certifying Surgeon at each visit and to the Inspector on demand.
The Certifying Surgeon appointed or authorised under Section 10 of the Factories Act. The Factory Medical Officer records hazardous-process examinations in Form 32, not Form 20.
Whenever workers are employed in an operation notified as dangerous under Section 87 and the Gujarat schedules — at first employment and at each periodic examination.
Workers in the scheduled dangerous operations, which in Gujarat prominently include lead, chrome, electrolytic plating, solvent and dye-intermediate processes, pesticide formulation and chemical works — the processes typical of the Ankleshwar, Vapi, Dahej and Vadodara estates.
Worker identity, process and job, date and result of each examination by the Certifying Surgeon with the nature and results of tests, fitness or unfitness, suspension with period and reasons, and re-certification with signature and date.
As the relevant schedule prescribes — commonly at first employment and at least every 12 months, with shorter intervals for certain exposures.
Under Rule 68-T the FMO (an AFIH-qualified doctor) examines hazardous-process workers before employment and every six months, records the examinations in Form 32, issues the Form 33 Certificate of Fitness, and reports abnormalities to the Certifying Surgeon; under Rule 68-U the FMO runs the Occupational Health Centre.
The Certifying Surgeon performs the dangerous-operation examinations, issues Form 5 certificates, signs Form 20, exercises the power of suspension and gives the final opinion on appeals against the FMO.
Yes — Rule 15(10) requires the manager to provide a clean, ventilated and furnished room for the Certifying Surgeon's exclusive use during examinations at the factory. We organise the batch on site.
We identify which of your processes fall under the Gujarat schedules and which under Rule 68-T, run the on-site batch with AFIH-qualified doctors and technicians, coordinate the Certifying Surgeon's visit, prepare the Form 20 / Form 32 entries and Form 5 / Form 33 certificates for signature, and deliver digital records, DISH-ready files and statistics.
We review your factory licence and process list against the Gujarat Factories Rules, 1963 to confirm which workers fall under Form 20 and which tests and intervals apply.
AFIH-qualified occupational-health doctors and technicians examine workers at your premises; where the schedule requires the Certifying Surgeon, we coordinate their visit as part of the same batch.
Entries are prepared in the prescribed Form 20 format with the correct signatory, together with the Certificates of Fitness, ready for the authority's inspection.
You receive a digital copy, de-identified batch statistics and a due-date tracker for the next periodic examination.
Form 32 (Rule 68-T) for the Factory Medical Officer's pre-employment and six-monthly examinations of hazardous-process workers — and Form 20 (Rule 15) as well if any of its processes are also notified dangerous operations examined by the Certifying Surgeon. Chemical units in Ankleshwar, Vapi and Dahej commonly need both.
Both are Certificates of Fitness. Form 5 is issued by the Certifying Surgeon after examining a worker in a dangerous operation (Rule 15(7)); Form 33 is issued by the Factory Medical Officer before a worker's first employment in a hazardous process (Rule 68-T(2)).
The Form 20 and Form 32 registers, Form 5 and Form 33 certificates, evidence that examinations were done at the prescribed intervals, the Occupational Health Centre required by Rule 68-U with a suitably qualified FMO, and compliance with Rule 68-R on making health records available to workers.
Send us your process list and headcount and we will scope the examination batch and documentation.
Status: Verified against official text · Last checked: 2026-09-12. Source: Gujarat Factories Rules, 1963 — consolidated text published by DISH Gujarat.
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.
