What Form 17 is, which rule prescribes it, who maintains and signs it, how often workers are examined, and how we support factories in Kerala with on-site examination batches and documentation.
Form 17 is the Health Register prescribed by the Kerala Factories Rules, 1957, framed under the Factories Act, 1948 and enforced by the Department of Factories and Boilers, Government of Kerala. Rule 14 (Duties of Certifying Surgeon) — sub-rule (5) (substituted by SRO 1149/2001): at visits to factories carrying on dangerous operations the Certifying Surgeon issues a Certificate of Fitness in Form No. 27 and enters the record of each examination, including the nature and results of tests, in the Health Register in Form 17; sub-rule (6) provides the power of suspension by an entry in the register.
Form 17 is also the register in which the Factory Medical Officer records the pre-employment and periodic examinations of workers in a hazardous process — Rule 81-AI (Medical Examination): workers in a hazardous process are examined by the Factory Medical Officer once before employment and once every six months (or sooner where the FMO considers necessary); details recorded in the Health Register in Form 17; no first employment without a Certificate of Fitness in Form 29 granted by the FMO; appeal to the Inspector who refers to the Certifying Surgeon, whose opinion is final..
Kerala uses a single Health Register form — Form 17 — for both Certifying Surgeon (Rule 14) and Factory Medical Officer (Rule 81-AI) examinations, with different Certificate of Fitness forms (27 and 29).
The Kerala Factories Rules, 1957, made under Section 112 of the Factories Act, 1948 and enforced by the Department of Factories and Boilers, Government of Kerala.
Rule 14 (Duties of Certifying Surgeon) — sub-rule (5) (substituted by SRO 1149/2001): at visits to factories carrying on dangerous operations the Certifying Surgeon issues a Certificate of Fitness in Form No. 27 and enters the record of each examination, including the nature and results of tests, in the Health Register in Form 17; sub-rule (6) provides the power of suspension by an entry in the register.
The factory manager keeps Form 17 on the premises, produces it to the Certifying Surgeon at each visit and to the Inspector on demand. Form 17 and the Form 27 / Form 29 certificates are kept by the manager, produced to the Certifying Surgeon at each visit and available to the Inspector; health records must be made available to workers under the 81-A series rules.
The Certifying Surgeon appointed or authorised by the State Government under Section 10 of the Factories Act, 1948. An AFIH-qualified Factory Medical Officer does not sign the dangerous-operation entries unless that doctor also holds the Certifying Surgeon appointment.
Whenever the factory employs workers in any operation notified as dangerous under Section 87 and the schedules to the Kerala Factories Rules, 1957 — from the first examination after employment and at every periodic examination thereafter.
Dangerous-operation schedules require Certifying Surgeon examination at first employment and at prescribed intervals with process-specific tests, Form 27 certificates and Form 17 entries.
Worker identity and job, the process, the date and result of each examination by the Certifying Surgeon including the nature and results of tests, fitness or unfitness, any suspension with its period and reasons, and re-certification with the Certifying Surgeon's signature and date.
Hazardous process: pre-employment, then every 6 months (Rule 81-AI). Dangerous operations: as per schedule, commonly every 12 months.
Form 17 is also the register in which the Factory Medical Officer records the pre-employment and periodic examinations of workers in a hazardous process — Rule 81-AI (Medical Examination): workers in a hazardous process are examined by the Factory Medical Officer once before employment and once every six months (or sooner where the FMO considers necessary); details recorded in the Health Register in Form 17; no first employment without a Certificate of Fitness in Form 29 granted by the FMO; appeal to the Inspector who refers to the Certifying Surgeon, whose opinion is final.. The FMO — typically an AFIH-qualified doctor — also runs the Occupational Health Centre (Rule 81-AJ (Occupational Health Centres): scaled by workforce with an equipment schedule — retainer FMO for small factories, part-time FMO and OHC room for mid-sized factories, full-time FMO and two-room OHC for larger factories.) and reports abnormalities to the Certifying Surgeon.
The Certifying Surgeon performs the dangerous-operation examinations, signs the register and certificates, suspends and re-admits workers, and gives the final opinion on appeals against the Factory Medical Officer's findings.
Yes. The rules require the manager to provide a clean, ventilated, furnished room for the Certifying Surgeon's exclusive use during examinations at the factory. Our batches are organised on site.
We map your processes to the Kerala Factories Rules, 1957 schedules, run the on-site batch with AFIH-qualified doctors and technicians (Per schedule and FMO judgement — clinical examination, vision, audiometry, spirometry and chest X-ray for dust, blood/urine lead and urinary metabolites for the Eloor–Edayar chemical and fertiliser belt, routine pathology.), coordinate the Certifying Surgeon's visit, prepare the Form 17 entries and certificates for signature and deliver digital records, statistics and a recall calendar.
We review your factory licence and process list against the Kerala Factories Rules, 1957 to confirm which workers fall under Form 17 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 17 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.
Yes — Kerala uses Form 17 for both the Certifying Surgeon's dangerous-operation examinations and the Factory Medical Officer's hazardous-process examinations, with different certificates of fitness (Form 27 (Certifying Surgeon, dangerous operations); hazardous process: Form 29).
Only if that doctor is also appointed or authorised as a Certifying Surgeon by the State Government. The AFIH qualification alone does not confer that authority. We provide AFIH-qualified doctors for the Factory Medical Officer role and coordinate Certifying Surgeons for Form 17.
Kerala Factories Rules, 1957 — official text published by the Department of Factories & Boilers, Kerala (last checked 2026-09-12). This is the official government text.
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: Kerala Factories Rules, 1957 — official text published by the Department of Factories & Boilers, Kerala.
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.
