Factories Act, 1955

Power to require medical supervision.

20.—(1) Where it appears to the Minister that in any factory or class or description of factory—

(a) cases of illness have occurred which he has reason to believe may be due to the nature of a process or other conditions of work,

(b) there may be risk of injury to the health of persons employed—

(i) from any substance or material brought in for use or handling, or

(ii) from any change in the conditions of work or other conditions,

(c) by reason of changes in any process or in the substances used in any process, or by reason of the introduction of any new process or new substance for use in a process, there may be risk of injury to the health of persons employed in that process, or

(d) persons are or are about to be employed in work which may cause risk of injury to their health,

he may, after consultation with the Minister for Health, make special regulations requiring such reasonable arrangements to be made for the medical supervision (not including medical treatment other than first-aid treatment and medical treatment of a preventive character) of the persons, or any class of the persons, employed at that factory or class or description of factory as may be specified in the regulations.

(2) Where the Minister proposes to exercise his powers under this section in relation to a particular factory and for a limited period, he may exercise those powers by order instead of by special regulations.

(3) An order under subsection (2) of this section shall cease to have effect at the expiration of such period not exceeding six months from the date when it comes into operation as may be specified in the order, but—

(a) the Minister may by a subsequent order or orders extend the said period,

(b) if the occupier of the factory by notice in writing to the Minister objects to any such extension, the original order shall cease to have effect as from one month after the service of the notice, without prejudice to the making of special regulations in relation to the factory.