Chennai, Aug 16 (KNN) It is now mandatory for fireworks factories in Tamil Nadu to get medical examination of every worker employed in the process of mixing, filling and handling of chemicals done by a Certifying Surgeon within 15 days of his employment.

In an amendment to the Tamil Nadu Factories Rules, 1950, a mew paragraph has been inserted, namely:- "12-B. Medical Examination by Certifying Surgeon.

The amendment mandates that every worker employed in the process of mixing, filling and handling of chemicals in the fireworks factories shall be medically examined by a Certifying Surgeon within fifteen days of his first employment. 

Such  medical  examination  shall  include  skin  test  for  Dermatitis,  Pulmonary  Function  Test  and Chest X-ray. No worker shall be allowed to work after fifteen days of his first employment in the factory unless certified fit for such employment by the Certifying Surgeon.

Every worker employed in the said process shall be re-examined by a Certifying Surgeon at least once in every six months.

Such re-examination shall, wherever the Certifying Surgeon considers appropriate, include all the tests specified in sub-paragraph except Chest X-ray which will be done once in three years.

The Certifying Surgeon after examining a worker shall issue a Certificate of Fitness in Form No. 27.

The record of re-examination carried out shall be entered in the certificate and the certificate shall be kept in the custody of the manager of the factory.

The record of each examination carried out under sub-paragraphs (1) and (2), including the nature and the results of the tests, shall also be entered by the Certifying Surgeon in a Health Register in Form No. 17.

The Certificate of Fitness and the Health Register shall be kept readily available for inspection by the Inspector, the amendment added.

If at any time the Certifying Surgeon is of the opinion that a worker is no longer fit for employment in the said processes on the ground that continuance therein would involve special danger to the health of the worker, he shall make a record of his findings in those documents and should also include the period for which he considers that the said person is unfit for work in the said processes.

The person so suspended from the process shall be provided with alternate placement facilities unless he is fully incapacitated in the opinion of the Certifying Surgeon, in which case the person affected shall be suitably rehabilitated, the amended paragraph added.

No person who has been found unfit to work as said in sub-paragraph (5) above, shall be re-employed or permitted to work in the said processes unless the Certifying Surgeon, after further examination, again certifies him fit for employment in those processes".

Despite accidents and health hazards being common to firecracker manufacturing units, people continue to work here, as vocational skills pass from one generation to another. Lakhs of workers, directly or indirectly dependent on this industry, are hoping for a quick resolution of the situation so that business processes can be eased.

Most of the firework factories in the state the small units. (KNN Bureau)