T.N. to amend rules to allow women workers in ‘dangerous operations’ in factories

The State government has proposed to amend the Tamil Nadu Factories Rules, 1950, to allow women in about 20 operations listed as ‘dangerous’ and from which they were prohibited from being employed so far. It also proposes to amend rules to obtain written consent from women workers who are interested to work night shifts.

A notification of the draft amendments to the Tamil Nadu Factories Rules was issued by the Labour Welfare and Skill Development Department last month. Objections, if any, should have been sent to the government within 45 days of the notification, which was issued on September 9 this year.

The State government also seeks to amend the rules to prevent pregnant women in the works/processes listed under ‘dangerous operations’. The trades in which women are set to be allowed are: electrolytic process, lead process, glass manufacture, and manufacture and treatment of lead and certain compounds of lead.

Generation of gas and dangerous petroleum, blasting, liming and tanning of raw hides and skins, graphite powdering, printing press and type foundries involving lead material, cashew-nut processing, dyeing, stencilling and painting of mats, mattings, and carpets in coir and fibre factories, and pottery, are among the jobs that have been opened for women workers.

Chemical works, manufacture of dichromates and carcinogenic dye intermediates, process of extracting oils and fats in solvent extraction plants, fireworks and match factories, manufacture of manganese, dangerous pesticides, use of benzene, and operations involving high noise levels (with high vibration levels) are the others.