Urgent Help Needed: Government Guidelines on Medical Check-ups for Hotel Food Handlers?

Dear All,

I need your help on Pre-Employment Medical Check-up of hotel employees who handle food. Is there any notification from the Government of India or any details you have? Please help, I need it on a very urgent basis.

Regards,
Shine

Medical check-up is not deemed necessary by the government; however, as an HR professional, you do want to conduct it to know if the employee is fit enough to work or not. It's not a compulsion, but usually firms tie up with hospitals, and they ask the employee to undergo a physical examination, depending on the adherence level of the management. I hope this helps.

My brother is in the hotel industry in the line of food production. It is mandatory for all hotels to conduct pre-employment medical tests before new hires can start. Among various tests, laboratory tests such as blood, urine, stool, and HIV screening are carried out.

Regarding government regulations on this matter, I am not sure, but all organizations, whether hotels or others, conduct pre-employment medical tests to assess the medical suitability of candidates for the job.

Dear Shine,

I don't know where your factory is located exactly; however, just for your reference, I am sending you the law.

Rule 71 (11) of Haryana Factories Rules 1952 states that before employment, medical examination for the fitness of each worker employed in a canteen, including contractors and managers who handle foodstuffs, shall be carried out by the government medical officer, certifying medical surgeon, or factory medical officer.

Tauqueer

Hi Tauqueer,

Can you please guide me if this rule applies to offices covered under the Shops and Establishments Act?

Regards,
Neha

Hi Shine,

Medical check-up is also undertaken by many employers as a part of company policy. You may give a maximum of Rs. 1000 - 2000 per head for pre-employment medical check-up, which may be reimbursed upon the production of bills. Check with some hospitals for tie-ups or consult with a doctor or dietitian to determine what should be covered in the medical check-up for employees working in the hotel industry. If you tie up with a hospital, you can ask your new recruits to undergo the check-up, and only upon satisfactory results, they will be confirmed in the job.

The hotel industry is also covered under various government acts, as mentioned already.

Thanks,
Geeta

As per my knowledge, whatever was explained by Mr. Tauqeer is both practical and legally true. Pre-medical employment is conducted by a competent authority as mentioned in the Factories Act, 1947 (as also stated by Mr. Tauqeer). There is a prescribed form for this process, in which various details related to the employee (such as eye fitness, weight, blood pressure, height, etc.) are examined by the authorized Medical Officer, as mentioned in the Factories Act, 1947.

Regards,
Ahmad Siddiqui

Hotel employees are covered under the Factories Act and Factories Rules promulgated by different states. In which state does your hotel industry operate? That state would have formulated Factories Rules, wherein it would have been stated about pre-employment medical checkup. Please go through it.

Under the Factories Act, there is a person designated as the 'certifying Surgeon,' who is the certifying authority for the medical fitness of employees of that organization. Check if you have such a certifying surgeon designated under the Act. If so, ask him. He must be familiar with the rules of your state.

Gopan

Hi,

I don't know whether it is compulsory for the hotel industry or not, but the thing is that it is a good HR policy to undertake a medical pre-employment check-up for its employees. The idea behind this is to improve the employees' well-being by understanding their health status. Additionally, it is a good practice for HR to conduct such check-ups after 6 months or every year of completing the job in the organization. For this purpose, you may partner with a good hospital and proceed with this great idea.

Hi Shine,

I am from a Pharma Industry, and we conduct the following medical pre-employment tests for our employees:

- P.A. View of the Chest
- Blood Group and Rh Factor
- Audiogram
- C.B.C.
- E.S.R.
- Routine Urine
- Urine Pregnancy Test (for female candidates)
- E.C.G.
- Blood Sugar / Fasting
- Blood Sugar/ Post Glucose 75 g
- Blood Urea

My suggestion is that you can contact a physician and ask for the necessary tests to be tailored to suit the Hotel Industry.

Thanks,
R. Siva Subramaniyan

Hi Shine,

For medical check-up, the employees should undergo tests for TB, urine, blood, HIV, cancer, etc.

Best Regards, Sajid

Dear Shine,

Please find attached the pre-employment fitness format. I think it will be useful for you.

Alagumuni K
Manager - HR
SRMC, Chennai

Dear Neha,

As per the Shops and Establishments Act, it is applicable only if the establishment is not a factory (please refer to the definition of a factory). The requirement of a canteen and employee pre-medical check-up applies to those factories with a workforce of more than 250. However, one should get the workers (working directly in food processing) medically examined for all establishments where food processing is taking place.

Preferably, the tests include LFT (lung functioning test) and routine tests (blood, urine, etc.).

Regards,
Tauqueer

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Namaste to all of you,

Please find attached herewith another format of the Medical Certificate which we are using in the food factory.

Thanks,
Sahil

Dear Neha,

It won't be applicable under the Shops and Establishments Act because the number of employees covered by this act is less than 10 if electricity (power) is being used and less than 20 if electricity (power) is not being used. For more details, please refer to the definition of a factory. This law is only applicable to factories. Additionally, note that each state has its own separate state factory rules.

Preferably, health check-ups (examinations) should be conducted for those employees who are directly involved in food processing, regardless of the number of employees in the establishment.

I have posted one more message earlier. Please feel free to revert back to my email ID.

Regards,
Tauqueer

Dear Shine,

Pre-employment and periodical medical examination of canteen employees is a good practice in food industries/eateries, and it should be coupled with training of food handlers and supervisors in food hygiene and food safety. This would definitely help in reducing foodborne illness. The Factories Act provides guidance on the frequency and the tests to be conducted.

Regards,
Dr. Venkatesh
9880370989

As per the Shop and Establishment Act, hotels, restaurants, eating houses, etc., are required to obtain a license from the Health Department. Additionally, employees or individuals working on the cooking of food, up to the last stage of serving, need to undergo periodic examinations by authorized doctors and hospitals. It is necessary to conduct pre-employment examinations for employees working at food counters, etc.

Regards,
SKT