Health Checkups in Manufacturing: Should We Screen All Employees or Just Those in Hazardous Roles?

We have 500+ people working in our manufacturing factory (Maharashtra). Is there a need to do a medical checkup of all employees, or do we just need to do a medical checkup of those employees who work in the chemical and hazardous waste collection process?

For hazardous processes, it is mandatory to carry out medical check-ups annually.

Thank you for the reply.

We have to do a medical checkup of employees working in hazardous processes. However, my question is whether we should also conduct medical checkups for all other employees working in non-hazardous processes, such as cleaners, helpers, packing process personnel, loaders, etc.?

Besides hazardous processes, there are other areas where it is mandatory to have a medical examination, such as in the canteen. General medical checkups can also be conducted in other areas, and some results may be surprising. We have covered all employees, leading to the early detection of serious health issues in many employees. This accomplishment is commendable.

Medical check-up for those engaged in dangerous or hazardous processes is a must. Canteen workers and welders performing welding work also need to be examined. All others in factories are not required to undergo such checks. Please ensure that your factory itself is not a "hazardous" environment, like glass manufacturing factories.

THANK YOU,

Dear Colleague, you are covered under the hazardous process industry as per the First Schedule of the FA. Therefore, provisions under Chapter 4-A (Roman 4) and Maharashtra rules are applicable. As per rule 73-V of the rules for medical examination, it is provided that:

1. Every worker employed in the hazardous process has to be examined by a qualified Factory Medical Officer once before employment for physical fitness. No person shall be employed for the first time without the fitness certificate in the prescribed form.

2. All workers are required to be medically examined every six months to ascertain the health status in respect of occupational health hazards.

Please refer to all other relevant provisions given in the rule regarding record maintenance, qualifications of the doctor, etc. The said medical examination is applicable to all the workers employed in the chemical factory regardless of whether they are engaged in hazardous processes or not.

Regards, Vinayak Nagarkar HR Consultant