Comprehensive Guidelines for Handling Accidents in a Factory Setting

Dear friends,

Please let me know if any accident takes place in a factory involving any worker, what legal steps do I have to take? I have heard that I need to inform the Factory Inspector, etc. What else should one do?

Please provide detailed procedures.

Regards,
Rajeev Dixit

Dear sender,

Immediate notice should be given to the nearest police station, then to the factory inspector, and then to ESI if applicable. Furthermore, you should substantiate the accident with doctor's bills and treatment if it is a major incident.

In the case of a minor incident, these procedures are not necessary. You only need to provide written information to the factory inspector and can seek medical treatment as per your company's policy.

Regards,
L. Kumar

Hi,

You should inform the nearest police station about the accident. Inform the Factory Inspector. Make the accident report. Inform the ESIC and submit the accident report. These are the primary steps you should take.

SJ

Dear Sender,

Immediate notice should be given to the nearest police station, factory inspector, and ESI. Additionally, the preparation of an accident report should also be completed.

LK

Dear,

If the accident happens, you have to first inform the factory inspector, then the ESI inspector, and then the police station within 48 hours. After that, submit the accident report to the factory inspector and ESI inspector.

What help do you need from us? If you are in HR, you should have read the specified rules, even if I don't know some, like the Factory Act, etc.

Hi Rajeev,

Actually, there are two different situations for accidents: minor and fatal/major.

In the case of a minor accident, you just need to fill out Form No. 16 of ESIC and forward it to ESIC. Don't forget to make an entry of the same incident in your accident book format as prescribed under ESIC and Factory Act rules. At the same time, you need to inform the factory's inspector.

On the other hand, in the case of a major/fatal accident, the first and immediate step is to inform the nearest police station and the family of the individual. Next, fill out Form No. 18 of ESIC and follow the same procedure.

Hope this is fine with you.

Thanks,
Rahul Sethi

Dear Rajiv Dixit,

It is a good question. Could you please describe an accident? If it is serious or fatal, the police, factory inspector, and concerned authorities should be informed. If it is minor, it has to be treated, and the rest period should be borne by the company. The safety department will initiate action to find out the exact cause of the accident and ensure it does not happen in the future (countermeasure).

This is for your information.

Ev Prabhu
Team Leader
Occupational Health Executive

I think we also need to fill up the accident register of ESIC as prescribed in Form-23.

Nadeem

When an accident takes place, the primary responsibility of the employer is to provide first aid. Subsequently, the individual should be taken to a medical dispensary or hospital depending on the severity of the accident. Normally, employees covered under the ESI will receive treatment at the nearby ESI Hospital.

The next step involves informing the Inspector of Factories and Boilers as well as the local ESI office about the accident. This is accomplished by completing the necessary forms. Specifically, Form 18 (Notice of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences) should be submitted to the Factories & Boilers, while a similar form, Form 16, should be sent to the local ESI office associated with the company.

Details of the accident must also be recorded in separate registers as follows:
- Accident Book (Form 15) for ESI
- Register of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences (Form 26) as per the Factories Act.

Maintaining these records allows for efficient cross-checking.

Regards,
Madhu.T.K

Hi there,

I would like to know what the formalities are if an accident happens in a factory where employees are not covered under the ESI scheme. We have included them under the workmen's compensation policy.

S Das
Bangalore

Thanks, Madhu for the information.

Friends, please also tell:

1. What if the work location is a project site and not a plant/factory? If any accident happens, whom should it be reported to (and under which act)?
2. Our area is not covered under ESI, so what other requirements would be necessary from us (our contractors have already taken group insurance)?
3. Is there a specific format for the accident report (is it tailor-made or as per the Factory Act - please note that my area does not fall under the Factory Act)?

Can anyone tell me what happens when a person dies a natural death, i.e., not in an accident, inside the factory premises? Should we inform the factory inspector?