STATUTORY AGENCIES AND THEIR POWERS FOR ENFORCEMENT OF THE ACT :

The State Governments assume the main responsibility for administration of the Act and its various provisions by utilising the powers vested in them. Section 3 empowers the State Government to make rules for references to time of day where Indian Standard Time, being 5-1/2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean-Time is not ordinarily observed. These rules may specify the area, define the local mean time ordinarily observed therein, and permit such time to be observed in all or any of the factories situated in the area.

The State Government assumes power under Section 4 of the Act to declare different departments to be separate factories or two or more factories to be single factory for the purposes of this Act. This power will be utilised by the State Government either on its own or on an application made to it by the occupier. But no order could be made on its own motion unless occupier is heard in this regard.

In case of public emergency, Section 5 further empowers the State Government to exempt by notification any factory or class or description of factories from all or any of the provisions of this Act except Section 67 for such period and subject to such conditions as it may think fit, however no such notification shall be made exceeding a period of three months at a time. Explanation to Section 5 defines public emergency as a situation whereby the security of India or of any part of the territory thereof is threatened whether by war or external aggression or internal disturbance.

The State Governments carry out the administration of the Act through:

(i) Inspecting Staff

(ii) Certifying Surgeons

(iii) Welfare Officers

(iv) Safety Officers.