TOPIC: BANGLADESH LABOUR ACT, 2006

Topic-3
Health and Hygiene (51-60):

Cleanliness (Sec. 51):

Every establishment shall be kept clean and free from effluvia arising from any drain,
privy or other nuisance and in particular:
a) accumulation of dirt and refuge shall be moved daily by sweeping or by any
other effective method from the floors and benches of workrooms and from
staircases and passages and disposed of in a suitable manner;
b) the floor of every work-room shall be cleaned at least once in every week by
washing, using disinfectant where necessary or by some other effective method;
c) where the floor is liable to become wet in the course of any manufacturing
process to such extent as is capable of being drained, effective means of
drainage shall be provided and maintained;
d) all inside walls and partitions, all ceilings or tops of rooms and walls, side and
tops or passages and staircases shall:
(i) where they are painted or varnished be repainted or re-varnished at
lest once in every three years;
(ii) where they are painted or varnished and have smooth impervious
surfaces be cleaned at least once in every fourteen month by such methods
as may be prescribed;
(iii) in any other case, be kept white-washed or colour-washed and the
white-washing or colour-washing shall be carried out at least once in every
fourteen months; and
e) the dates on which process required by clause (d) are carried out shall be
entered in the prescribed register.
If in the view of the nature of the operation carried on in a factory, it is not possible for
the occupier to comply with all or any of the provisions mentioned above, the
Government may by an order exempt such factory or class or description of factories
from any of the provisions and specify alternative methods for keeping the factory in
clean state.

Ventilation and temperature (Sec. 52):

1) Effective measures shall be undertaken in every establishment for securing and
maintaining in every work-room adequate ventilation by the circulation of fresh
air;

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 2) Temperature in every room shall be kept in such as will secure to workers
therein reasonable conditions of comfort and prevent injury to health;
3) For the purpose of sub-section (2), the walls and roofs of rooms shall be of such
material and so designed that such temperature shall not be exceeded but kept
as low as practicable;
4) Where the nature of the work carried on in an establishment involves or is
likely to involve, the production of excessively high temperature, such adequate
measures as are practicable shall be taken to protect the workers there from by
separating the process which produces such temperature from the work-room
by insulating the hot parts or by other effective means;
5) If it appears to the Government that in any establishment or class or description
of establishment excessively high temperature can be reduced by such methods
as white-washing, spraying or insulating and screening outside walls or roofs or
windows or by raising the level of the roof or by insulating the roof either by an
air space and double roof or by the use of insulating roof materials or by other
methods, it may prescribe such of those or other methods to be adopted in the
establishment.

Dust and fume (Sec. 53):

1) In every establishment in which, by reason of the manufacturing process carried
on, there is given off any dust or fume or other impurity of such a nature and to
such an extent as is likely to be injurious or offensive to the workers employed
therein, effective measures shall be taken to prevent its accumulation in any
work-room and its inhalation by workers and if any exhaust appliance is
necessary for the purpose, it shall be applied as near as possible to the point of
origin of the dust, fume or other impurity and such point shall be enclosed so
far as possible;
2) In any establishment no stationary internal combustion engine shall be operated
unless the exhaust is conducted into open air and no internal combustion engine
shall be operated in any room unless effective measures have been taken to
prevent such accumulation of fumes there from as are likely to be injurious to
the workers employed in the work room.

Disposal of wastes (Sec. 54):

Effective arrangements shall be made in every establishment for the disposal of
wasters and effluents due to the manufacturing process carried on therein.

Artificial Humidification (Sec. 55):

1) In any establishment in which the humidity of the air is artificially increased,
the water used for the purpose shall be taken from a public supply or other
source of drinking water or shall be effectively purified before it is so used;
2) If it appears to an Inspector that the water used in a factory for increasing
humidity which is required to be effectively purified under the above section is
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 not effectively purified, he may serve on the employer an order in writing,
specifying the measures which in his opinion, should be adopted and requiring
them to be carried out before a specified date.
Overcrowding (Sec. 56):
1) No work-room in any establishment shall be overcrowded to an extent injuries
to the health of the workers employed therein;
2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions, there shall be
provided at least 9.5 cubic meter of space for every workers employed in a
work-room;
Explanation: For the purpose of this sub-section no account shall be taken of a
space which is more than 4.5 meter above the level of the floor of the room.
3) If the Chief Inspector by order in writing so requires, there shall be posted in
each work-room of an establishment a notice specifying the maximum number
of workers who may in compliance with the provisions of this section be
employed in the room;
4) The Chief Inspector may, by order in writing, exempt, subject to such
conditions as he may think fit to impose any work-room from the provisions of
this section if he is satisfied that compliance therewith in respect of such room
is not necessary for the purpose of health of the workers employed therein.

Lighting (Sec. 57):

1) In every part of an establishment where workers are working or passing, there
shall be provided and maintained sufficient and suitable lighting, natural or
artificial or both;
2) In every establishment all glazed windows and skylights used for the lighting of
the work-room shall be kept clean on both the outer and inner surfaces and free
from obstruction as far as possible;
3) In every establishment effective provisions shall, so far as is practicable be
made for the prevention of:
(i) glare either directly from any source of light or by reflection from a
smooth or polished surface, and;
(ii) the formation of shadows to such an extent as to cause eyestrain or
risk of accident to any worker.

Drinking Water (Sec. 58):

1) In every establishment effective arrangement shall be made to
provide and maintain at a suitable point conveniently situated for all workers
employed therein, a sufficient supply of wholesome pure drinking water;
2) All such points shall be legibly marked “Drinking Water” in
Bengali language;
3) In every establishment wherein more than 250 workers are
ordinarily employed, provision shall be made for cooling the drinking water
during the hot weather by effective means and for distribution thereof;
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 4) Effective arrangement shall be made for oral dehydration
therapy for those workers who may lose water from their bodies for working
near or around machineries producing excessive heat.

Toilet and Washroom (Sec. 59):

In every establishment:
a) sufficient hygenic Toilet and Washroom shall be provided conveniently situated
and accessible to workers at all times while they are in the establishment;
b) such toilet and washroom shall be provided separately for male and female
workers;
c) such toilets and washrooms shall be adequately lighted, ventilated;
d) all such toilet and washroom shall be maintained by the cost of owner in a clean
and sanitary condition at all times with suitable detergents or disinfectants.

Dust dean and Spittoon (Sec. 60):

1) In every establishment there shall be provided, at convenient places, a
sufficient number of spittoons which shall be maintained in a clean and
hygienic condition;
2) No person shall spit within the premises of an establishment except in
the spittoons provided for the purpose;
3) A notice containing this provision and the penalty for its violation shall
be prominently displayed at suitable places in the premises;
4) A notice containing this provision and the violation of this provisions
shall amount to punishable offence shall be prominently displayed at suitable
places in the premises.

-The End-

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