Safety of Women Workers

Business Process Organisations (BPOs) are covered under the Shops and Establishment Act, which is a State Act and enforced by respective State Governments. Ministry of Home Affairs has sent a detailed advisory dated 04^th September, 2009 to all State Governments and Union Territories wherein they have been advised, inter-alia, to make a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of the machinery in tackling the problem of crime against women. The advisory, inter-alia, advises the State Governments and Union Territories on gender sanitization of the police personnel, adopting appropriate measures for swift and salutary punishment to the persons found guilty of violence against  women, minimizing delays in investigations of crime against women and improving the quality of investigations, setting up ‘Crime AgainstWomen Cell’ in district where these do not exist, setting up of special courts, improving the safety conditions in road and special steps for security of women working in night shifts of call centers.

              As far as safety provisions in textile firms are concerned, they are governed by the Factories Act, 1948.  As per Section 66 of the Factories Act, 1948 women workers are allowed to perform any work only during 6.00 a.m. and 7.00 p.m. and in special cases with State Government permission between 5.00 a.m. and 10.00 p.m.

              In respect of factories registered under the Factories Act, 1948, mechanisms are in place, to initiate legal action and launch prosecution against such factories that violate safety norms. Details of such prosecutions for violating safety norms including safety of women filed during the year, 2011 State-wise is given at Annexure-I.

                This information was given by Minister of State for Labour & Employment Shri  Kodikunnil Suresh in the Lok  Sabha today in reply to a written question.