Section 44 of FA, 1948 : Section 44: Facilities For Sitting

Explanation using Example

Imagine a factory where workers are tasked with assembling electronic components, which typically requires them to stand at their workstations. As per Section 44(1) of The Factories Act, 1948, the factory management is required to provide stools or chairs so that these workers can sit down during any downtime in their work or when they are not actively engaged in the assembly process.

In a scenario where the Chief Inspector visits the factory and notices that the assembly work can be done efficiently while sitting, under Section 44(2), the Chief Inspector could issue a written order to the factory owner mandating that seating arrangements be provided for all workers by a certain date. This ensures that workers have the option to sit while working, which could help reduce fatigue and increase productivity.

However, under Section 44(3), if the State Government identifies that for a particular factory or type of work the provision of seating is not applicable or practical, it may exempt that factory or type of work from the requirements of providing seating arrangements, as long as this exemption is officially announced in the Official Gazette.