Maharashtra notifies Second Amendment to Maharashtra Factories Rules; introducing online licensing, mock drills, and enhanced protection for women and senior workers

the Department of Industries, Energy, Labour, and Mining, Government of Maharashtra, has notified the Maharashtra Factories (Second Amendment) Rules, 2025 (“Amendment Rules”) further amending the Maharashtra Factories Rules, 1963 (“Principal Rules”). The amendments aims to digitalise fillings, enhance worker health surveillance, and introduce stronger safety and welfare measures, especially for women, pregnant and lactating employees, and older workers.

Key Highlights:

1. The Amendment Rules shift all major applications and approvals—such as for factory construction, registration, licensing, renewal, and notice of occupation—to an online platform. Physical submissions, duplicate copies, and paper-based forms have been replaced with electronic submissions and digitally issued licences. This streamlines compliance and supports faster approvals under the Chief Inspectorate of Factories.
2. Forms related to factory permission, registration, licence, renewal, and change of manager have been fully redesigned into unified electronic formats. The updated forms allow online submission, digital signatures of occupiers and managers, and automated issue of electronic licences.
3. The Amendment Rules substitute the earlier fee schedules with new Schedules A and B, updating fee categories based on horsepower and worker strength for general factories and power-generating stations. The revision aligns the fee structure with current industrial scales and simplifies calculations for long-term licensing.
4. Factories that are not classified as hazardous must now submit a certificate of structural stability from a competent person within one year of licence issue. The earlier requirement of prior approval by the Chief Inspector before starting operations has been removed, easing procedural delays while retaining accountability for structural safety.
5. Every occupier must now arrange annual medical examinations, free of cost, for all workers who are 45 years of age or older (excluding those covered under the Employees’ State Insurance framework). Medical examinations can be carried out by qualified doctors, certifying surgeons, ESI medical officers, or recognised medical institutions. Records of such examinations must be uploaded online within 15 days.
6. Thresholds for establishing occupational health facilities have been revised upward to reflect larger workforce bands. Medical officers with at least three years’ experience in industrial medical examinations can now be appointed to oversee these facilities, increasing flexibility in compliance.
7. Every factory must conduct a mock drill at least once in six months, based on a realistic emergency scenario relevant to its operations. The details and dates of the mock drill must be reported to the Inspector within fifteen days of completion. This measure institutionalises regular on-site emergency response readiness.
8. The Amendment Rules introduce comprehensive safety conditions for women employed between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Employers must provide safe transportation to and from the factory, ensure well-lit premises and pathways, deploy a minimum of two women workers per shift area, and maintain CCTV surveillance with recordings retained for at least forty-five days. Consent of women employees for night work must be obtained in writing and kept for three years. Regular grievance meetings between women’s representatives and management must be held every eight weeks.
9. Across all relevant health and safety schedules, the term “women” has been replaced with “pregnant women and lactating mothers.” This ensures clearer recognition of their special status and protection from exposure to physical, chemical, or environmental hazards.
10. New safety measures mandate that women working in processes involving fumes, dust, or hazardous substances be provided with respirators, protective clothing, and training on hazards and emergency procedures. Pregnant and lactating women are explicitly barred from working in areas where they may be exposed to carcinogenic or reproductive health affecting substances.

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Source: Industries, Energy, Labour and Mining Department, Maharashtra