61-B. (1) Qualification.- (a) A person shall not be eligible for appointment as Safety Officer unless he : (i) Possesses a recognised degree in any branch of engineering or technology and has had practical experience of working in factory in a supervisory capacity for a period of not less than 2 years; or a recognized degree in physics or chemistry and has had practical experience of working in a factory in a supervisory capacity for a period of not less than 5 years; or a recognised diploma in any branch of engineering or technology and has had practical experience of working in a factory in a supervisory capacity for a period of not less than 5 years. (ii) Possesses a degree or diploma in industrial safety recognised by the I State Government in addition to possessing other qualification laid down in the said sub rule. (iii) had adequate knowledge of the language spoken by majority of the workers in the region in which the factory where he is to be appointed is situated. (b) Notwithstanding the provision contained in clause (a), any person who:- Possesses a recognised degree or diploma in engineering or technology and has had experience of not less than S years in a department of the Central or Union Territory, State Government which deals with the administration or the Factories Act! 1948; or Possesses a recognised degree or diploma in engineering or technology and had experience of not less than S years, Full time, on training education consultancy, or research in the field of accident prevention in industry or in any institution, shall also be eligible for appointment as a Safety Officer: Provided that the Chief Inspector may, subject to such conditions as he may specify, grant exemption from the requirements of this sub-rule if in his opinion a suitable person possessing the necessary qualification and experience is hot available for appointment: Provided further that in the case of a person who has been working as a Safety Office for a period not less than S years on the date of commencement of this rule, the Chief Inspector may, subject to such conditions as he may specify, relax all or any of the above said qualifications. (2) Conditions of Service.- (a) Where the number of Safety Officers to be appointed in a factory as required by a notification in the Official Gazette exceeds one, one of them shall be designated as the Chief Safety Officer and shall have a Status higher than that of the others. The Chief Safety Officer shall be in overall charge of the safety functions as envisaged in sub-rule (3), the other safety Officers working under his control. (b) The Chief Safety Officer or the Safety Officer in the case of factories where only one Safety Officer is required to be appointed, shall be given the status of a senior executive and he shall work directly under the control of the Chief Executive of the factory. All other Safety Officers shall be given appropriate status to enable them to discharge their function effectively. (c) The scale of pay and the allowances to be granted to the Safety Officer including the Chief Safety Officer and the other conditions of their service shall be the same as those of the officers of corresponding status in the factory.; (d) In the case of dismissal or discharge, a Safety Officer shall have a right to appeal to the State Government whose decision thereon shall be final. (3) Duties of Safety Officer.- (a) The duties of a Safety Officer shall be to advise and assist the factory management in the fulfilment of its obligations, statutory or otherwise concerning prevention of personal injuries and maintaining a safe working environment. These duties shall include the following namely :- (i) to advise the concerned departments in planning and organizing measures necessary for the effective control of personal injuries. (ii) to advise on safety aspects in all job studies, and to carry out detailed job safety for the selected jobs; (iii) to check and evaluate the effectiveness of the action taken or proposed to be taken to prevent personal injuries; (iv) to provide advice on matters related to carrying out ensuring high quality and availability of personal protective equipment; (v) to provide advice on matters related to carrying out plant safety inspection; (vi) to carry out plant safety inspection in order to observe the physical condition of work and the work practices and procedures followed by workers and to render advice on measures to be adopted for removing the unsafe actions by worker; (vii) to investigate selected accident; (viii) to render advice on matters related to reporting and investigation of industrial accidents and diseases; (ix) to investigate the cases on industrial disease contracted and dangerous occurrence reported under Rule 96; (x) to advise on the maintenance of such records as are necessary relating to accidents, dangerous occurrences and industrial diseases; (xi) to promote setting up of safety committees and act as advisor and catalyst to such committees; (xii) to organise in association with the concerned departments, campaigns, competitions, contests and other activities which will develop and maintain the interest of workers in establishing and maintaining Safe Conditions of work and procedures; and (xiii) to design and conduct either independently or in collaboration with the training departments suitable training and educational programmes for the prevention of Personal injuries. (4) Facilities to be provided to Safety Officers. An occupier of the factory shall provide each Safety Officer with such facilities equipment and information as are necessary to enable him to discharge his duties effectively. (5) Prohibition of performance of other Duties. No Safety Officer shall be required or permitted to do any work which is inconsistent with or detrimental to the performance of the duties prescribed in sub-rule (3). | 
