Section 45 of the Factories Act 1948: First-aid Appliances and Current OSH Code Position
Section 45 of the Factories Act, 1948 prescribed first-aid boxes or cupboards, trained persons in charge and ambulance-room requirements for factories. The provision is now primarily relevant for historical and transitional reference because the Factories Act, 1948 was repealed when the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 came into force on 21 November 2025.
What Section 45 of the Factories Act, 1948 required
The former Section 45 dealt specifically with first-aid appliances in factories. Its principal requirements were as follows:
Sub-section (1): Every factory had to provide and maintain readily accessible first-aid boxes or cupboards during all working hours. The prescribed contents had to be maintained, with not less than one box or cupboard for every 150 workers ordinarily employed at any one time.
Sub-section (2): Nothing except the prescribed contents could be kept in a first-aid box or cupboard.
Sub-section (3): Each first-aid box or cupboard had to be in the charge of a separate responsible person holding a certificate in first-aid treatment recognised by the State Government, and that person had to be readily available during factory working hours.
Sub-section (4): A factory ordinarily employing more than 500 workers had to provide and maintain an ambulance room of the prescribed size, with prescribed equipment and prescribed medical and nursing staff, readily available during working hours.
Karnataka amendment to former Section 45
Karnataka amended sub-section (4) of Section 45 by substituting the threshold of 500 workers with 200 workers. The amendment was made by Karnataka Act 1 of 2003. This is a historical State amendment to the repealed Factories Act and should not be read in isolation from the current OSH Code and the presently applicable State rules.
Current law: Section 24 of the OSH Code, 2020
Section 24 of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 places responsibility on the employer to provide and maintain prescribed welfare facilities. Among the facilities expressly identified in Section 24(1) are adequate first-aid boxes or cupboards with contents readily accessible during all working hours.
Section 24(2) also authorises prescription of an ambulance room in every factory, mine, building or other construction work where more than 500 workers are ordinarily employed. The detailed compliance requirements must be read with the rules applicable to the establishment and the appropriate Government.
Repeal and savings under Section 143
Section 143 of the OSH Code repeals the Factories Act, 1948 along with other Central labour enactments. Its savings clause preserves actions, rules, regulations, notifications, appointments, orders and directions made under the repealed enactments to the extent provided by Section 143 and to the extent they are not contrary to the Code, until superseded or repealed in accordance with law.
This transitional rule matters because factory compliance can depend on whether the Central Government or a State Government is the appropriate Government and on the rules and notifications presently applicable in that jurisdiction.
Practical first-aid compliance points
| Issue | Compliance point |
|---|---|
| Accessibility | First-aid facilities should remain readily accessible during working hours as required by the current statutory and rule framework. |
| Contents | Maintain the contents prescribed by the rules applicable to the establishment and jurisdiction. |
| Responsible personnel | Check applicable rules for training, certification, staffing and availability requirements for persons responsible for first aid. |
| Ambulance or medical facilities | Review Section 24 of the OSH Code together with applicable Central or State rules, especially where workforce thresholds or hazardous processes are involved. |
| State-specific requirements | Factory occupiers should verify the final OSH rules and notifications issued by the relevant State Government rather than relying only on the former Section 45 thresholds. |
Official legal sources
- India Code - Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020
- India Code - Factories Act, 1948 official PDF for historical reference
- Ministry of Labour and Employment - Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026
- Ministry of Labour and Employment
Historical text and amendment notes
The former Section 45 text reflected amendments including Act 25 of 1954 and Act 94 of 1976. It is retained on this page for legal research and historical reference. For present compliance, use the OSH Code, the applicable rules, State notifications and later amendments.
Last reviewed: 26 September 2026.