Standards Of Construction And Maintenance Of Creches

Vide S.O. 143, dated 8.9.1972, published in the Gazette of India, dated 13.1.1973, Pt.II, Section 3(ii), point. 158

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In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (vi)(d) of sub-rule (2) of rule 25 of the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Central Rules, 1971, the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central), New Delhi hereby specifies the standard of construction and maintenance of the Creches as under: 1. Locations.-A Creche should be located within 50 metres of every establishment where twenty or more women are ordinarily employed as contract labour. While the Creche should be conveniently accessible to the mothers of the children accommodated therein, it should not be situated in close proximity to establishment where obnoxious fumes, dust or odours are given off or in which excessively noisy processes are carried on. 2. Building.-(i) The Creche building should be constructed of heat resistant materials and should be rain-proof. (ii) While in towns it may be built of brick walls with cement or lime plaster, in rural areas it may be built of mud walls with mud plaster. In either case, the flooring and the walls up to a height of 3 feet should have cement surface.

(iii) The height of the rooms should be not less than 10 ft. from the floor to the lowest part of the roof.

(vi) The rooms should be provided with necessary doors and windows for securing and maintaining adequate light and ventilation by free flow of air.

(v) The building should be periodically inspected in order to see that it is safe and is being maintained under sanitary conditions.

(vi) The Creche will be kept open at all times both by day and night, when women employees are working.

3. Accommodation.-(i) Accommodation in the Creche should be on a scale of at least 20 sq. ft. of floor area per child. (ii) There should be a shady open air playground suitably fenced for older children.

4. Amenities.-(i) Cool and wholesome drinking water should be available for the children and the staff of the Creche. Children below 2 years of age should be fed with at least 1/2 pint of pure milk per child per day. Children above 2 years of age should be given wholesome refreshments. (ii) Convenient and suitable arrangements should be made for the working mothers to feed their children below 2 years of age during the intervals.

(iii) There shall be a kitchen attached to the Creche with utensils and other facilities for boiling milk and preparing refreshments, etc.

(iv) The children as well as the staff of the Creche should be provided with suitable uniforms for wear at the Creche.

(v) There should be a suitable bathroom adjoining the Creche for the washing of the children and for changing their clothes. Wash-basins or similarvessels should also be provided at the rate of one for every four children. There should be arrangements for supply of water at the rate of 5 gallons per child per day. Adequate supply of clean towels and soap should be available at the Creche.

(vi) Adjoining the bathroom there shall be a latrine for the exclusive use of the children in the Creche. The number of seats in the latrine shall be at the rate of one for every 15 children. Separate latrines should be maintained for the use of mothers and Creche staff at a distance of not less than 50 ft. from the Creche.

5. Equipment.-The Creche should have the following equipment at the rate of one for each child (i) Cradles or cots,

(ii) Beds or mattresses,

(iii) Cotton sheets,

(iv) Rubber sheets (for children below 3 years),

(v) Blankets,

(vi) Pillow with covers.

6. Staff.-Every Creche should be in the charge of a woman with midwifery qualification or training as Creche attendant. Where the number of children exceeds ten, the Creche attendant should be assisted by female ayahs at the rate of one ayah (a) for every 5 children upto one year;

(b) for every 10 children upto three years; and

The ayahs should not be less than 30 years of age and should have knowledge and training in the handling of children. 7. Working hours.-The working hours of the Creche should correspond to the working hours of the mothers. It may have to work into shifts if the women are employed in two or more shifts, spread over a period exceeding 8 hours a day. Where the Creche works in shifts different staff should be employed to work in the two shifts. 8. Medical attention.-(i) The Creche should have first-aid equipment kept in proper condition. (ii) Every child should be medically examined before admission. There should be medical check-up of the children once a month and their weight recorded once a month.

(iii) A record of the periodical medical check-up and weighment should be entered in the record of medical examination of each child kept at the Creche.

9. Maintenance of records.-The Creche should maintain the following records up-to-date (i) Records of Medical Examination of children in Form "A".

(ii) Attendance register of children in Form "B".

10. Inspection of Creche.-A Creche may, be inspected at any time by an Inspector under the Act or any other ofcer authorised by the Central Government for the purpose.

FORM A

Form For Recording The Result Of Medical Examination Of Children Attending Creches

Date,month and year of examination...............

Sl.No

Name of child

Age (Date of birth, if available)

Mother’s name and occupation

Weight of child on the date of last examination

Weight on the date of examination

Disease or abnormality found, if any

Treatment suggested, if any

Remarks

FORM B

Form For Recording Particulars Of Children Attending The Creches

Name of establishment........................

Month and year..............

Sl.No

Date of admission

Name of child with mother’s full name and occupation

Sex

Age

Date of the month (attendance marked each day)

Remarks