Non-ferrous Metallurgical Industries (Primary Metallurgical Industries, namely zinc, lead, copper, manganese and aluminium)

Industries / examples: Zinc/lead/copper smelters and refineries, aluminium smelters (Hall-Heroult), manganese processing.

Principal hazards & agents

Lead fume and dust
Cadmium, arsenic and sulphur dioxide (smelting)
Fluoride emissions and coal-tar-pitch volatiles (aluminium pot lines)
Manganese fume
Heat and molten metal

Health effects

Lead poisoning (anaemia, neuropathy, nephropathy, reproductive harm), fluorosis, cadmium nephrotoxicity and lung disease, manganism, SO2 respiratory irritation, occupational asthma, possible lung/bladder cancer (PAH/arsenic).

Engineering controls

Enclosed/automated smelting and tapping with LEV; wet methods and HEPA vacuuming to control lead dust; SO2 scrubbing and fluoride capture; biological monitoring (blood lead/urinary cadmium); strict housekeeping, no eating/smoking in process areas, separate clean facilities.

PPE

Powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR) or supplied-air for lead/cadmium
Disposable coveralls (laundered on site)
Chemical gloves
SO2/acid-gas cartridge respirators
Eye protection
Safety footwear

Statutory vs annotation: only the entry name and its sub-items are First-Schedule text. The hazard, health-effect, control and PPE notes are occupational-hygiene context, not statutory text. First Schedule, the Factories Act, 1948 [See section 2(cb)] — "List of Industries involving hazardous processes" (29 entries). Section 2(cb) defines "hazardous process". Verbatim list confirmed against the official Factory Inspectorate (Government of Puducherry, Labour Department) publication of the Factories Act, 1948 (py.gov.in/sites/default/files/labourfactory.pdf) and cross-checked with the bare-act text at AdvocateKhoj (advocatekhoj.com/library/bareacts/factories/schedule1.php). The Schedule may be amended/added to by the State Government under section 2(cb) read with section 41A.

Reference information for occupational-health professionals — not medical advice, and not a substitute for examination by a qualified physician.

Other hazardous processes

All 29 hazardous processes — First Schedule

MedFactory — Occupational Health Centre software for Indian factories