DISH Compliance Modules

DISH Factory Plan & Licensing

Directorate of Industrial Safety & Health (DISH) clearances, stability certificates, and Factories Act licenses across TN and AP.

1. What is DISH Factory Plan Approval?

Under Section 6 of the Factories Act, 1948, every industrial facility employing 10 or more workers (with power assistance) or 20 or more workers (without power assistance) must obtain formal structural design plan sanction and operational licensing. This is regulated by the Directorate of Industrial Safety & Health (DISH).

The process is two-fold: structural drawings (plant pathways, ventilation, spacing) must first be approved before factory shed construction. After machinery installation, a final physical site stability audit is conducted to issue the active Factory License.

2. Who Needs It & Applicable Scales?

Any setting that qualifies as a "factory" under statutory thresholds. This covers heavy automobile manufacturing hubs, electronic assembly houses, pharmaceutical compound centers, and garment packaging clusters.

3. Applicable Regulations

- Factories Act, 1948: The parent federal act governing worker health, welfare facilities, and layout safety.
- Tamil Nadu Factories Rules, 1950 / Andhra Pradesh Factories Rules, 1950: State-level specifications relating to spatial spacing, urinal allocations, setbacks, and stability certificates.

4. The Application Liaison Process

1 Architectural plant layout drafting (FSI check, safety pathways)

2 Procuring Stability Certificate Form-1A from a Chartered Structural Engineer

3 Submitting Form-1 dossier on state DISH online portals

4 Inspector site visit, safety clearance, and Factory License dispatch

5. Mandatory Document Dossier Checklist

Chartered Stability Certificate (Form 1A/Form 2)

Complete site plans with internal machinery locations

SPCB environmental Consent (CTE/CTO) copy

Building DTCP/CMDA approved blueprint copies

TNEB / Grid high-voltage power sanction papers

Detailed list of chemicals, raw items, and waste storage

6. Timeline and Cost Parameters

- DISH Plan Sanction: 30 Days.
- Final Factory License: 15 Days (post site-visit).
- Government Fees: Calculated based on the maximum number of employees engaged on any single day of the year and total installed plant horsepower (HP) capacity.

7. Major Violational Rejection Mistakes

🔴 Uncertified Structural stability: Presenting a layout stability certificate from a generic civil draftsman instead of a DISH-registered Competent Person.

🔴 Mismatched Horsepower Capacity: Operating machinery that exceeds the horsepower limits declared in the license. This triggers immediate penalty actions.

🔴 Blocking escape pathways: Positioning structural columns or heavy storage cages in the designated emergency exit zones. This causes immediate plan rejections.

8. Frequently Asked Questions

When do we need to amend a Factory License? ▸

Amending your Factory License is mandatory whenever there is: (a) a change in the plant's total installed horsepower (HP) machinery capacity, (b) an increase in the maximum employee count, or (c) structural extensions or new sheds on the layout.