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DPDP Insights › Manufacturing › Operations head

DPDP for the Operations head in Manufacturing

Reviewed by InfraVeritas360 ResearchFirst published Last reviewed

Sources: DPDP Act, 2023 and DPDP Rules, 2025 (MeitY) · Ministry of Labour and Employment (PIB) · India Code; PRS summary · PIB · Kerala Factories and Boilers Department (copy of the Rules)

Plant operations, depots and dispatch are where gate passes, driver records and shift rosters are made every day.

Written for: Operations head, Manufacturing. Open this seat in the interactive tool

What is different here

Most of this is paper or simple devices: visitor registers, driver logs, shift lists on notice boards, WhatsApp groups for contractors.

The first four things to sort out

  1. Put a short notice at the gate and on visitor slips.
  2. Stop sharing worker lists and IDs on chat groups.
  3. Lock away gate registers and shred on schedule.
  4. Report a lost register or wrong send to the DPO the same day.

A worked example

Operations head

Shift lists with phone numbers on a notice board

  1. MondayA visitor photographs a shift list with names and mobile numbers.
  2. MondayThe shift in-charge removes it and tells the DPO.
  3. Week 1Shift lists now show names and token numbers only.
  4. AfterPhone numbers stay in the supervisor's app.

Evidence kept

  • Report
  • New list format

Post what the shift needs, not how to call people.

What others in the sector usually do. Plants are replacing paper visitor registers with simple tablet entries that delete after a set period.

Where it usually goes wrong, by organisation type

Organisation typeHotspots
Chemicals and petrochemicalsWorker health surveillance records; Hazardous goods driver and transporter records; Emergency plan contact lists shared with authorities
FertilisersFarmer Aadhaar authentication at retailer PoS; Farmer lists from meetings and agronomy apps; Dealer and retailer KYC records
Automotive and auto componentsConnected-vehicle location data; Dealer-shared buyer lists; Mechanic loyalty apps
FMCG and consumer goodsContest and promotion entries; Retailer app data; Agency-held consumer lists
Steel, metals and miningTownship and hospital records; Contract labour biometrics; Resettlement records
Cement and building materialsMason loyalty bank details; Driver records; Dealer KYC
Textiles and apparelAuditor access to worker files; Hostel records; Agency-held worker data
Food processing and dairyFarmer payment data; Collection centre registers; Consumer complaint records

10 questions the Operations head asks, answered in full

Contract workers, gate passes and biometrics: who is responsible for their data?

Short answer: You are, for data used at your plant; agencies act for you under contract

Your company decides why contract workers' data is collected at your plant: gate access, attendance, safety and the records the Labour Codes ask for. So for that data you are responsible, even when a manpower agency or contractor collects it. Agencies need a contract with data terms. Collect only what the gate and the law need, and delete biometric templates and photos when a worker leaves.

From your seat: Operations head. Gate and shift teams see agency practice first. Report copies and lists that should not exist.
What the law says

Section 7 covers purposes of employment and duties under law. Section 8(1) keeps you responsible for processors. Section 8(7) asks for erasure when the purpose is over. Section 7 · Section 8(1)–(2) · Section 8(5) · Rule 6 · Section 8(7) · Rule 8 · Section 5 · Rule 3

Steps
  1. List what is collected for each contract worker: ID, photo, biometric, bank details, medical fitness.
  2. Remove what the gate and the Labour Codes do not need.
  3. Give a short notice in the worker's language at enrolment.
  4. Add a data schedule to every agency and contractor contract.
  5. Delete templates and photos at exit; keep only the registers the law requires.
Evidence to keep
  • Enrolment field list with reasons
  • Notice in local languages
  • Signed agency data schedules
  • Exit deletion log
Common mistakes
  • Agencies keeping their own copies of Aadhaar cards
  • Templates of workers who left years ago
  • Worker lists shared with contractors on chat groups

Emergency plans with contact lists shared with authorities: is that allowed?

Short answer: Yes, for the plan; share only what it needs

Yes. The chemical rules ask the occupier to prepare an on-site emergency plan and share it with the Authority, and crisis groups use plans to prepare district and local plans. Sharing names and phone numbers for this is a duty under law. Share only what the plan needs, keep the list current, and remove people who have left. The rules ask you to inform people outside the site about hazards; they do not ask you to build a register of residents, so keep any such list small.

From your seat: Operations head. Shift in-charges are on the list. Tell the safety team when numbers change.
What the law says

Section 7 covers duties under law and safety during a disaster. Section 8(3) asks for accurate data when it is shared. Section 8(5) needs safeguards for the copies. Section 7 · Section 8(3) · Section 8(5) · Rule 6 · Section 8(7) · Rule 8

Steps
  1. List the personal data in the on-site plan: emergency team, key staff, contractors, authority contacts.
  2. Remove what the plan does not need, such as home addresses.
  3. Review the list after every mock drill and when people leave.
  4. Send the plan to authorities through a channel you can show.
  5. Keep old versions only as long as needed, then destroy.
Evidence to keep
  • Plan contact list with review date
  • Mock drill record
  • Transmission record
  • Old version destruction log
Common mistakes
  • Lists with staff who left years ago
  • Home addresses and family numbers in the plan
  • Copies left on notice boards at the gate

Dealer, retailer, mason and mechanic loyalty programmes: what do we need?

Short answer: Consent with a clear notice; collect only what rewards need

Loyalty schemes collect names, phone numbers, photos, ID and bank details to pay rewards. Joining is a choice, so this rests on consent with a clear notice. Collect only what rewards and tax rules need, keep bank details in one secure place, and make leaving the scheme easy. The loyalty vendor acts for you. Dealer KYC for appointment is a separate purpose from loyalty.

From your seat: Operations head. Depot and sales staff enrol members. They must show the notice and not fill forms for people.
What the law says

Section 5 needs a notice. Section 6 sets what valid consent is, including easy withdrawal. Section 8(1) covers the loyalty vendor. Section 5 · Rule 3 · Section 6 · Section 8(1)–(2) · Section 8(5) · Rule 6 · Section 8(7) · Rule 8

Steps
  1. List the fields the app and forms collect, and drop what rewards do not need.
  2. Show a short notice at sign-up in the local language.
  3. Keep bank details in the payout system only.
  4. Add a data schedule to the loyalty vendor contract.
  5. Close and delete inactive members' data on a set period.
Evidence to keep
  • Field list with reasons
  • Sign-up notice and consent records
  • Vendor schedule
  • Inactive member deletion log
Common mistakes
  • Bank details in spreadsheets sent by email
  • Field staff enrolling masons without telling them
  • Loyalty data reused for unrelated offers

What should our privacy notice say, and where must people see it?

Short answer: Yes, at every point where you collect data

A notice must tell people, in plain words, what data you collect, why, how they can withdraw consent, how they can use their rights and how they can complain to the Data Protection Board. It has to stand on its own, separate from long terms and conditions, and be shown at the point where data is collected.

From your seat: Operations head. Your counters, forms and call scripts are where notices are actually seen. Check that each one shows the current version.
Example in Manufacturing

Gate pass forms, contract worker enrolment, the medical centre, dealer and mason app sign-ups and warranty cards each need a short notice, in the language people use.

What the law says

Section 5 and Rule 3 ask for a notice that can be understood on its own, with an itemised list of the data and the purpose for each item. Data you already hold from before the Act also needs a notice, as soon as reasonably practicable. Section 5 · Rule 3 · Section 6 · Sections 11–14 · Rule 14

Steps
  1. List every point where personal data comes in: forms, apps, counters, calls, emails, partner feeds.
  2. Write one short notice per collection point, with the data items and purpose side by side.
  3. Add how to withdraw consent, how to make a request and the DPO or contact person's details.
  4. Offer the notice in English and in the languages your workers and customers actually use.
  5. Keep each version with the date it went live.
Evidence to keep
  • Screenshots or copies of the notice at each collection point, with dates
  • Notice version history
  • Translations, where used
Common mistakes
  • Hiding the notice inside terms and conditions
  • One notice for everything, with no link between data items and purposes
  • Forgetting old data collected before the Act

Someone asks what data we hold about them. What do we send?

Short answer: Yes, a clear summary, inside the published timeline

Send a summary of the personal data you hold about them and what you do with it, and the names of the other organisations you shared it with and what was shared. Check the person's identity first, log the request and keep a copy of your reply.

From your seat: Operations head. Front-line staff receive most requests. Teach them to log the request and pass it on the same day, not to answer it themselves.
Example in Manufacturing

A contract worker's summary should include what the agency and the medical centre hold for you.

What the law says

Section 11 gives the right to a summary and the list of organisations it was shared with. Rule 14 asks you to publish how requests are made and to answer within the period you publish. Sections 11–14 · Rule 14 · Section 8(9)–(10) · Rules 9, 14

Steps
  1. Log the request in one register the day it arrives.
  2. Verify identity using details you already hold.
  3. Search every system, including vendors' copies.
  4. Write a plain summary: what data, why it is used, who received it.
  5. Send it, and file the request, search notes and reply.
Evidence to keep
  • Request register
  • Search notes for each request
  • Copy of each reply with date
Common mistakes
  • Sending raw database dumps
  • Forgetting data held by vendors
  • No identity check before sending

How do we handle a privacy complaint within 90 days?

Short answer: Reply within your published period, never beyond 90 days

Publish one clear way to complain, log every complaint, give it an owner and reply within the period you publish, never more than 90 days. People can go to the Data Protection Board only after using your process, so a good process keeps most matters with you.

From your seat: Operations head. Many complaints start as service complaints. Tag the ones about personal data so they enter the privacy log.
Example in Manufacturing

Workers raise data concerns through supervisors and unions. Log them in the same register, within the 90-day limit.

What the law says

Section 8(10) requires a working grievance process. Rule 14(3) caps the reply time at 90 days. Section 13 says people must use your process before approaching the Board. Section 8(9)–(10) · Rules 9, 14 · Sections 11–14 · Rule 14 · Sections 18–26

Steps
  1. Publish one contact for privacy complaints on your website, app and notices.
  2. Log each complaint with the date, channel and a named owner.
  3. Acknowledge within a few days, and set an internal target well under 90 days.
  4. Find and fix the cause, not just the single case.
  5. Reply in writing and close the entry with the date.
Evidence to keep
  • Complaint register with dates
  • Replies sent
  • Monthly summary to management
Common mistakes
  • Mixing privacy complaints into general complaints with no tag
  • No owner, so nobody counts the days
  • Closing a complaint without fixing the cause

Staff share personal data on WhatsApp and personal email. What do we do?

Short answer: Yes, this is a common breach; give staff a safer option

Sending personal data to the wrong chat or a personal account is one of the most common breaches. Banning messaging rarely works. Give staff an approved tool that is easy to use, set simple rules, and make it safe to report a wrong send at once.

From your seat: Operations head. Shift groups and vendor chats are where data leaks. Give supervisors an approved way to share lists and photos.
Example in Manufacturing

Supervisors and contractors share worker lists on chat groups. Give them a better route.

What the law says

Section 8(5) asks for reasonable safeguards. A wrong send is a breach under Section 2(u), and Section 8(6) applies. Section 8(5) · Rule 6 · Section 8(6) · Rule 7

Steps
  1. Ask teams how they actually share files and photos today.
  2. Provide an approved tool for that job.
  3. Set three simple rules: approved tool, no personal accounts, report wrong sends.
  4. Teach the rules with real examples from your own work.
  5. Treat a quick report as good behaviour, not a disciplinary case.
Evidence to keep
  • Approved-tool policy
  • Training record
  • Incident reports of wrong sends
Common mistakes
  • A ban with no alternative
  • Punishing people who report
  • Ignoring group chats with vendors

What about CCTV, visitor registers and biometric attendance?

Short answer: Yes, with notice, limits and a deletion period

All three are personal data. Put a clear notice where people are recorded, collect only what you need at reception, keep footage and registers for a set period, and protect biometric templates carefully. Do not keep copies of ID documents unless you must.

From your seat: Operations head. Check notices at entrances and recording areas, and who on site can view footage.
Example in Manufacturing

Plant gates, canteens and hostels have CCTV and biometrics. Put up notices and set short periods.

What the law says

Section 5 needs notice. Section 8(5) needs safeguards. Section 8(7) needs erasure after the purpose. For staff, Section 7(i) can cover security and attendance. Section 5 · Rule 3 · Section 8(5) · Rule 6 · Section 8(7) · Rule 8 · Section 7

Steps
  1. Put notices at CCTV points and reception, in the local language.
  2. Ask visitors only for name, phone and whom they are meeting, unless security needs more.
  3. Set a period for footage and registers, then delete.
  4. Restrict who can view footage, and log viewing.
  5. Check the vendor contracts for CCTV, guards and attendance systems.
Evidence to keep
  • Notices in place
  • Retention settings on the recorder
  • Viewing log
Common mistakes
  • Photocopying visitor IDs as routine
  • Footage kept until the disk fills
  • Biometric systems with vendor default passwords

What about call recordings and customer service screens?

Short answer: Yes, with notice, a retention period and masking

Call recordings, chat transcripts and agent screens hold a lot of personal data. Tell callers that calls are recorded and why, keep recordings for a set period, limit who can listen, and mask card numbers and passwords on screen and in recordings.

From your seat: Operations head. Call scripts need a recording notice, and agents need to know when to pause the recording.
Example in Manufacturing

Warranty and service lines record calls; tell callers at the start.

What the law says

Section 5 needs notice, Section 8(5) needs safeguards, and Section 8(7) needs erasure after the purpose. Section 5 · Rule 3 · Section 8(5) · Rule 6 · Section 8(7) · Rule 8

Steps
  1. Play a short recording notice at the start of calls.
  2. Set a retention period by call type.
  3. Pause recording when card or other sensitive details are given.
  4. Limit replay rights to quality and complaint teams.
  5. Lock agent screens and stop phones on the floor if data is sensitive.
Evidence to keep
  • Recording notice script
  • Retention settings
  • Replay access list
Common mistakes
  • Recordings kept indefinitely
  • Card numbers in recordings
  • Open replay access for all supervisors

Someone asks us to delete their data. Must we?

Short answer: Yes, unless a law requires you to keep it

You must erase data that you no longer need for the purpose it was collected for, unless a law requires you to keep it. Where a law does require it, keep the data, stop using it for anything else, and tell the person why it is being kept and until when.

From your seat: Operations head. Front-line teams need a simple answer for 'delete my data': log it, pass it on, and explain the timeline.
Example in Manufacturing

Labour Code registers stay for the legal period; biometric templates and gate photos of exited workers can go much sooner.

What the law says

Section 12 gives the right to correction and erasure. Section 8(7) allows retention only where a law requires it. Rule 8(3) asks every organisation to keep personal data and logs for at least one year first. Sections 11–14 · Rule 14 · Section 8(7) · Rule 8

Steps
  1. Log the request and verify identity.
  2. Check the retention schedule for each record type involved.
  3. Delete what has no legal reason to stay, including copies with vendors and in test systems.
  4. Mark what must stay, with the law and the end date.
  5. Reply in plain words: what was deleted, what is kept, why and until when.
Evidence to keep
  • Erasure log
  • Vendor deletion confirmations
  • Reply to the person
Common mistakes
  • Refusing every erasure request 'because of backups'
  • Deleting records a law requires
  • Not telling vendors

The sections you will use most

Other rules that sit alongside DPDP

RuleWhat it saysWhat it means alongside DPDPSource
Labour Codes (in force from 21 November 2025)The Code on Wages, 2019, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, the Code on Social Security, 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 came into force on 21 November 2025. Together they rationalise 29 earlier labour laws.Worker and contract labour records now follow the codes and the rules under them. Set retention for these records against the codes and state rules, not against the old Acts.Ministry of Labour and Employment (PIB)
Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020Subsumes earlier Acts including the Factories Act, 1948 and the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970. Requires a free annual health examination for employees where prescribed, licences for those hiring contract labour, and registers kept in the prescribed form, electronically or otherwise.Gate passes, attendance, contractor registers and medical checks are legal records. DPDP adds access limits, security and deletion when the legal period is over.India Code; PRS summary
OSH Code: workers in hazardous processesPre-employment, periodic and post-exposure medical examinations are mandatory. Health records are mandatory and accessible to employees and inspectors. Hazardous establishments need an on-site emergency plan and six-monthly mock drills.Health records are among the most sensitive data a plant holds. The worker and the inspector may see them; supervisors and the wider HR team should not.PIB
Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989Rule 13: the occupier prepares and keeps up to date an on-site emergency plan, with a mock drill every six months and the report made available to the Authority. Rule 14: the Authority prepares the off-site emergency plan. Rule 15: the occupier informs persons outside the site about the hazard and safety measures.Emergency plans carry names and phone numbers of staff, contractors and authorities. Share them because the law asks, keep them current, and remove people who have left.Kerala Factories and Boilers Department (copy of the Rules)
Chemical Accidents (Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules, 1996Set up Central, State, District and Local Crisis Groups. The District Crisis Group reviews occupiers' on-site plans while preparing the district off-site plan. The Local Crisis Group prepares the local emergency plan for the industrial pocket, educates the population likely to be affected and answers public inquiries.Contact lists you give the crisis groups are shared for a legal duty. Send only what the plan needs, through a channel you can show.FAOLEX (text of the Rules)
Direct Benefit Transfer in fertilisers (Department of Fertilizers)Sale of all subsidised fertilisers to farmers and buyers is made through Point of Sale (PoS) devices at retail shops. Beneficiaries are identified through documents such as Aadhaar, Kisan Credit Card or Voter ID. Subsidy is released to fertiliser companies on the basis of actual sales by retailers to beneficiaries.Farmer identity and purchase data move through retailers and a government system. Your company sees part of it. Use what you see only for the scheme and supply work.Department of Fertilizers
Integrated Fertilizer Management System (iFMS)A pan-India digital platform developed by NIC for fertiliser DBT. It includes Aadhaar-based farmer authentication at PoS, captures transactions at manufacturing, import and retail points, and subsidy is released after a sale is recorded at the retailer level.iFMS is the government's system. Company dashboards and exports drawn from it still need access control and logs on your side.National Informatics Centre
Fertiliser (Control) Order, 1985Dealers may sell only under an authorisation letter or certificate of registration (clauses 7 and 8). A retail dealer displays daily stock and prices (clause 4) and issues a cash or credit memo in Form M to the purchaser (clause 5). Records and returns in Form N are kept when the Controller directs (clause 35).Dealer authorisation papers and sale memos are dealer and farmer records. Your dealer KYC files and any farmer details on memos need the same care as other personal data.Government of Odisha (copy of the Order)
CERT-In Directions, 28 April 2022Report specified cyber incidents to CERT-In within six hours of noticing them. Keep logs of ICT systems for a rolling 180 days within India. Sync clocks to NIC or NPL time servers, or servers traceable to them.Applies to plants as well as head office. Keep this clock next to the DPDP breach steps in one plan.CERT-In
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