Offences.

Any person engaged in any employment or class of employment to which this Act applies who— (a) disobeys any lawful order given to him in the course of such employment, or (b) without reasonable excuse abandons such employment or absents himself from work, or (c) departs from any area specified in an order under sub-section (1) of section 4 without the consent of the authority making the order, or any employer of a person engaged in an employment or class of employment declared under section 3 to be an employment or class of employment to which this Act applies, who without reasonable cause— (i) discontinues the employment of such person, or (ii) by closing an establishment in which such person is engaged, causes the discontinuance of his employment, is guilty of an offence under this Act. Explanation I.—The fact that a person engaged in any employment or class of employment to which this Act applies has to depart from any such area shall not, by itself, constitute a reasonable excuse for the purpose of clause (b). Explanation II.—A person abandons his employment within the meaning of clause (b) notwithstanding that it is an express or implied term of his contract of employment that he may terminate his employment on giving notice to his employer of his intention to do so. Explanation III.—The fact that a person apprehends that by continuing in his employment he will expose himself to increased physical danger is not a reasonable excuse within the meaning of clause (b).