S.I. No. 272/1975 - Factories (Wool and Hair Processing) Regulations, 1975.

S.I. No. 272 of 1975.

FACTORIES (WOOL AND HAIR PROCESSING) REGULATIONS, 1975.

I, MICHAEL O'LEARY, Minister for Labour, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 6 , 8 , 57 and 71 of the Factories Act, 1955 (No. 10 of 1955), and the Labour (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order, 1966 ( S.I. No. 164 of 1966 ), after consultation with the Minister for Health and after due compliance with the provisions of the Third Schedule to that Act, hereby make as special regulations the following regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Factories (Wool and Hair Processing) Regulations, 1975.

2. These Regulations shall come into operation on the 31st day of December, 1975.

3. In these Regulations—

"the Act" means the Factories Act, 1955 (No. 10 of 1955);

"approved" means approved for the time being by the Minister;

"horsehair" means tail or mane horsehair whether in the raw state or partially or wholly prepared;

"the Minister" means the Minister for Labour;

"the occupier" means the occupier of a factory to which these Regulations apply;

"opening" for the purposes of Regulations 9, 10, 11, 12 and 32 of these Regulations means the opening of the fleece, including the untying or cutting of the knots, or, if the material is not in the fleece, the opening out of the material for inspection or classification, and "open" and "opened" shall be construed accordingly.

4. (1) For the purposes of these Regulations

"certified" means certified by the director of a bacteriological laboratory recognised by a Health Board established under the Health Act, 1970 (No. 1 of 1970);

"disinfection" means—

( a ) exposure to steam at a temperature of not less than 100° Celsius for at least half an hour of material so loosened, spread out or exposed as to allow the steam to penetrate throughout, which process is certified to secure the destruction of anthrax spores in all parts of all wool or hair subjected to the process, or

( b ) exposure of wool or hair to a disinfectant under such conditions of concentration and temperature of the disinfectant, and such duration and manner of exposure of the wool or hair to the disinfectant as may be certified to secure the destruction of anthrax spores in all parts of all wool or hair subjected to the process.

(2) A certificate relating to a process of disinfection referred to in paragraph (1) of this regulation shall not be valid until—

( a ) a copy of the certificate has been furnished to the Minister, and

( b ) the certificate has been attached to the register required to be maintained by the occupier pursuant to Regulation 17 of these Regulations.

(3) A certificate relating to a process of disinfection referred to in paragraph (1) of this regulation may be revoked at any time by the Minister either generally or in relation to a factory in which anthrax has occurred.

5. These Regulations shall apply to all factories in which the processes of sorting, willowing, washing, combing or carding wool or hair, of the types specified in the Schedule to these Regulations and which has not undergone disinfection, and all processes incidental or related thereto are carried on.

6. (1) It shall be the duty of the occupier to comply with the provisions of Regulations 7 to 31 of these Regulations.

(2) It shall be the duty of all persons employed to comply with the provisions of Regulations 32 to 39 of these Regulations.

7. Wool or hair, which has not undergone disinfection, of the type specified in Part IV of the Schedule to these Regulations shall not be stored other than in a room set aside for the purpose and no other wool or hair shall be stored in such a room.

8. Wool or hair shall not be stored in a sorting room or in a willowing room.

9. Bales of wool or hair of the types specified in the Schedule to these Regulations shall not be opened for the purpose of being sorted or manufactured by any person other than by a person skilled in judging the condition of the material.

10. Wool or hair of the type specified in Part I of the Schedule to these Regulations shall not be opened from the bale until the bale has been thoroughly soaked in water.

11. (1) Wool or hair (other than horsehair) of the type specified in Part II of the Schedule to these Regulations shall not be opened from the bale unless—

( a ) it is thoroughly steeped in water, or

( b ) the wool or hair is opened over an efficient opening screen which is fitted with a mechanical exhaust draught, and is situated in a room in which the opening of bales and no other work is carried on.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1) (b) of this regulation, an opening screen shall not be deemed to be efficient if—

( a ) the area of the screen is less than 1.1 square metres,

( b ) the length or breadth of the screen is less than 1 metre, and

( c ) the velocity of the exhaust draught is, at any point of the screen within 450 millimetres of the centre, less than 30.5 linear metres per minute.

(3) Horsehair of the types specified in Part II of the Schedule to these Regulations which has not undergone disinfection shall not be opened from the bale unless—

( a ) it is opened in a room which is set aside for that purpose and in which no other wool or hair of any kind is placed, and

( b ) it is opened over or by the side of an efficient opening screen.

(4) For the purposes of paragraph (3) (b) of this regulation, an opening screen shall not be deemed to be efficient unless it is fitted with an exhaust draught so arranged that, at every point of the screen within 450 millimetres of the centre, the velocity of the exhaust draught is at least 90 linear metres per minute.

12. All damaged wool or hair, or fallen fleeces or skin, wool or hair, of the types specified in the Schedule to these Regulations shall, when opened, be thoroughly dampened with a disinfectant and be washed without being willowed.

13. (1) Wool or hair (other than horsehair) of the types specified in Parts II and III of the Schedule to these Regulations shall not be sorted unless the wool or hair is sorted over an efficient sorting board which is fitted with a mechanical exhaust draught and is situated in a room in which the sorting of wool or hair, or the packing of wool or hair so sorted, and no other work is carried on.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1) of this regulation, a sorting board shall not be deemed to be efficient unless—

( a ) it is comprised of a screen of open wirework,

( b ) there is beneath it, at all parts, a clear space of not less than 75 millimetres in depth,

( c ) there is, below the centre of the screen, a funnel measuring in breadth across the top not less than 250 millimetres which leads to an extraction shaft,

( d ) the screen is so arranged that all dust falling through it and not carried away by the mechanical exhaust draught fitted to it can be swept directly into the funnel,

( e ) the mechanical exhaust draught fitted to it is maintained in constant efficiency whilst persons sorting the wool or hair are at work, and

( f ) the mechanical exhaust draught fitted to it is so constructed that not less than 2,200 litres of air per minute are drawn by the fan from beneath the sorting board.

(3) Horsehair of the types specified in Part II of the Schedule to these Regulations which has not undergone disinfection shall not be sorted unless it is sorted—

( a ) in the room in which it was opened,

( b ) in a room which is set aside for that purpose and in which no other wool or hair of any kind is placed, and

( c ) over an efficient sorting screen.

(4) For the purposes of paragraph (3) (c) of this regulation, a sorting screen shall not be deemed to be efficient unless it is fitted with an exhaust draught so arranged that, at every point of the screen within 450 millimetres of the centre, the velocity of the exhaust draught is at least 90 linear metres per minute.

14. Wool or hair of the type specified in Part I of the Schedule to these Regulations shall not be sorted unless it has been washed and is in a damp state.

15. Wool or hair of the types specified in the Schedule to these Regulations which is damaged shall not be sorted unless it has been washed.

16. Wool or hair of the types specified in Part IV of the Schedule to these Regulations shall not be subjected, before it has undergone disinfection, to any manipulation other than opening or sorting.

17. A register shall be kept and maintained by the occupier which shall contain the following particulars of all wool or hair of the types specified in Part IV of the Schedule to these Regulations stored or processed in the factory, that is to say—

( a ) the name of the occupier and the address of the factory;

( b ) the identification marks on the bale of wool or hair, as the case may be;

( c ) the certificate of the country or countries of origin of the bale;

( d ) the name and address of the consignor of the bale;

( e ) the date of arrival of the bale at the factory and the date of the opening of the bale;

( f ) the date of disinfection of the contents of the bale and the title and address where the disinfection took place; and

( g ) particulars of the method of disinfection.

18. (1) Wool or hair of the types specified in Parts I, II, III of the Schedule to these Regulations and which has not undergone disinfection shall not be willowed unless it is willowed—

( a ) in a room which is set aside for that purpose and in which no work other than willowing is carried on, and

( b ) in an efficient willowing machine.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1) (b) of this regulation, a willowing machine shall not be deemed to be efficient unless it is fitted with a mechanical exhaust draught so arranged as to draw the dust away from persons employed and to prevent the dust from entering the air of the room.

19. There shall be allowed, in every sorting room, an air space of at least 33 cubic metres for every person employed in that room.

20. (1) Suitable air-inlets from the open air or from some other suitable source shall be provided in every room in which the sorting, willowing or combing of wool or hair is carried on.

(2) Air-inlets provided for the purposes of paragraph (1) of this regulation shall be so arranged that a person employed is not exposed to a direct draught therefrom or to any draught at a temperature of less than 10° Celsius.

(3) The temperature of any room in which the sorting, willowing or combing of wool or hair is carried on shall not, at any time during working hours, be less than 10° Celsius.

21. All bags in which wool or hair of the types specified in the Schedule to these Regulations has been imported shall be picked clean and shall not be brushed.

22. All pieces of skin or scab and all clippings or shearlings shall be removed daily from the sorting room and shall either be disinfected or destroyed.

23. (1) Every machine or system in a factory to which these Regulations apply which provides an exhaust draught at opening screens, sorting boards, willowing machines or other dust extracting machines and shafts shall be so covered or enclosed as to prevent dust which is being extracted from entering the air of the factory and such machines or systems shall be so arranged as to discharge any dust collected or extracted into properly constructed safe receptacles or into a furnace and not into the open air.

(2) Every dust extracting shaft and the area beneath opening screens and sorting boards shall be thoroughly cleaned at least once in every week.

(3) The dust collected as above together with the sweepings from all opening, sorting and willowing rooms shall be removed at least twice in every week and burned.

(4) The occupier shall provide and maintain suitable respiratory protective equipment to be worn by all persons engaged in collecting or removing dust or sweepings pursuant to paragraph (2) or (3) of this regulation.

(5) Each respirator provided by the occupier pursuant to paragraph (4) of this regulation shall bear the distinguishing mark of the worker to whom it is supplied and the filtering material shall be removed after each day on which it is used. The respirator shall be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after each day on which it is used.

24. The floor of every room in which opening, sorting or willowing is carried on shall be thoroughly sprinkled with a disinfectant solution each day after work has ceased for that day. The floor of every such room shall be swept immediately after it has been sprinkled with the disinfectant solution.

25. (1) The walls and ceilings of every room in which the process of opening, sorting, disinfection or willowing is carried on and everything affixed to those walls and ceilings shall be effectively cleaned by a suitable method.

(2) The occupier shall keep a record of every cleaning carried out pursuant to paragraph (1) of this regulation.

(3) The record to be kept by the occupier pursuant to paragraph (2) of this regulation shall include the date of the cleaning (which shall be not less than five months nor more than nine months after the last immediately preceding washing, cleaning or other treatment pursuant to section 10 (1) (c) of the Act) and shall be kept available for inspection.

26. (1) As regards a factory to which these Regulations apply, washing facilities to be provided in accordance with section 53 of the Act for the use of persons employed in the factory shall be washing facilities which are adequate and suitable for the use of all persons so employed. The said facilities shall be kept in a clean and orderly condition, placed in the charge of a responsible person and be under cover.

(2) In case the facilities referred to in paragraph 1 of this regulation are provided for the use of persons employed in a process described in Regulation 5 of these regulations, the facilities shall be immediately accessible and outside the room in the factory where the process is carried on. The said facilities shall include clean running hot and cold or warm water, together with soap, non-abrasive nail brushes and clean towels or some other suitable means of drying, and either—

( a ) a trough with a smooth impervious surface of such length (or, in the case of a circular or oval trough, of such circumference) as to allow six hundred millimetres of length for every five persons making use thereof and fitted with suitable jets or sprays serving each six hundred millimetres of length or circumference (as the case may be) and with a waste pipe without a plug, or

( b ) for every five such persons at least one basin with a smooth impervious surface of suitable size fitted with suitable jets or sprays and with a waste pipe.

(3) Where the number of persons employed in a factory to which these Regulations apply is not a multiple of five, for the purposes of this regulation the number of persons so employed shall be as being the next higher number which is a multiple of five.

(4) Suitable places shall be provided, outside the rooms in which unwashed wool or hair of the kinds specified in the Schedule to these Regulations is handled or stored, in which persons employed can deposit food and clothing put off during working hours. Separate cloakroom accommodation, outside such rooms and outside meal rooms, shall be provided for protective clothing.

(5) Persons employed shall not be allowed to prepare or partake of food, drink or tobacco in any room of the kind referred to in paragraph (4) of this regulation. Suitable and sufficient meal room accommodation shall be provided for persons employed in such rooms.

(6) A person having an open cut or sore shall not be employed in a room of the kind referred to in paragraph (4) of this regulation.

27. The occupier shall allow any inspector appointed for the purposes of the Act to take, at any time, for the purpose of examination sufficient samples of wool or hair used on the premises.

28. (1) The occupier shall ensure that a cautionary notice, in the approved form, of the dangers of anthrax, is kept posted in the factory.

(2) An anthrax card in the approved form shall be issued to every person employed and the occupier shall check at least once in every month to ensure that every person employed has the card in his possession and shall, if the card is lost or damaged, issue a new card to the person concerned.

29. (1) The occupier shall provide—

( a ) for the use of all persons employed to handle wool or hair of the types specified in the Schedule to these Regulations and which has not undergone disinfection, or to clean any dust extracting plant or such machinery, suitable protective clothing (including overalls) and, where necessary, head coverings, and

( b ) for the use of all persons employed who are exposed to wet, waterproof aprons and, where necessary, waterproof footwear.

(2) Protective clothing provided pursuant to paragraph (1) of this regulation shall be maintained by the occupier in good repair and the occupier shall have overalls and head coverings washed or renewed weekly. The occupier shall have overalls or head coverings which are used in connection with work with wool or hair of the types specified in the Schedule to these Regulations and which has not undergone disinfection either throughly washed or burned immediately after such work has been completed.

(3) The occupier shall not in any one case permit such overalls and head coverings to be taken out of the factory for washing, repairs or any other purpose, unless they have been steeped for a period of at least twelve hours in boiling water or in a disinfectant.

30. (1) The responsible person in charge of the first-aid box as required by section 56 (4) of the Act shall not, for the purposes of these Regulations, be deemed to be trained in first aid treatment unless he—

( a ) is a nurse registered by An Bord Altranais or by a corresponding body,

( b ) is the holder of a certificate in first aid treatment issued within the immediately preceding period of three years, or is otherwise recognised as being qualified in first aid, by a training organisation, or

( c ) has held a grade not lower than two star private in the Army Medical Corps.

(2) In this regulation "training organisation" means the Irish Red Cross Society, the St. John Ambulance, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, the Consultative Council on Ambulance Services, the Civil Defence Authority, or any other body or society approved by the Minister for the purposes of this regulation.

31. (1) Any suspected cases of anthrax shall be referred for immediate medical attention.

(2) The occupier shall ensure that—

( a ) all persons employed, including supervisory staff, are aware of all arrangements made for the reference of any person suspected of having contracted anthrax for immediate medical attention, and

( b ) any person employed who wishes to be immunised against anthrax is immunised without delay.

32. (1) Bales of wool or hair of the types specified in the Schedule to these Regulations shall not be opened otherwise than in pursuance of Regulations 9 to 11 of these Regulations.

(2) Bales of wool or hair of the type specified in Part 1 of the Schedule to these Regulations shall be opened only after they have been thoroughly steeped in water.

(3) If, on opening a bale containing wool or hair of the types specified in the Schedule to these Regulations, damaged wool or hair is discovered, the person opening the bale shall immediately report that the wool or hair is damaged to the occupier or other responsible person.

33. Bales of wool or hair of the type specified in Part II of the Schedule to these Regulations shall not be opened otherwise than in pursuance of Regulation 11 of these Regulations.

34. Wool or hair of the types specified in the Schedule to these Regulations shall not be sorted otherwise than in pursuance of Regulations 13 to 15 of these Regulations.

35. Wool or hair of the types specified in the Schedule to these Regulations shall not be willowed otherwise than in pursuance of Regulation 18 of these Regulations.

36. (1) Every person employed in a room in which unwashed wool or hair of the types specified in the Schedule to these Regulations and which has not undergone disinfection is stored or handled shall—

( a ) wash his hands and clean his nails before partaking of food or drink or leaving the premises,

( b ) not deposit in any such room any article of clothing put off during working hours,

( c ) if he has any open cut or sore, report that fact without delay to the foreman and shall not work in any such room until the cut or sore has completely healed.

(2) A person employed in any such room or in any room in which wool or hair of the types specified in the Schedule to these Regulations and which has not undergone disinfection is either carded or stored shall not prepare or partake of any food, drink or tobacco in, or bring any food, drink or tobacco into, any such room.

37. Every person employed who is engaged in collecting or removing dust shall, at all times when so engaged, wear the respiratory protective equipment provided in pursuance of Regulation 23 (4) of these Regulations.

38. (1) Every person employed shall wear the protective clothing provided in pursuance of Regulation 29 of these Regulations when that person is engaged in his employment in any room in which wool or hair of the types specified in the Schedule to these Regulations and which has not undergone disinfection is stored or handled and shall remove such protective clothing before partaking of food, drink or tobacco or leaving the vicinity of such rooms.

(2) A person employed shall not take overalls or head-coverings provided in pursuance of Regulation 29 of these Regulations out of the factory for washing, repairs or any other purpose unless they have been steeped for a period of at least twelve hours in boiling water or in a disinfectant.

39. If any arrangement for disinfection, fan, extractor or any other appliance provided in pursuance of these Regulations becomes defective, every person employed shall, as soon as he becomes aware of the defect, report the matter to the occupier or other responsible person.

40. The Minister may (subject to such conditions as may be specified therein) by certificate in writing (which he may at his discretion revoke at any time) exempt from all or any of the requirements of these Regulations any factory, if he is satisfied that the requirements in respect of which the exemption is granted are not necessary for the protection of persons employed.

41. A person under the age of 18 years shall not be employed in the use of wool or hair which has not undergone disinfection and is of the types specified in Part IV of the Schedule to these Regulations.

42. The Regulations dated the 12th day of December, 1905, relating to wool, goat hair and camel hair (S.R. & O., No. 1293 of 1905) the Regulations dated the 20th day of December, 1907, relating to horse hair (S.R. & O., No. 984 of 1907), and the Regulations dated the 18th day of December 1908, relating to East Indian Wool (S.R. & O. No. 1287 of 1908), are each hereby revoked.

SCHEDULE.

PART I.

WOOL OR HAIR REQUIRED TO BE STEEPED IN THE BALE BEFORE BEING OPENED.

PART II.

WOOL OR HAIR REQUIRED TO BE OPENED EITHER AFTER STEEPING OR OVER AN EFFICIENT OPENING SCREEN.

Goat hair, other than Mohair, but including Cashmere, unless such goat hair, including Cashmere, has been previously disinfected.

East Indian wool, that is to say, wool exported from India or Pakistan.

Persian wool, that is to say, wool exported from the Persian Gulf ports including wool from Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, etc.

Alpaca.

Wool and hair produced in or exported from or through Egypt or the Sudan unless such wool and hair has been previously disinfected.

Camel hair from the USSR or the Peoples' Republic of China.

Tail or mane horsehair from the USSR or the People's Republic of China, unless such hair has been previously disinfected.

PART III.

WOOL OR HAIR NOT NEEDING TO BE OPENED OVER AN OPENING SCREEN BUT REQUIRED TO BE SORTED OVER A BOARD FITTED WITH A DOWNWARD DRAUGHT.

PART IV.

WOOL OR HAIR REQUIRING DISINFECTION.

Tail or mane horse hair from the Peoples' Republic of China or the USSR.

Wool and animal hair produced in, or exported from or through Egypt or the Sudan and all goods mixed with such wool or hair.

Goat hair, including Van mohair but excluding—

( a ) mohair, which is not Van mohair and is delivered to the factory in unbroken bales as originally shipped from the country of origin, and

( b ) China cashmere, including cashmere produced in the Mongolian Peoples' Republic which is delivered to the factory in unbroken bales as originally exported from the Peoples' Republic of China.

GIVEN under my Official Seal this 24th day of November, 1975.

MICHAEL O'LEARY,

Minister for Labour.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These regulations provide for the safety, health and welfare of persons employed in factories processing certain types of wool and hair. They prescribe measures designed to protect workers from contracting anthrax.