S.I. No. 267/1974 - Factories (Aerated Water) Regulations, 1974.

S.I. No. 267 of 1974.

FACTORIES (AERATED WATER) REGULATIONS, 1974.

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 the following Regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Factories (Aerated Water) Regulations, 1974 and shall come into operation on the 1st day of October, 1974.

2. These Regulations shall apply to all factories or parts thereof in which the manufacturer of aerated water and any process incidental thereto is carried on.

3. All machines for filling bottles shall be so constructed, placed or fenced as to prevent, as far as possible, a fragment of a bursting bottle from striking any person employed in the factory.

4. Suitable face guards to protect the face, neck and throat and suitable gauntlets for both arms to protect the whole hand and arm shall be provided and maintained in good condition for all persons engaged in—

( a ) filling bottles (except where bottles are filled by means of an automatic machine so constructed that no fragments of a burst bottle can escape),

( b ) attending to a pressurised bottle filling machine for the purpose of releasing a damaged bottle.

5. Suitable face guards to protect the face, neck and throat, and suitable gauntlets for both arms to protect the arm, at least half of the palm of the hand and the space on the hand between the thumb and the forefinger shall be provided and maintained in good condition—

( a ) for the use of all persons engaged in the corking, crowning, screwing, wiring, foiling, capsuling, sighting or labeling of bottles and,

( b ) on request by any person engaged in any other process, for the use of such other person.

6. (1) Suitable protective waterproof clothing and waterproof footwear shall be provided and maintained in good condition for the use of all persons employed in any process involving exposure to wet.

(2) Where it is shown to the satisfaction of the Minister that the conditions of work in any factory are such as to render the use of waterproof footwear unnecessary, the Minister may, by certificate in writing, exempt the occupier of such factory from the requirement of providing waterproof footwear.

(3) The Minister may, at his discretion, revoke a certificate given by him pursuant to paragraph (2) of this regulation.

7. (1) All persons engaged in any process specified in Regulations 4 and 5 of these Regulations shall, while at work in these processes, wear the face guards and gauntlets provided in pursuance of these Regulations.

(2) All persons employed in any process involving exposure to wet shall, while at work, wear the protective waterproof clothing and waterproof footwear provided in pursuance of Regulation 6 of these Regulations.

8. The Aerated Water Regulations, 1921 (S.R. & O. 1921 No. 1932), are hereby revoked.

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 3rd day of September, 1974.

MICHAEL O'LEARY,

Minister for Labour.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

The regulations specify measures which must be taken for the protection of persons engaged in the manufacture of aerated water. They require the provision of protective face guards and gauntlets for the use of such persons. Protective waterproof clothing and footwear must also be provided for the use of persons who may be exposed to wet working conditions.