S.I. No. 40/1976 - Factories (Vitreous Enamelling) Regulations, 1976.

S.I. No. 40 of 1976.

FACTORIES (VITREOUS ENAMELLING) REGULATIONS, 1976.

I, MICHAEL O'LEARY, Minister for Labour, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 6 , 8 , 20 , 53 , 57 , 71 and 99 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 compliance with the Third Schedule to that Act, hereby make, as special regulations, the following regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Factories (Vitreous Enamelling) Regulations, 1976.

2. These Regulations shall come into operation on the 1st day of March, 1976.

3. The Vitreous Enamelling of Metal or Glass Regulations, 1908 (S. R. & O., No. 1258 of 1908), are hereby revoked.

4. In these Regulations—

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

"appointed doctor", in relation to a factory, means the certifying doctor for the district in which the factory is situated, or a registered medical practitioner appointed by written certificate of the Minister for the purposes of these Regulations;

"health register" means the register kept pursuant to Regulation 14 of these Regulations;

"the Minister" means the Minister for Labour;

"suspension" means suspension from employment in vitreous enamelling and effected by written certificate signed by the appointed doctor and entered in the health register and cognate words shall be construed accordingly.

"vitreous enamelling" means crushing, grinding, sieving, dusting or laying on, brushing or woolling off, spraying or any other process for the purpose of vitreous covering and decoration of metal or glass;

5. (1) Subject to subparagraph (2) of this regulation, these Regulations shall apply to every factory in which vitreous enamelling of metal or glass is carried on.

(2) Nothing in these Regulations shall apply to—

( a ) the enamelling of jewellery or watches;

( b ) the manufacture of stained glass;

( c ) enamelling by means of glazes or colours containing less than 1 per cent of lead.

6. (1) The Minister may by certificate, and subject to any conditions specified in the certificate, exempt any factory from all or any of the requirements of these Regulations where he is satisfied that the requirements in respect of which the exemption is granted are not necessary for the protection of persons employed or are impracticable.

(2) A certificate under this regulation may be revoked by the Minister at his discretion.

7. (1) Every room in a factory in which any vitreous enamelling process is carried on shall contain at least 14 cubic metres of air space for each person employed therein, and shall be efficiently lighted, whether by natural or artificial means.

(2) In computing air space for the purpose of this regulation, any height above 4 metres shall be disregarded.

8. In every room in a factory in which any vitreous enamelling process is carried on—

( a ) the floors shall be well and closely laid and maintained in good condition,

( b ) the floors and benches shall be cleaned daily and kept free of collections of dust.

9. Any vitreous enamelling process liable to give rise to dust or spray shall be carried on either—

( a ) under conditions which secure the absence of dust and spray, or

( b ) with an efficient exhaust so arranged as to intercept any dust or spray produced and prevent it from diffusing into the air of the room in which the process is carried on.

10. Except where glaze is applied to a heated metallic surface, dusting or laying on and brushing or woolling off shall not be done except over a grid with a receptacle beneath the grid to intercept any dust falling through.

11. Where firing is done in a room in a factory, not being a room specially set apart for that purpose, a person shall not be employed at any other process within 6 metres of the furnace.

12. Effective arrangements shall be made to prevent gasses generated in a muffle furnace from entering a work-room.

13. A person under 18 years of age shall not be employed in any vitreous enamelling process.

14. A health register containing the names of all persons employed in vitreous enamelling shall be kept in every factory in a form approved for the time being by the Minister.

15. (1) Every person employed in vitreous enamelling shall be examined by the appointed doctor once in every calendar month and due notice of the date on which a person is to be examined pursuant to this regulation shall be given to him.

(2) A record of every examination pursuant to this regulation and of the date thereof, signed or initialled by the appointed doctor, shall be entered in the health register.

16. (1) The appointed doctor may suspend any person employed in vitreous enamelling.

(2) After suspension a person shall not be employed without written permission from the appointed doctor, and such permission shall be entered in the health register by the doctor.

17. There shall be provided and maintained in a factory for the use of all persons employed in vitreous enamelling—

( a ) a suitable cloakroom for clothing put off during working hours,

( b ) where the factory premises are not closed during meal intervals, a suitable mess-room separate from any room in which vitreous enamelling processes are carried on,

( c ) suitable overalls and head coverings, which shall be collected at the end of every working day and cleaned or renewed at least once a week,

( d ) a suitable place separate from the cloakroom and mess-room for the storage of such overalls and head coverings.

18. (1) There shall be provided and maintained in a factory for the use of all persons employed in vitreous enamelling adequate and suitable facilities for washing.

(2) Facilities provided under this regulation shall be kept in a clean and orderly condition, be under cover and be immediately accessible (or, where this is not reasonably practicable, conveniently accessible) from the workplace.

(3) Facilities provided under this regulation shall include clean running hot and cold or warm water, soap, non-abrasive nail brushes and clean towels and either—

( a ) a trough with smooth impervious surface of such length (or, in the case of a circular or oval trough, of such circumference) as to allow 60 centimetres for every five persons and fitted with suitable jets or sprays serving each such 60 centimetres of length or circumference and with a waste pipe without plug, or

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

(4) Where the number of persons employed in vitreous enamelling 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 regarded as being the next higher number which is a multiple of five.

(5) Where practicable, facilities provided under this regulation shall be reserved for the exclusive use of persons employed in vitreous enamelling.

19. Every person employed in vitreous enamelling shall—

( a ) present himself at the time notified for examination by the appointed doctor under Regulation 15 of these Regulations,

( b ) wear the overall and head covering provided under Regulation 17(c) of these Regulations and deposit them and clothing put off during working hours in the places provided under Regulations 17(a) and 17(d) of these Regulations,

( c ) carefully clean his hands before partaking of food or leaving the premises,

( d ) so arrange his hair that it shall be effectually protected from dust by the said head covering.

20. A person employed in vitreous enamelling shall not—

( a ) after suspension, work in any vitreous enamelling process without the written permission provided for under Regulation 16 of these Regulations,

( b ) introduce, keep, prepare or partake of, any food, drink or tobacco in any room in which a vitreous enamelling process is carried on,

( c ) interfere, without the concurrence of the occupier, with the means and appliances provided for the removal of dust or fumes and for the carrying out of these Regulations.

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 23rd day of February, 1976.

MICHAEL O'LEARY,

Minister for Labour.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These regulations prescribe safety measures which must be taken for the safety, health and welfare of persons engaged in vitreous enamelling of metal or glass.