S.I. No. 277/1973:

FACTORIES (CELLULOID) REGULATIONS, 1973.

FACTORIES (CELLULOID) REGULATIONS, 1973.

I, MICHAEL O'LEARY, Minister for Labour, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 6 , 8 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. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Factories (Celluloid) Regulations, 1973.

(2) These Regulations shall come into operation on the 1st day of November, 1973.

2. The Regulations dated 20th November, 1921 (S.R. and O., No. 1825 of 1921), in regard to the manufacture, storing and manipulation of celluloid are hereby revoked.

3. In these Regulations--

"celluloid" only includes material containing nitrated-cellulose;

"workroom" means a room in a factory in which any process in the manufacture of celluloid or any manufacturing process involving the use of celluloid is carried on.

4. (1) Subject to Regulation 5 of these Regulations and to paragraph (2) of this regulation, these Regulations shall apply to any factory in which celluloid or any article wholly or partly made of celluloid is manufactured, manipulated or stored.

(2) These Regulations, other than Regulations 1, 2, 3, 11, 12, 14 and 16 hereof, shall not apply to any factory or part thereof in which celluloid in solution only is used and the said Regulations 1, 2, 3, 11, 12, 14 and 16 shall only apply to such a factory where celluloid in solution is applied to fabrics of a readily inflammable nature.

5. Where the Minister is satisfied that, by reason of the small quantity of celluloid in use in a factory at any one time or for any other reason, all or any of the provisions in these Regulations are not necessary for the protection of the persons employed, he may by certificate in writing (which he may in his discretion revoke) exempt such factory from all or any of such provisions subject to such conditions as he may prescribe.

6. It shall be the duty of the occupier of a factory to which these Regulations apply (not being a factory mentioned in Regulation 4 (2) of these Regulations) to comply with the requirements of Regulations 7, 8, 9 and 13 of these Regulations.

7. (1) As regards a factory to which these Regulations apply, stocks of celluloid shall be kept in a suitable place outside the workrooms, which place shall be plainly marked " Celluloid Store ". Stocks of celluloid exceeding fifty kilogrammes shall only be kept in a chamber constructed of fire-resisting materials and no open light or fire shall be allowed in the chamber which shall not be used for any purpose other than the storage of celluloid.

(2) Any store in a factory to which these Regulations apply, being a store not complying with the provisions of the preceding paragraph, shall have a notice " Not to contain more than fifty kilogrammes of celluloid " plainly marked or affixed on the exterior of the outside door, and the occupier shall, if so required by an Inspector, for the purpose of determining the amount of celluloid in any such store, cause the celluloid to be weighed in the presence of the Inspector.

(3) A store in a factory to which these Regulations apply and in which celluloid is kept shall not be situated so as to endanger the means of escape from the factory or from any part thereof in the event of a fire occurring in the store.

(4) No unauthorised person shall be allowed to have access to a store mentioned in paragraph (3) of this regulation.

8. The amount of celluloid in a workroom to which these Regulations apply shall, at any one time, be kept as small as is practicable without unduly interfering with the work carried on.

9. (1) Celluloid waste created in a process carried on in a factory to which these Regulations apply shall not be allowed to accumulate on the floor of the workroom, but shall be collected either automatically as created, or at frequent intervals, in suitable receptacles.

(2) When work ceases for the day, the waste mentioned in paragraph (1) of this Regulation shall be removed from the workroom and placed in a substantial receptacle provided with a cover and plainly marked "Celluloid Waste", provided that this paragraph shall not apply to a factory in which cutlery is manufactured if the celluloid waste is kept in a strong metal receptacle provided with a tight-fitting cover.

10. The occupier of a factory to which these Regulations apply shall ensure that finished articles made wholly or partly of celluloid are removed from the workroom without undue delay and kept in a suitable place.

11. The occupier of a factory to which this Regulation applies shall take such steps as are necessary to prevent celluloid becoming alight either as a result of coming into contact with naked lights or open fires or otherwise.

12. As regards a factory to which this Regulation applies, no person shall be allowed by the occupier to smoke in any room in the factory in which celluloid is manufactured, manipulated or stored, and it shall be the duty of the occupier to post and keep posted in every such room a notice prohibiting smoking therein and every notice posted pursuant to this Regulation shall be so placed and be in such characters as to enable it to be read easily by persons in the room.

13. Where a saw is used for cutting celluloid in a factory to which this Regulation applies, the cutting edge shall, wherever practicable, be kept constantly wet.

14. The occupier of a factory to which this Regulation applies shall ensure that adequate means for extinguishing fire, having regard to the amount of celluloid present in the room at any one time, are constantly provided in the factory for each workroom and storeroom in which celluloid is used or stored.

15. It shall be the duty of the occupier of a factory to which these Regulations apply to appoint a competent person in writing to exercise supervision with regard to the requirements of these Regulations and to enforce the observance of them and of any directions given by the occupier with a view to complying with these Regulations.

16. No person shall smoke in any room in a factory to which this Regulation applies in which celluloid is manufactured, manipulated or stored.

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 28th day of September, 1973.

MICHAEL O'LEARY,

Minister for Labour.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These regulations prescribe precautions to be taken in factories in relation to the manufacture and storing of celluloid.