S.I. No. 80/1975:

FACTORIES (CHROMIUM PLATING) REGULATIONS, 1975.

FACTORIES (CHROMIUM PLATING) 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 the following Regulations.

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Factories (Chromium Plating) Regulations, 1975.

2. These Regulations shall come into operation on the 1st day of May, 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;

"bath" means any vessel used for an electrolytic chromium process or for any process subsequent thereto;

"electrolytic chromium process" means the electrolytic plating or oxidation of metal articles by the use of an electrolyte containing chromic acid or other chromium compounds;

"the Minister" means the Minister for Labour;

4. These Regulations apply in relation to every factory in which an electrolytic chromium process is carried on.

5. (1) Where as regards a particular factory in which an electrolytic chromium process is carried on the Minister is satisfied that on account of the infrequency of the occasions on which such process is carried on or other exceptional circumstances or for any other reason, all or any of the requirements of these Regulations are not necessary for the protection of persons employed in the factory, he may by certificate exempt the factory from all or any of such requirements subject to such conditions as may be specified in such certificate.

(2) Every certificate issued under this Regulation shall have effect in accordance with the terms thereof and may be revoked at any time by the Minister if he so thinks fit.

6. (1) As regards a vessel to which this regulation applies either--

( a ) an efficient exhaust draft shall be provided by mechanical means and shall operate on the vapour or spray given off from the vessel and as near as possible to the point of origin of the vapor or spray and shall prevent it from entering any room in which persons work, or

( b ) the liquids in the vessel shall be treated with a material for the suppression of spray and the temperatures of the liquids and the densities of the electric currents used shall be controlled so that there is no emission of spray from the liquids.

(2) This and the next following regulation apply to every vessel in a factory to which these Regulations apply which is a vessel in which an electrolytic chromium process is carried on.

7. (1) At every vessel to which this regulation applies a test of the efficiency of the measures taken in pursuance of Regulation 6 of these Regulations shall be carried out by an approved method at least once in every 14 days or at such other intervals as may be approved.

(2) Every test referred to in paragraph (1) of this regulation shall be carried out by a responsible person appointed for the purpose by the occupier of the relevant factory.

(3) Every appointment for the purposes of this regulation and every revocation of any such appointment shall be made by a signed and dated entry in a register kept for the purposes of this regulation.

(4) Approved particulars of a test carried out pursuant to this regulation shall be entered in the register referred to in paragraph (3) of this regulation by the person by whom the test was carried out.

(5) The register referred to in paragraph (3) of this regulation shall be kept and maintained at a factory to which these Regulations apply and shall be in an approved form and shall be available for inspection at any reasonable time by any person employed at the factory.

8. As regards a factory to which these Regulations apply, the floor of every room containing a bath shall be rendered even and impervious to water and shall be maintained in a sound condition and shall be washed down daily.

9. (1) As regards a factory to which these Regulations apply, there shall be provided and maintained in good condition for the use of all persons employed at the factory and who work at any process involving contact with liquid from a bath the following, namely,

( a ) aprons with bibs, and

( b ) in the case of persons who work at a bath, loose-fitting suitable waterproof gloves of suitable length and rubber boots or other waterproof footwear.

(2) Aprons and bibs provided pursuant to this regulation shall be of sufficient length and shall be made of suitable impermeable material.

(3) Suitable accommodation shall be provided for the storage of protective clothing provided pursuant to this regulation and adequate arrangements for the drying of such clothing shall also be provided.

10. (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 who work at any process involving contact with liquid from a bath or in a process of polishing or finishing by aid of mechanical power which involves exposure of the person to chromium oxide or other compounds of chromium, the facilities shall be immediately accessible or, where this is not reasonably practicable, conveniently accessible from the place in the factory where the bath is located or 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, a supply of suitable ointment 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 regarded as being the next higher number which is a multiple of five.

(4) The provision of paragraph (2) of this regulation requiring suitable ointment to be provided shall not apply if, but only if, every person for whom washing facilities are provided pursuant to this regulation is, while employed at the factory, kept constantly supplied with a collapsible tube containing such ointment.

11. As regards a factory to which these Regulations apply the following requisites and appliances shall be provided and maintained in the first-aid boxes to be provided and maintained under section 56 of the Act namely--

( a ) A sufficient supply of waterproof plastic wound dressings of a grade or quality not lower than the standards specified in the British Pharmaceutical Codex including any supplement thereto, being a supplement current at the date of commencement of these Regulations, or approved for the purposes of these Regulations. Each dressing shall be put up in an individual sealed pack marked clearly to indicate content, and

( b ) a sufficient supply of waterproof plastic self adhesive plaster of a grade or quality not lower than the standards specified in the British Pharmaceutical Codex including any supplement thereto, being a supplement current at the date of commencement of these Regulations or approved for the purposes of these Regulations.

The requirement of this regulation are in addition to and not in substitution for the requirements of the First Aid in Factories Regulations, 1956 ( S.I. No. 166 of 1956 ).

12. (1) A responsible person trained in first aid treatment, shall be placed in charge of each first aid box provided pursuant to the Act and to these Regulations. For the purpose of this regulation a person shall not at any time be regarded as being trained in first aid treatment unless--

( a ) he is a nurse registered by An Bord Altranais or equivalent, or

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

( c ) he has held the grade of two star private or upwards in the Army Medical Corps.

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

13. (1) As regards a factory to which these Regulations apply, arrangements shall be made--

( a ) for the inspection twice weekly by some responsible person appointed by the occupier of the factory of the hands and forearms of every person employed at the factory who works at any process involving contact with liquid from a bath, and

( b ) for a record of such inspections to be kept in a register kept for the purposes of this regulation.

(2) When, as a result of an inspection pursuant to paragraph (1) of this regulation, a person is found to have broken or inflamed skin of a hand or forearm, then for so long as his skin remains so broken or inflamed the occupier shall not allow the person to work at a process mentioned in the said paragraph (1) if the manner of working at the process could involve contact of the broken or inflamed skin with the liquid or, if the preparation of a liquid for a bath could involve such contact, to prepare such liquid.

(3) The register referred to in paragraph (1) of this regulation shall be kept and maintained at the relevant factory to which these Regulations apply and shall be in an approved form and shall be available for inspection at any reasonable time by an inspector.

14. The occupier of a factory to which these Regulations apply shall not allow a person under eighteen years of age to work at a bath.

15. There shall be kept posted in every factory to which these Regulations apply a cautionary notice as to the effects of chrome on the skin. The notice shall be kept posted in such position as to be easily read by all persons employed in the factory in any process involving contact with liquid from a bath and shall be in an approved form.

16. A person employed in a factory to which these Regulations apply shall not misuse or, without the concurrence of the occupier or some responsible person in charge of the factory, interfere with a means provided pursuant to these Regulations for the removal of vapour or spray, or with any other thing so provided.

17. It shall be the duty of a person employed at a factory to which these Regulations apply and who works at a process involving contact with liquid from a bath to wear the protective clothing provided pursuant to these Regulations and to deposit such clothing when not being worn in the accommodation provided pursuant to these Regulations for the storage thereof.

18. It shall be the duty of a person employed at a factory to which these Regulations apply and who works at any process involving contact with liquid from a bath to present himself twice in each week for the inspection of his hands and forearms in accordance with the arrangements made pursuant to Regulation 13 of these Regulations.

19. The Chromium Plating Regulations, 1942 (S.R. & O., No. 8 of 1942), are hereby revoked.

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 16th day of April, 1975.

MICHAEL O'LEARY,

Minister for Labour.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These regulations provide for the safety, health and welfare of persons engaged in electrolytic chromium processes. They prescribe measures for protecting workers against vapour or spray given off from vessels in which such processes are carried on, and require that protective clothing and washing facilities be provided for the use of persons employed.