In this article we will discuss about the safety rules for accident prevention in factories.
1. Fencing of Machinery:
In every factory, all dangerous parts of machinery such as flying wheels of prime mover and transmission machinery should be guarded securely and the guards kept in position wherever the parts thus guarded are in motion. Only in very exceptional circumstances as laid down in Section 22, working on or approaching of dangerous parts is permitted. These are not for the purpose of ordinary oiling or cleaning, but only where examination, adjustment, lubrication, etc. of such parts in motion becomes absolutely necessary.
Only specially trained adult male workers wearing tight fitting clothing should be employed on such jobs. Some of the State Governments have also framed rules specifying a few continuous processes where the machinery in motion could be attended to, adjusted, lubricated, etc., while in motion without guards.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Women and young persons (below 18 years) should not be employed on cleaning, lubricating or adjusting any part of a prime mover or any part of transmission machinery while these parts are in motion. They should also not be employed in cleaning, lubricating or adjusting any machine if they are exposed to the risk of injury from moving parts of that machine or any adjacent machinery.
Employment of Young Persons on Dangerous Machines No young person should be employed on any of the machines which are notified by State Governments under Section 23, unless he has been sufficiently trained for working at the machine and is working under adequate supervision of a person who has a thorough knowledge and experience of the machine.
2. Striking Gear, etc.
Suitable striking gear or other efficient mechanical appliance should be provided to move driving belts to and from fast and loose pulleys which form part of transmission machinery. They should be so constructed and maintained as to prevent the belt from creeping back on to the fast pulley. In every workroom suitable arrangements for cutting off electric power to running machinery should be provided.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
3. Self-Acting Machine:
No traversing part of a self-acting machine should be allowed to run within a distance of 45 cm from any fixed structure which is not part of the machine.
4. Casing of New Machines:
Section 26 prohibits sale or letting on hire of machinery without guarding some of the dangerous parts as indicated below:
5. Employment of Women and Children near Cotton Openers:
Women and children should not be employed in any cotton pressing factory near cotton-openers. If the feed-end of the cotton opener is in a room separated from the delivery and by a partition extending to the room, women and children can be employed on the side of the partition where the feed-end is situated.
6. Hoists and Lifts:
All hoists and lifts should be of sound mechanical construction, sound material and adequate strength. They should be thoroughly examined by a competent person at least once in every six months and the prescribed register maintained giving the particulars of examination.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
The hoist-way or lift-way should be protected by an enclosure fitted with gates. The design should be such as to avoid any person or thing being trapped between any part of the hoist or lift and any fixed or moving part. The maximum safe working load should be plainly marked on every hoist or lift, which should never be exceeded.
The cage should have gates on all the sides giving access to landings and these gates should be so interlocked that the gates cannot be opened except when the cage is at the landing and that the cage cannot be moved unless the gates are closed. The hoists and lifts should also have following additional safeguards.
Where the cage is supported by rope chain, there should be atleast two ropes or chains separately connected with the cage and balance weight. Each of these ropes or chains should be able to take the safe working load. Further, efficient devices are also to be provided for preventing over-running of the cage and also arresting its fall in case of breakage of the ropes or chains.
7. Lifting Machines, Chains, Ropes and Lifting Tackles:
ADVERTISEMENTS:
All lifting machines, chains, ropes and lifting tackles should be of good construction, sound material and adequate strength and free from defects. None of these except fibre ropes and fibre rope slings should be taken into use for the first time in any factory or after unless it has been tested and thoroughly examined by a competent person and the certificate of such test and examination is available.
Similar testing and thorough examination by a competent person is also necessary before any of the above mentioned machines or gear is taken into use after it has been lengthened, altered or repaired.
The lifting machines, chains, ropes and lifting tackles including fibre ropes and fibre rope slings should be maintained in good condition and the above mentioned thorough examination repeated atleast once in every 12 months. In the case of jib cranes an automatic indicator of safe working load at each angle of the jib or an automatic indicator of the angle of the jib and a table showing the safe working loads at different angles should be provided.
The safe working load of each lifting machine, chain, rope or lifting tackle should be clearly marked on it and where this is not practicable, a table showing the safe working load of every kind and size of these equipments is to be displayed in prominent positions.
Further, such tables giving such information relating to chains, ropes and lifting tackles and also information on safe working loads of the multiple slings and different angles of the legs are to be displayed in prominent places in stores or other places where they are generally kept. The safe working load should never be exceeded.
Rails on which a travelling crane moves and tracks on which the carriage of a transporter or runway moves, shall be of proper size and strength and have an even running surface. They should be properly laid and maintained. While persons are employed or working on or near the wheel tracks by the crane, effective measures should be taken to ensure that the crane does not approach within 6 metres of that place.
All chains and lifting tackle except those given below under ‘exceptions’ should be effectively annealed under the supervision of a competent person at the intervals indicated:
8. Revolving Machinery:
At every grinding machine, there should be a notice displayed indicating the following:
(i) Maximum safe working, peripheral speed of the grinding wheel.
(ii) Speed of the shaft or the spindle of the wheel.
(iii) Diameter of the pulley on the shaft or spindle. The speed indicated should never be exceeded.
Effective measures should be taken to ensure that the safe working peripheral speeds of revolving machinery such as vessels, cages, baskets, flywheels, pulleys, discs, etc. are not exceeded.
9. Pressure Plant:
Plants or machinery operated at pressure greater than atmospheric pressure should be of a good construction, sound material, adequate strength and free from patent defects.
Each pressure plant should be fitted with:
(i) A safety valve,
(ii) A pressure gauge with a red mark at the safe working pressure,
(iii) A stop valve, wherever necessary, to prevent the safe working pressure of the vessel being exceeded.
All pressure plants should be properly maintained and thoroughly examined by a competent person as follows:
(i) Externally — Every six months
(ii) Internally — Every twelve months
(iii) Hydraulically — Every four years.
If thorough internal examination is not possible due to the construction of the vessel, a hydraulic test is to be carried out instead, every 2 years. In the case of vessels in continuous processes, the internal examination can be done once in every four years.
Sizing cylinders made of copper or any other non-ferrous metals are exempted from the requirement of hydraulic test subject to compliance with certain other provisions laid down in the rules. Results of thorough examination shall be maintained in the prescribed form.
No pressure vessel should be taken into use unless a certificate showing the safe maximum pressure of the vessel and the detail of the tests carried out, has been obtained from the maker or a competent person. After alterations and repairs, a pressure vessel should not be used, till it is thoroughly examined by a competent person.
10. Floors, Stairs and Means of Access:
All floors, steps, stairs, passages and gangways should be of sound construction and properly maintained, and where necessary, steps, stairs, passages and gangways should be provided with substantial hand rails. There should be safe means of access to every place at which persons are required to work at any time.
11. Pits, Pumps and Openings in Floors:
Every fixed vessels, pumps, tank, pit or opening in the ground or in the floor, which due to its depth, situation, construction, or contents, is likely to be a source of danger, should be securely covered and fenced.
12. Excessive Weights:
No person should be allowed to lift, carry or move any load which is so heavy as is likely to cause him injury. The maximum loads that may be lifted, moved or carried by women and young persons have been laid down under the rules.
These are:
Adult female — 30 kgs.
Adolescent male — 30 kgs.
Adolescent female — 20 kgs.
Male child — 16 kgs.
Female child — 13 kgs.
13. Protection of Eyes:
Rules framed under Section 35 require that effective screens or suitable goggles should be provided for the protection of persons employed in or close to the following processes:
(i) Risk of Injury to Eyes from Flying Particles:
(a) Dry grinding of metals of articles of metal applied by hand to a revolving wheel or disc driven by power.
(b) Turning of non-ferrous metals or of cast iron.
(c) Welding or cutting of metals by means of electric oxyacetylene or similar processes.
(d) Fitting of metals involving the removal of metal.
(e) Cutting out or cutting off cold rivets or bolts.
(f) Chipping or scaling of boilers or ship plates.
(g) Breaking or dressing of stones, concrete or slag.
(ii) Risk of Exposure to Excessive Light:
(a) Welding or cutting of metals by means of electric oxyacetylene or similar processes.
(b) All processes in connection with glass melting furnaces.
14. Precautions against Dangerous Fumes:
No person should be allowed to enter any chamber, tank, vat pit, pipe, duct or other confined space in which dangerous ‘fumes’ are likely to be present to such an extent as to involve risk to persons, unless it is provided with a manhole of adequate size. No person should be allowed to enter any confined space referred to until all practicable measures have been taken to remove any fumes which may be present and to prevent ingress of fumes.
Further, it is also necessary before a person is permitted to enter such a space that either:
(i) A certificate in writing should have been given by a competent person based on a test carried out by him that the space is free from dangerous fumes and fit for persons to enter, or
(ii) The worker is wearing a suitable breathing apparatus and a belt attached to a rope, the free end of which is held by a person standing outside the confined space.
Suitable breathing apparatus, reviving apparatus and belt and ropes should be kept ready for use near any such confined space where any person has entered. Such equipment should be examined and certified fit for use by a competent person periodically.
Sufficient number of persons should be trained and practised in use of such equipment, and in the method of reviving and respiration. No person shall be permitted to enter any boiler furnace, boiler flue, chamber, tank, vat, pipe or other confined space until it has been sufficiently cooled by ventilation or otherwise made safe for persons to enter.
15. Explosive or Inflammable Dust, Gas, etc.,:
Wherever the manufacturing process produces dust, gas, fume or vapour of such character and to such extent as is likely to explode on ignite, all practicable precautions should be taken to prevent explosion by:
(i) Effective enclosure of the plant or machinery.
(ii) Removal or prevention of accumulation of such inflammable dust, gases, etc.
(iii) Exclusion or effective enclosure of all possible sources of ignition.
Wherever necessary, measure should be taken to restrict the spread and effect of the possible explosion by the provision in the plant and machinery of baffles, vents or other effective appliances. Section 37 further lays down the precautions in opening parts of any plant or machinery which may contain explosive or inflammable gas or vapour under pressure.
No plant, tank or vessel which contains or has contained any explosive or inflammable substance should be subject to any welding, brazing, soldering or cutting operation involving the application of heat unless adequate measures may have been taken either:
(i) To remove such substances and any fumes arising from it, or to render such substances and fumes non-explosive or non-inflammable.
(ii) No such substance should be allowed to enter such plant, tank or vessel after any such operation until the metal has been sufficiently cooled.
16. Precautions in Case of Fire:
There should be adequate means of escape in every factory in case of fire, for the persons employed. Every room should have sufficient number of such exits so positioned that all the persons will have a reasonably free and unobstructed passage from his working place to the exits. No exit should be less than 1 m x 2 m in size. These exits shall not be kept locked or fastened and should open outwards unless they are of the sliding type.
Requirement regarding stairways are summarised below:
Each stairway which affords a means of escape should have hand-rail on each of the open side.
In the case of factories registered after 1.4.1949, the following additional requirements would apply. Fire escape stairway shall be at an angle greater than 45° from the horizontal. No part of the factory building should be farther than 45 metre feet from any fire escape stairway. No stairway be less than 1.2 m in width.
In every factory there should be provided effective and clearly audible means of giving warning in the case of fire.
In factories employing more than 20 persons above the ground floor or wherein explosive or highly inflammable materials are used or stored, all workers should be made familiar with the means of escape in case of fire and also trained in the routine to be followed in such cases.
Rules framed under Section 38 read with 112, lay down the scale and type of fire-fighting equipment as well as water supply to be provided in factories. These equipment should be in the charge of a trained officer who should also be responsible for their maintenance and upkeep.
17. Other Safety Provisions:
Under Section 21, rules have been framed specifying the special safeguards to be provided and the safety precautions to be adopted in respect of the following:
(i) Cotton textile machinery,
(ii) Cotton ginning machinery,
(iii) Wood working machinery,
(iv) Rubber mills.
Under Section 87, the following processes have been declared as dangerous operations and special rules detailing the various important measures for ensuring the safety and health of the employees employed on those processes have been framed.
(i) Manufacture of aerated water and processes incidental thereto.
(ii) Electrolytic plating or oxidation of metal articles by use of an electrolyte containing chromic acid or other chromium compounds.
(iii) Manufacture and repair of electric accumulators.
(iv) Glass manufacture.
(v) Grinding or glazing of metals.
(vi) Manufacture and treatment of lead and certain compounds of lead.
(vii) Generating petrol gas from petrol.
(viii) Cleaning or smoothing, roughening, etc., of articles, by a jet of sand, metal shot, or grit, or other abrasive propelled by a blaster compressed air.
(ix) Diming and tanning of raw hides and skins and processes incidental thereto.
(x) Printing presses and type foundries, certain lead processes carried therein.
(xi) Manufacture of pottery.
(xii) Chemical works.
(xiii) Manufacture of articles from refractory materials.
(xiv) Handling and processing of asbestos, manufacture of any articles or asbestos and any other process of manufacture or otherwise in which asbestos is used in any form.
(xv) Handling and manipulating corrosive substances.
(xvi) Processing of cashew nut.
(xvii) Compression of oxygen and hydrogen produced by the electrolysis of water.
Notification of Accidents, Poisoning or Occupational Diseases:
Accidents are reportable as follows:
Causes of poisoning or occupational diseases are reportable as under:
