Factories (Abrasive Blasting of Surfaces) Regulations, 1974

• Jurisdiction: Ireland
• Citation: IR SI 357/1974
• Year: 1974

S.I. No. 357 of 1974.

FACTORIES (ABRASIVE BLASTING OF SURFACES) REGULATIONS, 1974.

I, MICHAEL O'LEARY, Minister for Labour, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 6 , 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 ), hereby, after consultation with the Minister for Health, and after due compliance with the provisions of the Third Schedule to that Act, make as special regulations the following regulations: 1. These Regulations may be cited as the Factories (Abrasive Blasting of Surfaces) Regulations, 1974, and shall come into operation on the 1st day of January, 1975. 2. In these Regulations—

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

"approved" means approved for the time being by the Minister;

"blasting" means the cleaning, smoothing, roughening, or removing of part of any surface by the use as an abrasive of a jet of sand, metal shot, or grit or other material, propelled by a blast of compressed air or steam or by a wheel;

"blasting enclosure" means a chamber, barrel, cabinet or other similar enclosure designed for the performance of blasting therein, or any enclosure in which blasting is done;

"blasting chamber" means a blasting enclosure into which persons enter;

"cleaning of castings" means, where done as an incidental or supplemental process in connection with the making of metal castings, the freeing of the castings from adherent sand or other substances and includes the removal of cores and the general smoothing of the castings where such freeing is done, but does not include the freeing of castings from scale formed during annealing or heat treatment;

"the Minister" means the Minister for Labour. 3. Subject to the provisions of Regulation 4 of these Regulations—

( a ) Regulations 5 to 11 of these Regulations shall apply to all factories, and to all premises, places, processes, operations and works in which blasting is done and to which the provisions of Part V of the Act in relation to special regulations for safety and health are applied by sections 83, 86, 87, 88 and 89 of the Act.

( b ) Regulation 12 of these Regulations shall apply to all premises, places, processes, operations and works to which the provisions of Part V of the Act in relation to special regulations for safety and health are applied by sections 83, 86, 87, 88 and 89 of the Act.

( c ) Regulations 13 to 19 of these Regulations shall apply in relation to blasting in any factory in or incidental to the cleaning of castings. 4. (1) If the Minister is satisfied that the use of sand or other substance containing free silica as an abrasive in blasting is necessary for a particular manufacture or process (other than a process incidental or supplemental to the making of metal castings) in any factory or premises of any specified class or description he may, by certificate in writing (which he may in his discretion revoke at any time), in relation to that manufacture or process, exempt that factory or premises of that class or description to which the provisions of the Act apply by virtue of sections 83, 86, 87, 88 and 89 of the Act from the application of Regulations 5 to 11 of these Regulations either absolutely or subject to such conditions as may be specified in the certificate.

(2) If the Minister is satisfied in respect of any factory or premises of any specified class or description to which the provisions of the Act apply by virtue of sections 83, 86, 87, 88 and 89 of the Act that, owing to the special conditions or special methods of work or otherwise; and requirement of these Regulations can be suspended or relaxed without danger to the health of the persons employed, or that the application of any such requirement is for any reason impracticable or inappropriate, he may, by certificate in writing...