Factories (Woodworking Machinery) Regulations, 1972

• Jurisdiction: Ireland
• Citation: IR SI 203/1972

S.I. No. 203 of 1972.
FACTORIES (WOODWORKING MACHINERY) REGULATIONS, 1972.
ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS.
PART I.
PRELIMINARY AND GENERAL
Regulation
1. Short title and Commencement.
2. Interpretation.
3. Application.
4. Exemptions.
PART II.
WOODWORKING MACHINES—GENERAL.
5. Provision and construction of guards.
6. Adjustment of machines and guards.
7. Use and maintenance of guards, etc.
8. Exception from obligation to provide guards.
9. Machine controls.
10. Working space.
11. Floors.
12. Temperature.
13. Training.
14. Duties of Persons Employed.
PART III.
CIRCULAR SAWING MACHINES.
15. Guarding of circular sawing machines.
16. Sizes of circular saw blades.
17. Limitation on the use of circular sawing machines for certain purposes.
18. Provision of push sticks.
19. Removal of material cut by circular sawing machine.
PART IV.
MULTIPLE RIP SAWING MACHINES AND STRAIGHTLINE EDGING MACHINES.
20. Multiple rip sawing machines and straight line edging machines.
PART V.
BAND SAWING MACHINES.
21. Band Sawing Machines.
PART VI.
PLANING MACHINES.
22. Limitation on the use of planing machines for cutting rebates.
23. Cutter blocks for planing machines for surfacing.
24. Table gap.
25. Provision of bridge guards.
26. Adjustment of bridge guards.
27. Cutter block guards.
28. Provision and use of push-blocks.
29. Combined machines used for thicknessing.
30. Protection against ejected material.
PART VII.
VERTICAL SPINDLE MOULDING MACHINES.
31. Construction, maintenance and mounting of cutters, etc.
32. Provision of false fences.
33. Provision of jigs or holders.
34. Design and construction of guards for protection against ejected parts.
35. Provision and use of back stops.
36. Limitation on the use of vertical spindle moulding machines.
37. Provision of spikes or push-sticks.
38. Machines driven by two-speed motors.
PART VIII.
MISCELLANEOUS.
39. Cleaning of saw blades.
40. Exhaust ventilation.
41. Revocations.
Schedule—Woodworking Machines.
S.I. No. 203 of 1972.
FACTORIES (WOODWORKING MACHINERY) REGULATIONS, 1972.
I, JOSEPH BRENNAN, Minister for Labour in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 8, 12, 25, 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 due compliance with the provisions of the Third Schedule to that Act, hereby make the following Regulations :
PART I. PRELIMINARY AND GENERAL.
	1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Factories (Woodworking Machinery) Regulations, 1972.
(2) These Regulations shall come into operation on the 1st day of November, 1972.
	2. In these Regulations—
"the Act" means the Factories Act, 1955 (No. 10 of 1955) ;
"band sawing machine" means a sawing machine designed to be fitted with a blade in the form of a continuous band or strip the cutting portion of which runs in a vertical direction, but does not include a log band sawing machine or a band re-sawing machine ;
"circular sawing machine" means a sawing machine comprising a saw bench (including a rack bench) with a spindle situated below the machine table to which a circular saw blade can be fitted, for the purpose of dividing material into separate parts, but does not include a multiple rip sawing machine, a straight line edging machine or any sawing machine in the operation of which the blade is moved towards the material which is being cut ;
"combined machine" has the meaning assigned to it by this regulation ;
"cutters" means cutters forming part of a woodworking machine to which these Regulations apply and includes saw blades, chain cutters, knives, boring tools, detachable cutters and solid cutters ;
"machine table" includes, in relation to a circular sawing machine, any frame which supports the material being cut ;
"the Minister" means the Minister for Labour ;
"planing machine" means a machine for surfacing or for thicknessing or a combined machine for both those operations (in these Regulations referred to as a combined machine) but does not include a multi-cutter moulding machine having two or more cutter spindles ;
"squared stock" means material having a rectangular (including square) cross section the dimensions of which remain substantially constant throughout the length of the material ;
"surfacing" means planing or smoothing the surface of material by passing it over cutters and includes chamfering and bevelling but does not include moulding, tenoning, rebating or recessing ;
"vertical spindle moulding machine" includes a high-speed routing machine ; and
"woodworking machine" means any machine (including a portable machine) of a kind specified in the Schedule to these Regulations which is designed or intended for use on all or any one or more of the following, namely, wood, cork or fibre board and material composed partly of any of those materials, and which is in a factory or in a premises or place to which these Regulations apply.
	3. Subject to Regulation 4 of these Regulations, these Regulations shall, except where the context otherwise requires, apply to—
(a) every factory and to every premises or place to which the provisions of Part V of the Act are applied (whether in whole or in part) by section 83, 84, 85 or 86 thereof,
(b) every process, operation or work to which provisions of the said Part V are applied by section 87, 88 or 89 of the Act.
	4. (1) The Minister may (subject to such conditions, if any, as may be specified therein) by certificate in writing, exempt from all or any of the requirements of these Regulations any factory, premises or place if he is satisfied that the safety of persons employed at the factory, premises or place, as the case may be, will not be prejudiced in consequence of granting the exemption.
(2) Where an exemption is granted under this regulation, a legible copy of the certificate, showing the conditions (if any) subject to which it has been granted, shall be kept posted in the factory, premises or place to which the exemption applies in a position where it may be conveniently read by the persons employed.
PART II. WOODWORKING MACHINES—GENERAL.
	5. (1) Without prejudice to the following Regulations and subject to Regulations 8, 33 and 34 of these Regulations, the cutters on every woodworking machine shall be enclosed by a guard or guards to the greatest extent that is practicable, having regard to the work being done, but the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply if the cutters are positioned so as to be as safe, as regards any person employed as they would be if they were so enclosed.
(2) Every guard provided in pursuance of this regulation shall be of suitable design, good construction, sound material and adequate strength for the purpose for which it is used.
(3) A person shall not make inoperative any guard, device or other safeguard provided pursuant to these Regulations on a woodworking machine.
	6. A person shall not make any adjustment to any part of a woodworking machine or to any guard thereon, while the cutters are in motion, unless the adjustment can be made without danger.
	7. (1) At all times while cutters are in motion, the relevant guards and devices required by these Regulations and all such safeguards (being safeguards other than those specified in these Regulations) as are mentioned in Regulation 8 hereof shall be kept constantly both in position and properly secured and adjusted except when, and only to the extent to which, because of the nature of the work being done, the use of any such guard, device or safeguard is rendered impracticable: provided that the foregoing exception shall not apply to the use of any guard required by Regulation 17 (2), 22 or 27 of these Regulations.
(2) Effective measures shall be taken to ensure that—
(a) all guards, devices and other such safeguards, and
(b) all spikes, push-sticks, push-blocks, jigs, holders and back stops,
provided pursuant to these Regulations are properly maintained.
(3) A person employed in a factory or in a premises or place to which these Regulations apply shall not—
(a) be required to use any woodworking machine unless the guards, devices or other safeguards provided pursuant to these Regulations are in proper position, or
(b) be required to examine, repair, clean, oil or grease any woodworking machine while it is being put in motion by mechanical power if the examination, repairing, cleaning, oiling or greasing would expose the person to risk of injury from any moving part either of the woodworking machine or other adjacent machinery.
	8. Regulations 5, 15, 20, 21, 25, 27, 29, 30 and 34 of these Regulations shall not apply to any woodworking machine in respect of which safeguards, other than those specified in these Regulations, are provided which render the machine as safe as it would be if the provisions of these Regulations were complied with.
	9. Every woodworking machine shall be provided with an efficient device or efficient devices for starting and cutting off the power to the machine ; and the control or controls of the device or devices shall be in such a position and of such design and construction as to be readily and conveniently operated by any person operating the machine.
	10. (1) There shall be provided around every woodworking machine while being used sufficient clear and unobstructed space to enable, so far as is practicable, the work being done at the machine to be done without risk of injury to any person employed.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1) of this regulation, effective measures shall be taken to ensure that materials or articles around a woodworking machine are not placed, stacked, or stored...