S.I. No. 39/1976:

FACTORIES (LEAD PROCESSES) (EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN AND YOUNG PERSONS) REGULATIONS, 1976.

FACTORIES (LEAD PROCESSES) (EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN AND YOUNG PERSONS) REGULATIONS, 1976.

I, MICHAEL O'LEARY, Minister for Labour, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 6 and 70 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 make the following Regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Factories (Lead Processes) (Employment of Women and Young Persons) Regulations, 1976, and shall come into operation on the 1st day of March, 1976.

2. (1) In these Regulations--

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

"appointed doctor" means the certifying doctor for the relevant district, or a registered medical practitioner specially appointed by written certificate of the Minister for the purposes of these Regulations;

"lead process" means any process involving the use of a lead compound which is such that dust or fume from a lead compound is produced therein, or the persons employed therein are liable to be splashed with any lead compound in the course of their employment;

"occupier" means an occupier for the purposes of the Act.

(2) For the purposes of these Regulations and of section 70 of the Act, a lead compound is any compound of lead other than galena which, when treated in the manner prescribed in the First Schedule to these Regulations, yields to an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid, a quantity of soluble lead compound exceeding when calculated as lead monoxide, five per cent of the dry weight of the portion taken for analysis.

3. These Regulations shall apply to every factory and place to which section 70 or section 90 of the Act applies.

4. The Order dated the 8th day of November, 1921 (S.R. & O., 1921, No. 1713), the Order dated the 8th day of November, 1921 (S.R. & O., 1921, No. 1714) and the Order dated the 8th day of November, 1921 (S.R. & O., 1921, No. 1715), are each hereby revoked.

5. Every woman and young person employed in a lead process shall be examined by the appointed doctor at least once in every month, and due notice of the date on which a person is to be examined pursuant to this regulation shall be given to her or him.

6. (1) Every woman and young person employed in a lead process shall be supplied by the occupier with an individual health record in the form specified in the Second Schedule to these Regulations and the appointed doctor shall enter therein the dates and results of his examinations and particulars of any suspensions from employment ordered by him pursuant to section 70 of the Act.

(2) Where the lead process is carried on in a factory, the health record shall be kept by the occupier but shall be open to the inspection of the worker concerned and shall be handed to the worker on the termination of the employment.

(3) Where the lead process is carried on elsewhere than in a factory, the health record shall be retained by the worker, and shall be produced when required by the occupier or by the appointed doctor for the purpose of carrying out his duties under the Act.

7. (1) The occupier shall provide and maintain for the use of all women and young persons employed in a lead process, suitable accommodation for clothing not worn during working hours.

(2) The accommodation so provided shall be placed under the charge of a responsible person, and shall be kept clean.

8. The occupier shall provide and maintain for the use of all women and young persons employed in a lead process and remaining on the premises during meal intervals suitable and adequate arrangements for the taking of meals. Such arrangements shall consist of the use of a room separate from any workroom, which shall be furnished with sufficient tables and chairs or benches with back rests, and unless a canteen serving hot meals is provided, adequate means of warming food and boiling water. The room so provided shall be sufficiently warmed for use during meal intervals, shall be placed under the charge of a responsible person, and shall be kept clean.

9. (1) The occupier shall provide and maintain for the use of all women and young persons employed in a lead process suitable washing facilities, comprising a sufficient supply of clean towels, soap, nail brushes and warm water, and any facilities so provided shall be adjacent to the place where the work is done.

(2) The facilities so provided shall be placed under the charge of a responsible person, and shall be kept clean.

FIRST SCHEDULE.

METHOD OF TREATMENT OF MATERIAL FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASCERTAINING THE PERCENTAGE OF COMPOUND OF LEAD PRESENT.

The method of treatment shall be as follows:--

A weighed quantity of the material which has been dried at 100°C. and thoroughly mixed is to be continuously shaken for one hour, at the common temperature, with 1,000 times its weight of an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid containing 0.25 per cent, by weight of hydrogen chloride. This solution is thereafter to be allowed to stand for one hour and then filtered. The lead salt contained in the clear filtrate is then to be precipitated as lead sulphide and weighed as lead sulphate.

GIVEN under my Official Seal this 23rd day of February, 1976.

MICHAEL O'LEARY,

Minister for Labour.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These regulations lay down requirements for the protection of the safety, health and welfare of women and young persons employed in lead processes.