Schedule – XIV

Handling and processing of Asbestos, manufacture of any article of Asbestos and any other process of manufacture or otherwise in which Asbestos is used in any form.

1. Application - This schedule shall apply to all factories or parts of factories in which any of the following processes is carried on :-

(a) breaking, crushing, disintegrating, opening, grinding, mixing or sieving of asbestos and any other processes involving handling and manipulation of asbestos incidental thereto;

(b) all processes in the manufacture of asbestos textiles including preparatory and finishing processes;

(c) making of insulation slabs or sections, composed wholly or partly of asbestos, and processes incidental thereto;

(d) making or repairing of insulating mattresses, composed wholly or partly of asbestos, and processes incidental thereto;

(e) manufacture of asbestos cardboard and paper;

(f) manufacture of asbestos cement goods;

(g) application of asbestos by spray method;

(h) sawing, grinding, turning, abrading and polishing in dry state of articles composed wholly or partly of asbestos;

(i) cleaning of any room, vessel, chamber, fixture or appliance for the collection of asbestos dust; and

(j) any other processes in which asbestos dust is given off into the work environment.

2. Definition - For the purpose of this Schedule -

(a) “asbestos” means any fibrous silicate mineral and any admixture containing actionlite, amosite, anthophyllite, dhrysotile, crocidolite, tremolite or any mixture thereof, whether crude, crushed or opened;

(b) “asbestos textiles” means yarn or cloth composed of asbestos or asbestos mixed with any other material;

(c) “approved” means approved for the time being in writing by the Chief Inspector;

(d) “breathing apparatus” means a helmet or face piece with necessary connection by means of which a person using it breathes air free from dust, or any other approved apparatus;

(e) “efficient exhaust draught” means a localised ventilation by mechanical means for the removal of dust so as to prevent dust from escaping into air of any place in which work is carried on. No draught shall be deemed to be efficient which fails to control dust produced at the point where such dust originates;

(f) “preparing” means crushing, disintegrating, and any other processes in or incidental to the opening of asbestos;

(g) “protective clothing” means overalls and head covering, which (in either case) will when worn exclude asbestos dust.

3. Tools and equipment - Any tools or equipment used in processes to which this schedule applies shall be such that they do not create asbestos dust above the permissible limit or are equipped with efficient exhaust draught.

4. Exhaust draught -

(1) An efficient exhaust draught shall be provided and maintained to control dust from the following processes and machines :

(a) manufacture and conveying machinery namely -

(i) preparing, grinding, or dry mixing machines;

(ii) carding, card waste and ring spinning machines, and looms;

(iii) machines or other plant fed with asbestos;

(iv) machines used for the sawing, grinding, turning, drilling, abrading or polishing; in the dry state, of articles composed wholly or partly of asbestos;

(b) cleaning, and grinding of the cylinders or other parts of a carding machine;

(c) chambers, hoppers or other structures into which loose asbestos is delivered or passes;

(d) work-benches for asbestos waste sorting or for other manipulation or asbestos by hand;

(e) workplaces at which the filling or emptying of sacks, skips or other portable containers, weighing or other process incidental thereto which is effected by hand, is carried on;

(f) sack cleaning machines;

(g) mixing and blending of asbestos by hand; and

(h) any other process in which dust is given off into the work environment.

(2) Exhaust ventilation equipment provided in accordance with sub-paragraph (1) shall, while any work of maintenance or repair to the machinery, apparatus or other plant or equipment in connection with which it is provided is being carried on, be kept in use so as to produce an exhaust draught which prevents the entry of asbestos dust into the air of any work place.

(3) Arrangements shall be made to prevent asbestos dust discharged from exhaust apparatus being drawn into the air of any workroom.

(4) The asbestos bearing dust removed from any workroom by the exhaust system shall be collected in suitable recepticles or filter bags which shall be isolated from all work areas.

5. Testing and examination of ventilating systems -

(1) All ventilating systems used for the purpose of extracting or suppressing dust as required by this schedule shall be examined and inspected once every week by a responsible person. It shall be thoroughly examined and tested by a competent person once in every period of 12 months. Any defects found by such examinations or test shall be rectified forthwith.

(2) A register containing particulars of such examination and tests and the state of the plant and the repairs or alternations (if any) found to be necessary shall be kept and shall be available for inspection by an Inspector.

6. Segregation in case of certain process - Mixing or blending of asbestos by the hand, or making or repairing of insulating mattresses composed wholly or partly of asbestos shall not be carried on in any room in which any other work is done.

7. Storage and distribution of loose asbestos -

(1) All sacks used as receptacles for the purpose of transport of asbestos within the factory shall be constructed of impermeable materials and shall be kept in good repair.

(2) A sack which has contained asbestos shall not be cleaned by hand beating but by a machine, complying with paragraph 4.

9. Maintenance of floors and workplaces -

(1) In every room in which any of the requirements of this schedule apply –

(a) the floors, work-benches, machinery and plant shall be kept in a clean state and free from asbestos debris and suitable arrangements shall be made for the storage of asbestos not immediately required for use; and

(b) the floors shall be kept free from any materials, plant or other articles not immediately required for the work carried on in the room, which would construct the proper cleaning of the floor.

(2) The cleaning as mentioned in sub-rule (1) shall so for as is practicable, as carried out by means of vacuum cleaning equipment so designed and constructed and so used that asbestos dust neither escapes nor is discharged into the air of any work place.

(3) When the cleaning is done by any method other than that mentioned in sub-paragraph (2), the persons doing cleaning work and any other person employed in that room shall be provided with respiratory protective equipment and protective clothing.

(4) The vacuum cleaning equipment used in accordance with provisions of sub-paragraph (2), shall be properly maintained and after each cleaning operation, its surfaces kept in a clean state and free from asbestos waste and dust.

(5) Asbestos waste shall not be permitted to remain on the floors or other surfaces at the work place at the end of the working shift and shall be transferred without delay to suitable receptacles. Any spillage of asbestos waste occurring during the course of the work at any time shall be removed and transferred to the receptacles maintained for the purpose without delay.

10. Breathing apparatus and protective clothing -

(1) An approved breathing apparatus and protective clothing shall be provided and maintained in good conditions for use of every person employed -

(a) in chambers containing loose asbestos;

(b) in cleaning, dust settling or filtering chambers of apparatus;

(c) in cleaning the cylinders, including the defer cylinders, or other parts of a carding machine by means of hand-strikes;

(d) in filling, beating , or levelling in the manufacture or repair of insulating mattresses; and

(e) in any other operation or circumstances in which it is impracticable to adopt technical means to control asbestos dust in the work environment within the permissible limit.

(2) Suitable accommodation in conveniently accessible position shall be provided for the use of persons when putting on or taking off breathing apparatus and protective clothing provided in accordance with this rule and for the storage of such apparatus and clothing when not in use.

(3) All breathing apparatus and protective clothing Washing not in use shall be stored in the accommodation provided in accordance with sub-rule (2) above.

(4) All protective clothing in use shall be de-dusted under an efficient exhaust draught or by vacuum cleaning and shall be washed at suitable intervals. The cleaning schedule and procedure should be such as to ensure the efficiency in protective the wearer.

(5) All breathing apparatus shall be cleaned and disinfected at suitable intervals and thoroughly inspected once every month by a responsible person.

(6) A record of the cleaning and maintenance and of the condition of the breathing apparatus shall be maintained in a register provided for that purpose which shall be readily available for inspection by an Inspector.

(7) No person shall be employed to perform any work specified in sub-paragraph (1) for which breathing apparatus is necessary to be provided under that sub-paragraph unless he has been fully instructed in the proper use of that equipment.

(8) No breathing apparatus provided in pursuance of sub-paragraph (1) which has been worn by a person shall be worn by another person unless it has been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected since last being worn and the person has been fully instructed in the proper use of that equipment.

11. Separate accommodation for personal clothing - A separate accommodation shall be provided in a conveniently accessible position for all persons employed in operation to which this schedule applies for storing of personal clothing. This should be separated from the accommodation provided under sub-paragraph (2) of paragraph 10 to prevent contamination of personal clothing.

12. Washing and bathing facilities –

(1) There shall be provided and maintained in a clean state and in good repair for the use of all workers employed in the processes covered by the schedule, adequate washing and bathing places having a constant supply of water under cover at the rate of one such place for every 15 persons employed.

(2) The washing places shall have standpipes place at intervals of not less than one metre.

(3) Not less than one half of the total number of washing places shall be provided with bathrooms.

(4) Sufficient supply of clean towels made of suitable material shall be provided:

Provided that such towels shall be supplied individually for each worker if so ordered by the Inspector.

(5) Sufficient supply of soap and nail brushes shall be provided.

13. Messroom -

(1) There shall be provided and maintained for the use of all worker employed in the factory covered by this schedule, remaining on the premises during the rest intervals, a suitable mess room which shall be furnished with:-

(a) sufficient tables and benches with back rest, and

(b) adequate means for warming food.

(2) The mess room shall be placed under the charge of a responsible person and shall be kept clean.

14. Prohibition of employment of young persons - No young person shall be employed in any of the process covered by this schedule.

15. Prohibition relating to smoking - No person shall smoke in any area where processes covered by this schedule are carried on. A notice in the language understood by majority of the workers shall be posted in the plant prohibiting smoking at such areas.

16. Cautionary notices -

(1) Cautionary notices shall be displayed at the approaches and along the perimeter of every asbestos processing area to warn all persons regarding -

(a) hazards to health from asbestos dust,

(b) need to use appropriate protective equipment,

(c) prohibition of entry to unauthorised persons, or authorised persons but without protective equipment.

(2) Such notices shall be in the language understood by the majority of the workers.

17. Air monitoring - To ensure the effectiveness of the control measures, monitoring of asbestos fibre in air shall be carried out once at least in every shift and the record of the results so obtained shall be entered in a register specially maintained for the purpose.

18. Medical facilities and records of medical examinations and tests - (1) The occupier of every factory or part of the factory to which the schedule applied, shall-

(a) employ a qualified medical practitioner for medical surveillance of the workers covered by this schedule whose employment shall be subject to the approval of the Chief Inspector of Factories;

(b) provide to the said medical practitioner all the necessary facilities for the purpose referred to in clause(a).

(2) The record of medical examinations and appropriated tests carried out by the said medical practitioner shall be maintained in a separate register approved by the Chief Inspector of Factories, which shall be kept readily available for inspection by the Inspectors.

19. Medical examination by Certifying Surgeon -

(1) Every worker employed in the processes specified in paragraph 1 shall be examined by a Certifying Surgeon within 15 days of his first employment. Such examination shall include pulmonary function test, tests for detecting asbestos fibres in sputum and chest X-ray. No worker shall be allowed to work after 15 days of his first employment in the factory unless certified fit for such employment by the Certifying Surgeon.

(2) Every worker employed in the process referred to sub-paragraph (1) shall be re-examined by a Certifying Surgeon at least once in every twelve calendar months. Such examination shall, wherever the Certifying Surgeon considers appropriate, include all the tests specified in sub-paragraph (1) except chest X-ray which will be carried out once in 3 years.

(3) The Certifying Surgeon after examining a worker, shall issue a Certificate of Fitness in Form 23. The record of examination and re-examinations carried out shall be entered in the certificate and the certificate shall be kept in the custody of the manager of the factory. The record of each examination carried out under sub-paragraphs (1) and (2), including the nature and the results of the tests, shall also be entered by the Certifying Surgeon in a health register in Form 24.

(4) The certificate of Fitness and the health register shall be kept readily available for inspection by the Inspector.

(5) If at any time the Certifying Surgeon is of the opinion that a worker is no longer fit for employment in the said processes on the ground that continuance therein would involve special danger to the health of the worker, he shall make a record of his findings in the said certificate and the health register. The entry of his findings in those documents should also include the period for which he considers that the said person is unfit to work in the said processes. The person so suspended from the process shall be provided with alternate placement facilities unless he is fully incapacitated in the opinion of the Certifying Surgeon, in which case the person affected shall be suitably rehabilitated.

(6) No person who has been found unfit to work as said in sub-paragraph (5) shall be re-employed or permitted to work in the said processes unless the Certifying Surgeon, after future examination, again certifies him fit for employment in these processes.

20. Exemptions - If in respect of any factory, the Chief Inspector is satisfied that owing to the exceptional circumstances or infrequency of the processes or for any other reason, all or any of the provisions of this schedule is not necessary for protection of the workers in the factory, the Chief Inspector may by a certificate in writing, which he may at his discretion revoke at any time, exempt such factory from all or any of such provisions subject to such conditions, if any, as he may specify therein.