Electrolytic plating or oxidation of metal
articles by use of an electrolyte containing acids, bases or salts of metals
such as chromium, nickel, cadmium, zinc, copper, silver, gold etc.
1.
Definitions - For
the purposes of this Schedule –
(a) “electrolytic process” means the
electrolytic plating or
oxidation of metal
articles by the use
of an electrolyte containing
acids ,bases or salts of metals
such as chromium, nickel, cadmium, zinc,
copper, silver, gold, etc.
(b)
“bath”
means any vessel used for
an electrolytic process
or for any subsequent process; and
(c) “employed “ means employed in any process
involving contact with liquid from a bath.
2.
Exhaust draught - An
efficient exhaust draught shall be applied to every vessel in which an
electrolytic process is carried on. Such draught shall be provided by
mechanical means and shall operate on the vapour or spray given off in the
process as near as may be at the point of origin. The exhaust draught appliance shall be so constructed, arranged
and maintained as to prevent the vapour or spray entering into any room or
place in which work is carried on.
3.
Prohibition relating to women and young persons
- No women,
adolescent or child shall be employed or permitted to work at a bath.
4.
Floor of workrooms - The floor
of every workroom containing a bath shall be impervious to water. The floor shall be maintained in good and
level condition and shall be washed down at least once a day.
5.
Protective devices -
(1) The
occupier shall provide and maintain in good and clean condition the
following articles of protective devices for the use of all persons employed on
any process at which they are liable to
come in contact with liquid from a bath
and such devices shall be worn by the persons concerned
(a) waterproof aprons and bibs; and
(b) for persons actually working at a bath, loose fitting rubber gloves
and rubber boots or other
waterproof footwear, and chemical goggles.
(2) The occupier shall provide and maintain for the use of all persons employed suitable accommodation for
the storage and drying of protective
devices.
6. Water
facilities -
(1) There
shall be provided and maintained in good repairs for the
use of all persons employed
in electrolytic process
and processes incidental to it-
(a) a
wash place under cover, with either-
(i) a
trough with a smooth impervious surface
filled with a waste pipe , and of sufficient length to allow at least 60cms
for every 5 persons employed at any one time, and having a constant supply of water from taps or jets
above the trough at intervals of not more than 60cms, or
(ii)
at
least one wash
basis for every five
such persons employed
at any one time, fitted with a
waste pipe and
having a constant supply of
water laid on.
(b) a
sufficient supply of clean
towels renewed daily, and soap or other suitable cleaning
material.
(2)
In
addition to the facility in sub-paragraph 1, an approved
type emergency shower with eye fountain shall be provided and maintained
in good working order. Whenever necessary, in
order to ensure continuous water
supply, storage tank of 1500 litres
capacity shall be
provided as a source of clean water
for emergency use.
7. Cautionary
placard - A cautionary placard in
the form specified below and printed in the language of the majority
of the workers employed shall be affixed
in a prominent place in the factory where it can be easily and conveniently read by the workers.
CAUTIONARY NOTICE
Electrolytic Plating
1. Chemicals handled
in this plant
are corrosive and
poisonous.
2.
Smoking, chewing tobacco, eating food or drinking, in
this area is prohibited . No food
stuff or drink shall be brought
in this area.
3.
Some of these chemicals may be absorbed through the
skin and may cause poisoning .
4.
A good wash
shall be taken before meals.
5.
Protective devices
supplied shall be used
while working in this area.
6.
Spillage of the chemicals on any part of the body or
on the floor shall be immediately
washed away with water.
7.
All workers
shall report for the prescribed medical tests regularly to protect their
own health.
8.
Medical
facilities and records of
examinations and tests.- (1) The
occupier of every factory in which
electrolytic processes
are carried on shall -
(a)
employ a qualified medical practitioner for medical
surveillance of the workers employed therein whose
appointment 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); and
(c)
maintain
a sufficient supply of suitable
barrier cream, ointment and impermeable water proof plaster in a separate box readily accessible to the workers ad used solely for
the purpose of keeping these
substances. In case cyanides are used
in the both , the box shall also contain an emergency cyanide kit.
(2)
The medical practitioner shall examine all workers
before they are employed in electrolytic processes. Such examination in case of chrome plating shall includes inspection
of hands, forearms
and nose and will be carried out once at
least in every fortnight
(3)
The
record of the examinations
referred to in sub-paragraph
(2)shall be maintained in a separate
register approved by Chief Inspector
of Factories which shall be
kept readily available for inspection by the Inspector.
9. Medical
examination by the Certifying Surgeon - (1) Every worker employed in the
electroytic processes shall be examined by a Certifying Surgeon before his
first employment Such
examination shall include X-ray
of the chest and –
(a) in
case of chromium plating
include examination for
nasal septum perforation and
test for chromium in urine;
(b)
in case of nickel platting, test for nickel in urine; and
(c)
in case of cadmium plating, test for cadmium in
urine and -2 microglobulin in urine.
(2) No worker shall be employed in any electrolytic
process unless certified fit for such employment by the Certifying Surgeon.
(3) Every worker employed in the electrolytic
processes shall be
re-examined by a Certifying Surgeon at least once in every year, except in case of the workers employed in cadmium, chromium and nickel
plating processes for whom this examination shall be carried our once in every six
months. Such re-examination shall, wherever the Certifying Surgeon
considers appropriate, include
tests as specified under
sub-paragraph (1) excluding the
X-ray of the chest which shall not be required normally to
be carried out earlier then once in three years.
(4) 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 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.
(5) The certificate
of fitness and the health
register shall be
kept readily available for
inspection by the Inspector.
(6) If at any
time the Certifying Surgeon
is of the opinion that a worker
is no longer fit for employment
in the electrolytic processes
on the ground that continuance therein would involve 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 for work in the
said processes. The person declared unfit in such circumstances shall be
provided with alternate placement facility unless he is fully incapacitated in
the opinion of the Certifying Surgeon in which
case the person affected shall be suitably rehabilitated.
(7) No person
who has been found unfit to work as
said in sub-paragraph (6) shall be re-employed or permitted to work in the said processes unless the Certifying Surgeon after
further examination, again certifies him fit for employment in these processes.
