Schedule X

PROCESSING OF RUBBER AND PLASTIC COMPOUNDS

1. Application

The requirements of this schedule shall apply to factory or part thereof

wherein manufacture or processing of rubber and plastic compounds

iscarried on.

2. Definitions:—For the purpose of this Schedule,—

a. ‘’Processing of Rubber and plastic compounds “means breaking down,

cracking,washing,grating,mixing,refining,moulding,extruding,handling,

vulcanizing and warming rubber or plastic compounds;

b. “calendar” shall mean machine with rolls used for frictioning, sheeting

coating and spreading of rubber compounds and plastic or plastic

compounds;

c. “Injection moulding machine” shall mean a moulding machine wherein a

heat- softened rubber or plastic material if forced from a cylinder into a

relatively cool cavity, which gives the article the desired shape.

3. Installation of machines.- Rubber and Plastic Mills shall be so installed

that top of the front roll is not less than one metre above the floor or

working level, provided that in existing installations where the top of the

front roll is below this height, a strong rigid distance bar guard shall be

fitted across the front of the machine in such position that the operator

cannot reach the nip of the roller from the normal working position of the

operator.

4. Safety Devices.-

(1) (a) Rubber and Plastic Mills shall be equipped with hoppers so constructed

or guarded that it is impossible for the operators to come into contact in

any manner with the nip of the rolls or horizontal safety-trip rods or tight

wire cable across both front and rear, which will when pushed or pulled

operate instantly to disconnect the power and apply the brakes or to

reverse the rolls.

(b) Safety- trip rods or tight wire cable on rubber Mills shall extend across

the entire length of the face of the rolls and shall be located not more than

170 centimeters above the floor or working level.

(2) (a) Calendar machines shall be equipped with horizontal safety-trip rods or

tight wire across both front and rear, which will when pushed or pulled,

operate instantly to disconnect the power and apply the brakes or to

reverse the roll;

(b) Safety-trip rods or tight wire cables on calendar machines shall extend

across the entire length of the face of the rolls and shall be located not

more than 170 centimeters above the floor or working level.

(c) On each side of all calendars and near both ends of the face of the rolls

there shall be a vertical tight wire cable connecting with the bar tripping

mechanism at the top and fastened to the frame within 30 centimeters of

the floor. These cables should be positioned at a distance of not more than

30 centimeters from the face of the roll and at a distance of not less than

25 millimeters from the calendar frame.

5. Maintenance and Safety Devices:—Safety-trip rods and tight wire

cables on all rubber mills and calendars shall be examined and tested daily

in the presence of the occupier or other qualified person and if any defect

is disclosed by such examination andtest, the millor calendars shall not be

used until such defect has beenremedied. Record of such examination and

testing shall be maintained.

6. Injection Moulding Machine and Extruders:—

(1) A Suitable interlock arrangement shall be provided and maintained so that

moulds cannot be closed unless the front safety gateis fully closed and on

opening the front safety gate, the movement of moulds will stop

automatically. No access shall be available to the moulds through the

safety gate.

(2) In addition to the above, a hydraulic safety arrangement shall also be

incorporated with the front safety gate. This shall prevent the tail stock

mould plate from moving forward on opening of the front safety gate.

(3) At the rear of the machine there shall be provided either an efficient fixed

guard or a sliding gate which shall be suitably inter-locked with the

movement of the mould plates in the manner of the front safety gate as

required under (1) above so as to prevent access to the danger zone

ofthemoulds in motion from the rear.

(4) The injection unit and all other accessible parts shall be adequately

insulated or guarded and warning signs shall be displayed where hot parts

are necessarily exposed.

(5) The electrical safety of the machine shall be ensured through proper

insulation of heating elements and provision of ground fault current

breaker systems.

7. Ventilation

(1) Adequate ventilation arrangements shall be provided and maintained at all

times in the process are ferred in paragraph (1) where dangerous or toxic

or flammable or explosive dust, fumes and vapors could be present. These

arrangements shall ensure that concentrations, which are either harmful or

could result in fire or explosion, are not permitted to be built up in the

work environment.

(2) By suitable means, ventilation arrangements shall provide adequate supply

of fresh air along with the maintenance of workplace temperature without

detrimental to the health of the workers employed therein.

8. Safety Precautions.-

(1) Written safe systemof work shall be developed and followed for safety of

all workers working on the machine, mould changing and maintenance

work and all such workers shall be adequately trained and instructed in the

safe method of work before being employed.

(2) No process or work shall be carried on in such a manner as to cause risk of

bodily injury to the persons employed.

9. Personal protective equipment’s:

(1) Workers shall be provided with suitable personal protective equipment to

prevent burns from contact with hot surfaces or splatters of hot plastic and

gases.

(2) An approved breathing apparatus and protective clothing shall be

provided and maintained in good condition for use of every person

employed in process area.

10. Medical facilities and records of examination and tests

(1) The occupier of every factory to which the schedule applies, shall

a. Employ a Health Surveillance Officer for medical surveillance of the

workers employed therein.

b. Provide to the said Health Surveillance Officer all the necessary facilities for

the purpose referred to in clause (a).

(2) Workers employed in this scheduled process / operation shall be medically

examined by the Health Surveillance Officer-

(a) Once before employment, to ascertain the physical fitness of theperson

to do the particular job:

(b) Once in a period of six months, to ascertain the health status of all the

workers in respect of occupational health hazards to which they are

exposed; and in cases where in the opinion of the Health Surveillance

officer it is necessary to do so at a shorter interval in respect of any

workers.

(3) The record of the examinations referred to in sub-paragraph (2) shall be

maintained in Health Register in Form: HR which shall be kept readily

available for inspection by the Inspector-cum-Facilitator.

(4) No person shall be employed for the first time without a Certificate of

Fitness in Form: XVII granted by the Health Surveillance officer. If the

Health Surveillance officer declares a person unfit for being employed in

any process covered under sub-rule(1),such a person shall have the right

to appeal to the Inspector-cum-Facilitator who shall refer the matter to the

Medical Officer whose opinion shall be final in this regard. If the Inspector-

cum-Facilitator is also a Medical Officer, he may dispose of the application

himself.

(5) Any findings of the Health Surveillance officer revealing any abnormality or

unsuitability of any person employed in the process shall immediately be

reported to the Medical Officer who shall in turn, examine the concerned

worker and communicate his findings to the occupier within thirty days. If

the Medical Officer is of the opinion that the workers examined is required

to be taken away from the process for health protection, he will direct the

occupier accordingly, and who shall not employ the said worker in the

same process. However, the worker so taken away shall be provided with

alternate placement unless she is in the opinion of the Medical Officer, fully

incapacitated in which case the worker affected shall he suitably

rehabilitated.

(6) A Medical Officeronhisown motion or on areferencefroman Inspector-cum-

Facilitator may conduct medical examination of a worker to ascertain the

suitability of his employment in the scheduled Process/operation or for

ascertaining his health status. The opinion of the Medical Officer in such a

case shall be final. The fee required for this medical examination shall be

paid by the occupier.

(7) The worker taken away from employment in any process under sub-rule

(2) may be employed again in the same process only after obtaining the

Fitness Certificate from the Medical Officer and after making entries to that

effect inthe Health Register.