Schedule XXII

PROCESS OF EXTRACTING OILS AND FATS INSOLVENT EXTRACTION

PLANTS

1. Definitions

(a) "Competent Person " is a Graduate in Mechanical Engineering or Chemical

Technology with specialized knowledge of Oils and Fats and with a

minimum experience of five years in a solvent extraction plant shall be

considered to be a competent person:

Provided further that the State Government may accept any other

qualifications, if in its opinion, they are equivalent to the qualifications

afore said;

(b) “Flame-proof enclosure as applied to electrical machinery or apparatus

means an enclosure that will withstand, when covers or other access doors

are properly secured, an internal explosion of the inflammable gas or

vapour which may enter or which may originate inside the enclosure

without suffering damage and without communicating the internal

inflammation(or explosion)to the external flammable gas or vapour.

(c) "Solvent " means an inflammable liquid such as Pentane and Hexane and

Heptane used for the extraction of vegetable oils;

(d) “Solvent Extraction Plant ", means a plant in which the process of

extracting oils and fats by the use of solvents is carried on.

2. Location and layout

(a) No solvent extraction plant shall be permitted to be constructed or

extended within a distance of thirty meters from the nearest residential

locality.

(b) A continuous wire fencing shall be provided around the solvent extraction

plant up to a minimum distance of 15 meters from the plant and the

fencing so provided shall be not less than 1.5 meters in height.

(c) No person shall be allowed to carry any matches or an open flame or fire

inside the area bound by the fencing.

(d) Boiler houses and other buildings where open flame processes are carried

on shall be located at least thirty meters away from the solvent extraction

plant.

(e) If godowns and preparatory processes are within a distance of thirty

meters from the solvent extraction plant, these shall be atleast fifteen

meters distance from the plant, and a continuous barrier wall of non-

combustible material of a height of 1.5 meters from ground level shall be

erected at a distance of not less than fifteen meters from the solvent

extraction plant so that it extends to at least thirty meters of vapour travel

around its ends from the plant to the possible sources of ignition.

3. Electrical Installation

(a) All electrical motors, electrical wiring system, the electric lamps, switches,

circuit breakers and all other electrical equipment used within the premises

of a factory where extraction of oil is being carried on with the help of

solvents shall be of flame proof construction and should be suitable for use

in areas where Hexane or similar types of solvents or vapors are likely to

exist.

(b) All metal parts of the plant and building including various tanks and

containers where solvents are stored or are likely to be present and all

parts of electrical equipment’s not required to be energized shall be

properly connected to earth so as to avoid accidental rise in the electrical

potential of such parts above the earth potential.

4. Restriction on smoking: Smoking shall be strictly prohibited within a

distance of 15 meters from the solvent extraction plant. For this purpose,

'No Smoking' signs shall be permanently displayed in the area.

5. Precautions against friction

(a) All tools and equipment including ladders, chains and other lifting tackle

required to be used in the solvent extraction plant shall be of non-sparking

type;

(b) No machinery or equipment in any solvent extraction plant shall be belt

driven unless the belt used is of such a type that it does not permit

accumulation of static electricity to a dangerous level;

(c) No person shall be allowed to enter and work in the solvent extraction

plant wearing clothes made of nylon or such other fiber that can generate

static electrical charge or wear footwear which is likely to cause sparks by

friction.

6. Fire-fighting apparatus

(a) An adequate number of portable fire extinguishers suitable for use against

flammable liquid fire shall be provided in the solvent extraction plant;

(b) An automatic water spray sprinkler system on a wet pipe or open head

deluge system with a sufficient supply of storage water shall be provided

over the solvent extraction plant and throughout the building housing such

plant.

7. Precautions against power failure

Provision shall be made for the automatic cutting off of steam in the event

of power failure and also for emergency overhead water supply for feeding

water by gravity to condensers which shall come into play automatically

upon a power failure.

8. Magnetic separators

Oil-cake shall be fed to the extractor by a conveyor through a hopper and

a magnetic separator shall be provided to remove any piece of iron during

its transfer.

9. Venting

(a) Tanks containing solvents shall be protected with emergency venting to

relieve excessive internal pressure in the event of fire.

(b) All emergency relief vents shall terminate at least six meters above the

ground and be so located that the vapors will not re-enter the building in

which the solvent extraction plant is located.

10. Waste-water

Process waste water shall be passed through a flash evaporator to remove

any solvent before it is discharged into a sump which should be located

within the fenced area but should not be closer than eight meters to the

fence.

11. Ventilation

The solvent extraction plant shall be well ventilated and if the plant is

housed in a building, the building shall be provided with mechanical

ventilation with provision for at least six air changes per hour.

12. House-keeping

(a) Solvent shall not be stored in an area covered by the solvent extraction

plant except in small quantities which shall be stored in approved safety

cans;

(b) Waste materials such as oily rags, other wastes and absorbents used to

wipe off solvent and paints and oils shall be deposited in approved

containers and removed from the premises at least once a day ;

(c) Space with the solvent extraction plant and within15 meters from the plant

shall be kept free from any combustible materials and any spills of oils or

solvent shall be cleaned up immediately.

13. Examination and repairs

(a) The solvent extraction plant shall be examined by the competent person to

determine any weakness or corrosion and wear once in every 12 months.

Report of such examination shall be supplied to the Inspector-cum-

Facilitator with his observation as to whether or not the plant is in safe

condition to work ,

(b) No repairs shall be carried out to the machinery or plant except under the

direct supervision of the competent person.

(c) Facility shall be provided for purging the plant with inert gas or steam

before opening for cleaning or repairs and before introducing solvent after

repairs.

14. Operating personnel

The operation of the plant and machinery in the solvent extraction plant

shall be in the charge of such duly qualified and trained persons as are

certified by the competent person to be fit for the purpose and no other

person shall be allowed to operate the plant and machinery.

15. Vapour detection

A suitable type of flame- proof and portable combustible gas indicator shall

be provided and maintained in good working order and a schedule of

routine sampling of atmosphere at various locations as approved by the

Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator shall be drawn out and entered in a register

maintained for the purpose.