Schedule H (xxv)

MANUFACTURE OF RAYON BY VISCOSE PROCESSES

1. Definitions.-For the purposes of this Schedule-

(a) "Approved" means approved for the time being in writing by the Chief Inspector- cum-

Facilitator ;

(b) "breathing apparatus" means a helmet or face piece with necessary connection by

means of which the person using it in poisonous, asphyxiating or irritant atmosphere

breathes unpolluted air, or any other approved apparatus;

(c) "churn" means the vessel in which alkali cellulose pulp is treated with carbon disulphide;

(d) "dumping" means transfer of cellulose xanthate from a dry churn to dissolve;

(e) "efficient exhaust draught" means localised ventilation by mechanical means for the

removal of any gas or vapour, so as to prevent it from escaping into the air of any place

in which work is carried on. No draught shall be deemed to be efficient if it fails to control

effectively any gas or vapour generated at the point where such gas or fume originate;

(f) "first employment" shall mean first employment in the fume process. and shall also

include re-employment in the said process following any cessation of employment for a

continuous period exceeding three calendar months;

(g) "fume process" means any process in which carbon disulphide or hydrogen sulphide is

produced, used or given off;

(h) "life belt" means a belt made of leather or other suitable material which can be securely

fastened round the body with a suitable length of rope attached to it, each of which is

sufficiently strong to sustain the weight of a man; and

(i) "protective equipment" means apron, goggles, face shields, footwear, gloves and

overalls made of suitable materials.

2. Ventilation.-(1) In all workrooms where a fume process is carried on, adequate ventilation by

natural or mechanical means shall be provided so as to control, in association with other

control measures, the concentration of carbon-disulphide and hydrogen sulphide in the air of

every work environment, within the permissible limits.

(2) Not withstanding the requirements in sub-paragraph (1) an efficient exhaust draught

shall be provided and maintained to control the concentration of carbon-disulphide and

hydrogen sulphide in the air at the following locations-

(a) dumping hoppers of dry churns;

(b) spinning machines;

(c) trio-rollers and cutters used in staple fibre spinning;

(d) hydro-extractors for yarn cakes;

(e) after treatment processes; and

(f) spin baths.

(3) In so far as the spinning machine and trio-roller and cutters used in staple fibre spinning

are concerned, they shall be, for the purpose of ensuring the effectiveness of the

exhaust draught to be provided as required in sub-paragraph ( 1), enclosed as fully as

practicable and provided with suitable shutters in sections to enable required operations

to be carried out without giving rise to undue quantities of carbon-di-sulphide and

hydrogen sulphide escaping to the work environment.

(4) No dry churn shall be opened after completion of reaction without initial exhausting the

residual vapours of carbon-di-sulphide by operation of a suitable and efficient

arrangement for exhausting the vapours which shall be continued to be operated so long

as the churn is kept open.

(5) Whenever any ventilation apparatus normally required for the purpose of meeting the

requirements is sub-paragraphs (2), (3) and (4) is ineffective, fails or is stopped tor any

purpose whatsoever, all persons shall be required to leave the work areas where the

equipment or processes specified in the above said sub-paragraphs are in use, as soon

as possible and in any case not later than 15 minutes after such occurrence.

(6) (i) All ventilation systems provided for the purposes as required in sub-paragraphs (2),

(3)and (4) shall be examined and inspected once every week by a respon- sible

person, it shall be thoroughly examined and tested by a competent person once in

every period of 12 months. Any defects found by such examination or test shall be

rectified forthwith.

(ii) A register containing particulars of such examination and tests, and the state of the

systems and the repairs or alterations (if any) found to be necessary shall be kept

and shall be available for inspection by an Inspector-cum-Facilitator.

3. Waste from spinning machines.-Waste yarn from the spinning machines shall be deposited in

suitable containers provided with close fitting covers. Such waste shall be disposed of quickly

as possible after decontamination.

4. Lining of Dry Churns. -The inside surface of all dry churns shall be coated with a non- sticky

paint so that cellulose xanthate will not stick to the surface of the churn. Such coating shall be

maintained in a good condition.

5. Air monitoring.- (1) To ensure the effectiveness of the control measures, monitoring of carbon-

disulphide and hydrogen sulphide 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.

(2) For the purpose of the requirement in sub-paragraph (1), instantaneous gas detector

tubes shall not be used. Samples shall be collected over a duration of not less than 10

minutes and analysed by an approved method. The locations where such monitoring

is to be done shall be as directed by the Inspector cum-facilitator.

(3) If the concentration of either carbon-disulphide or hydrogen sulphide exceeds the

permissible limits for such vapour or gas as laid down in Schedule ‘G’ appended to

Section 88 of the Code and, suitable steps shall be taken for controlling the

concentration in air of such occurrence.

6. Prohibition to remain in fume process room.-No person during his intervals for meal, or rest

shall remain in any room wherein fume process is carried on.

7. Prohibition relating to employment of young persons.-No young person shall be employed or

permitted to work in any fume process or in any room in which any such process is carried on.

8. Protective equipments - (1) The occupier shall provide and maintain in good condition

protective equipment as specified in the table for use of persons employed in the processes

referred to therein.

TABLE

Process Protective Equipment

Overalls, face-shields, gloves and foot-wear-

1. Dumping

all made of suitable material.

2. Spinning Suitable aprons, gloves and footwear.

3. Process involving or likely to involve

Suitable gloves and footwear.

contact with viscose solution

4. Handling of sulphuric acid Suitable chemical goggles.

Protective equipment as may be directed by

5. Any other process involving contact with

the Chief Inspector cum-Facilitator by an order

hazardous chemicals

in writing.

(2) A suitable room, rooms or lockers shall be provided exclusively for the storage of all the

protective equipment supplied to workers and no such equipment shall be stored at any

place other than the room, rooms or lockers so provided.

9. Breathing apparatus : (1) There shall be provided in every factory where fume process is

carried on sufficient supply of-

(a) breathing apparatus;

(b) oxygen and suitable appliances for its administration; and

(c) life belts.

(2) (i) The breathing apparatus and other appliances referred to in sub-paragraph (1) shall

be maintained in good condition and kept in appropriate locations so as to be readily

available.

(ii) The breathing apparatus and other appliances referred to in clauses (a) and (b) of

sub- paragraph (1) shall be cleaned and disinfected at suitable intervals and

thoroughly inspected once every month by a responsible person.

(iii) A record of the maintenance and of the condition of the breathing apparatus and

other appliances referred to in sub-clause (1) shall be entered in a register

provided for that purpose which shall be readily available for inspection by an

Inspector cum-Facilitator.

(3) Sufficient number of workers shall be trained and periodically, retained in the use of

breathing apparatus and administering artificial respiration so that at least 2 such trained

persons would be available during all the working hours in each room in which fume

process is carried on .

(4) Breathing apparatus shall be kept properly labelled in clean, dry, light proof cabinets and

if liable to the effect by fumes, shall be protected by placing them in suitable containers.

(5) 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.

(6) 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.

10. Electric fittings.-All electric fittings in any room in which carbon disulphide is produced, used or

given off or is likely to be given off in the work environment, other than a spinning room shall be

of flame-proof construction and all electric conductors shall either be enclosed in metal conduit

or be lead-sheathed.

11. Prohibition relating to smoking etc.-No person shall smoke or carry matches fire or naked light

or other means of producing naked light or spark in a room in which fume process is carried on.

A notice in the language understood by the majority of the worker's shall be posted in

prominent locations in the plant prohibiting smoking and carrying of matches, fire or naked light

or other means of producing naked light or spark into such rooms:

Provided that fire, naked light or other means of producing naked light or spark may be

carried on in such room only when required for the purposes of the process itself under the

direction of a responsible person.

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 25 persons employed.

(2) The washing places shall have standpipes placed at intervals of less than one meter.

(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-cum-facilitator.

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

13. Rest room.-(1) A rest room shall be provided for the workers engaged in doffing operations of

filament yarn spinning process.

(2) Such a rest room shall be provided with fresh air supply and adequate seating

arrangement.

14. Cautionary notice and instructions.-

(1) The following cautionary notice shall be prominently displayed in each fume process

room.

Cautionary Notice

1. Carbon-disulphide (C; S) and Hydrogen sulphide (H; S) which may be present in

this room are hazardous to health.

2. Follow safety instructions.

3. Use protective equipment and breathing apparatus as and when required.

4. Smoking is strictly prohibited in this area.

This notice shall be in a language understood by the majority of the workers and

displayed where it can be easily and conveniently read. If any worker is illiterate,

effective steps shall be taken to explain carefully to him the contents of the notice so

displayed.

(2) Arrangements shall be made to instruct each worker employed in any room in which a

fume process is carried on regarding the health hazards connected with their work and

the preventive measures and methods to protect themselves. Such instructions shall be

given on his first employment and repeated periodically.

(3) Simple and special instructions shall be framed to ensure that effective measures will be

carried out in case of emergency involving escape of carbon disulphide and hydrogen

sulphide. These instructions shall be displayed in the concerned areas and workers shall

be instructed and trained in the actions to be taken in such emergencies.

15. Medical facilities and records of examinations and tests.-(1) The occupier of each factory to

which this Schedule applies, shall-

(a) employ a Factory medical officer for medical surveillance of the workers employed

in the fume process whose employment shall be subject to the approval of the

Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator; and

(b) provide to the said Medical officer all the necessary facilities for the purpose

referred to in clause (a).

(2) The record of medical examination and appropriate tests carried out by the said medical

officer shall be maintained in a separate register approved by the Chief Inspector cum

facilitator, which shall be kept readily available for inspection by the Inspector-cum-

Facilitator.

16. Medical examination by the factory medical officer.-(1) Every worker employed in the fume

process shall be examined by a factory medical officer within 15 days of his first employment.

Such examinations shall include tests for estimation of exposure coefficient (Iodine Azide Test

on urine), and cholesterol as well as Electrocardiogram (ECG) and Central Nervous System

(CNS) tests. 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 Factory Medical Officer.

(2) Every worker employed in the fume process shall be re-examined by a Factory Medical

Officer at least once in every twelve calendar months. Such examination shall, wherever

the Factory Medical Officer considers appropriate, include all the tests as specified in

sub- paragraph (1).

(3) The Factory Medical Officer after examining a worker, shall issue a Certificate of Fitness

in Form XXXIII. The record of 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 cash examination carried out under sub-paragraphs (1) and (2), including

the nature and the results of the tests, shall also be entered by the Factory Medical

Officer in a Health Register in Form V.

(4) The Certificate of Fitness and the Health Register shall be kept readily available for

inspection by the Inspector cum facilitator.

(5) If at any time the Factory Medical Officer or Medical Officer is of opinion that a worker is

no longer fit for employment in the fume process 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 for work in the fume process.

(6) No person who has been found unfit to work as said in sub-paragraph (5) above shall be

re-employed or permitted to work in the fume process unless the Medical Officer, after

further examination again certifies him fit for employment in such process.

17. Exemption : If in respect of any factory, the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator is satisfied that

owing to the exceptional circumstance 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-cum-Facilitator in may be a certificate in writing, which he may at

his discretion revoke at any time, exempt such factory form all or any of such provisions subject

to such conditions, if any, as he may specify therein.