Schedule XXVII

(See rule 84) Operations in Foundries

1. Application – Provisions of this schedule shall apply to all parts of factories where any of the following

operations or processes are carried on;

a) the production of iron castings or, as the case may be, steel castings by casting in moulds made

of sand, loam, moulding composition or other mixture of materials, or by shell moulding or by

centrifugal casting and any process incidental to such production;

b) the production of non-ferrous castings by casting metal in moulds made of sand, loam, moulding

composition or other mixture of materials, or by shell mouldings, die-casting (including pressure

die-casting), centrifugal casting or continuous casting and any process incidental to such

production; and the melting and casting of non-ferrous metal for the production of ingots, billets,

slabs or other similar products, and the stripping thereof; but shall not apply with respect to–

(i) Any process with respect to the smelting and manufacture of lead and the Electric

Accumulators;

(ii) any process for the purposes of a printing works; or

(iii) any smelting process in which metal is obtained by a reducing operation or any process

incidental to such operation; or

(iv) the production of steel in the form of ingots; or

(v) any process in the course of the manufacture of solder or any process incidental to such

manufacture; or

(vi) the melting and casting of lead or any lead-based alloy for the production of ingots, billets,

slabs or other similar products or the stripping thereof or any process incidental to such

melting, casting or stripping.

2. Definitions – For the purpose of this schedule-

a) “approved respirator” means a respirator of a type approved by the Chief Inspector-cum-

Facilitator.

b) “cupola or furnace” include a receiver associated therewith;

c) “dressing or fettling operations” includes stripping and other removal of adherent sand, cores,

runners, risers, flash and other surplus metal from a casting and the production of reasonably

clean and smooth surface, but does not include (a) the removal of metal from a casting when

performed incidentally in connection with the machining or assembling of castings after they have

been dressed or fettled, or (b) any operation which is knock- out operation within the meaning of

this schedule;

d) “foundry” means those parts of a factory in which the production of iron or steel, or non- ferrous

castings (not being the production of pig iron or the production of steel in the form of ingots) is

carried on by casting in moulds made of sand, loan-moulding or by centrifugal casting in metal

moulds line with sand or die-casting including pressure die-castings together with any part of

the factory in which any of the following processes are carried on as incidental processes in

connection with and in the course of, such production, namely, the preparation of moulds and

cores, knock out operations and dressing or fettling operations;

e) “knock out operation” means all methods of removing castings from moulds, and the following

operations, when done in connection therewith namely stripping coring-out and the removal of

runners and risers;

f) “Pouring aisle” means an aisle leading from a main gangway or directly from a cupola or furnace

to where metal is poured into moulds.

3. Prohibition of use of certain materials as parting materials –

a) A material shall not be used as a parting material if it is a material containing compounds of

silicon calculated as silica to the extent more than 5 percent by weight of dry material.

Provided that this prohibition shall not prevent the following being used as a parting

material if the material does not contain an admixture of any other silica –

(i) Zirconium Silicate (Zircon)

(ii) Calcined China clay

(iii) Calcined aluminous fireclay

(iv) Sillimanite

(v) Calcined or fused alumina

(vi) Olivine

(vii) Natural sand

b) Dust or other matter deposited from a fettling or blasting process shall not be used as a parting

material or as a constituent in a parting material.

4. Arrangement and storage – For the purposes of promoting safety and cleanliness in workrooms the

following requirements shall be observed:-

a) moulding boxes, loam places, ladles, patterns, pattern plates frames, boards, box weights and

other heavy articles shall be so arranged and placed as to enable work to be carried on without

unnecessary risk;

b) suitable and conveniently accessible racks, bins or other receptacles shall be provided and used for

the storage of other gear and tools:

c) where there is bulk storage of sand, fuel, metal scrap or other materials or residues, suitable bins,

bunkers or other receptacles shall be provided for the purpose of such storage.

5. Construction of floors –

a) Floors of indoor work places in which the processes are carried on other than parts which are of

sand, shall have an even surface of hard material.

b) No part of the floor of any such indoor workplace shall be of sand except where this is necessary

by reason of the work done.

c) All parts of the surface of the floor of any such indoor workplace which are of sand shall, so far as

practicable be maintained in an even and firm condition.

6. Cleanliness of indoor work places–

a) All accessible parts of the walls of every indoor work place in which the process is carried on and

of everything affixed to those walls shall be effectively cleaned by a suitable method to a height

of not less than 4.2 meters from the floor, at least once in every period of 14 months. A record

of carrying out of every such effective cleaning in pursuance of this paragraph including the

date (which shall be not be less than 5months or more than 9 months after the last immediately

preceding washing, cleaning, or other treatment).

b) Effective cleaning by a suitable method shall be carried out at least once in every working day of

all accessible parts of the floor of every indoor work place in which the process is carried on other

than parts which are of sand; and the parts which are of sand shall be kept in good order.

7. Manual operations involving molten metal–

a) There shall be provided and properly maintained for all persons employed on manual operations

involving molten metal with which they are liable to be splashed, a working space for that operation:

(i) Which us adequate for the safe performance of the work, and

(ii) Which, so far as reasonably practicable, is kept free from obstruction

b) Any operation involving the carrying by hand of a container holding molten metal shall be

performed on a floor all parts of which, where any person while engaged in the operation shall be

in the same level:

Provided that, where necessary to enable the operation to be performed without undue

risk, nothing in this paragraph shall prevent the occasional or exceptional use of working space on

a different level from the floor, being a space provided with a safe means of access from the floor

or any person while engaged in the operation.

8. Gangways and pouring aisles –

a) In every workroom to which this paragraph applies constructed, reconstructed or converted for

the use as such after the making of this schedule and so far, as reasonably practicable, in every

other workroom to which this paragraph applies, sufficient and clearly defined main gangways

shall be provided and properly maintained which-

(i) Shall have an even surface of hard materials and shall, in particular not be of sand or have on

them more sand than if necessary to avoid risk of flying metal from accidental spillage;

(ii) Shall be kept so far as if reasonably practicable free from obstruction;

(iii) If not used for carrying molten metal, shall be at least 920 millimetres in width;

(iv) If used for carrying molten metal shall be :-

(a) Where truck ladles are used exclusively at least 600 millimetres wide than the overall

width of the ladle;

(b) Where hand shanks are carried by not more than two men at least 920 millimetres in

width.

(c) Where hand shanks are carried by note more than two men at least 1.2 meters in width

and

(d) Where used for simultaneous travel in both directions by men carrying hand shanks at

least 1.8 meters in width.

b) In work room to which this paragraph applies constructed, reconstructed or converted for use

as such after the making of this schedule, sufficient and clearly defined pouring aisles shall be

provided and properly maintained which-

(i) Shall have an even surface of hard material and shall, in particular, not be of sand or have on

them more sand than is necessary to avoid risk on flying metal from accidental spillage.

(ii) Shall be kept so far as reasonably practicable free from obstruction;

(iii) If molten metal is carried in hand ladles or bull ladles by not more than two men per ladle,

shall be at least 460 millimetres wide, but where any mild alongside the aisle are more than

510 millimetres above the floor of the aisle the aisle shall be not less than 600 millimetres

wide.

(iv) If molten metal is carried in hand ladles or bull ladles by more than two men per ladle shall

760 millimetres wide.

(v) Molten metal is carried in crane trolley or truck ladles, shall be of a width adequate for the

safe performance of the work.

c) Requirements of sub-paragraph (1) and (2) shall not apply to any workroom or part of a workroom

if, by reason of the nature of the work done therein, the floor of that workroom or, at the case may

be, that part of a workroom has to be of sand.

d) In this paragraph “workroom to which this paragraph apples means a part of a ferrous or

non-ferrous foundry in which molten metal is transported or used and a work room to which this

paragraph applies shall be deemed for the purposes of this paragraph to have been constructed,

reconstructed or converted for use as such after the making of this schedule if the construction,

reconstruction, or conversion thereof was begun after the making of the schedule.

9. Work near cupolas and furnaces - No person shall carry out any work within a distance of 4 meters

from a vertical line passing through the delivery end of any spot of a cupola or furnace, being a spout

used for delivering molten metal or within a distance of 2.4 meters from a vertical line passing through

the nearest part of any ladle which is in position at the end of such a spout, except in either case where

it is necessary for the proper use of maintenance of a cupola or furnace that work should be carried

out within that distance of that work is being carried out at such a time and under such conditions that

there is no danger to the person carrying it out from molten metal which is being obtained from the

cupola or furnace or is in a ladle in position at the end of the spout.

10. Dust and fumes–

a) Open coal coke or wood fire shall not be used for heating or drying ladles inside a workroom

unless adequate measures are taken to prevent so far as practicable fumes or other impurities from

entering into or remaining in the atmosphere of the workroom.

b) No open coal, coke or wood fires shall be used for drying moulds except in circumstances in which

the use of such fires is unavoidable.

c) Mould stoves, core stoves and annealing furnaces shall be so designed constructed, maintained

and worked as to prevent so far as practicable, offensive or injurious fumes from entering into any

workroom during any period when a person is employed therein.

d) All knock out operations shall be carried out-

(i) in a separate part of the foundry suitably partitioned off being a room or part in which so

far as is reasonably practicable, effective and suitable local exhaust, ventilation and a high

standard of general ventilation are provided; or

(ii) in an area of the foundry in which so far reasonably practicable, effective suitable lock

exhaust ventilation is provided, or where complaints with this requirement is not reasonably

practicable a high standard of general ventilation is provided.

e) All dressing of fettling operations shall be carried out -

(i) in a separate room or in a separate part of the foundry suitably partitioned of; or

(ii) in an area of the foundry set apart for the purpose; and shall, so far as reasonably practicable

be carried out with effective and suitable local exhaust ventilation or other equally effective

means of suppressing dust, operating as near as possible to the point of origin of the dust.

11. Maintenance and examination of exhaust plant–

a) All ventilation plant used for the purpose of extracting, suppression or controlling dust or fumes

shall be properly maintained.

b) All ventilating plant used for the purpose of extracting, suppressing or controlling dust or fumes

shall be examined and inspected once in every week by a responsible person. It shall be thoroughly

examined and tested by a competent person at least once in every period of twelvemonths and

particulars of the results of every such examination and test shall be entered in an approved

register which shall be available for inspection by an Inspector- cum-Facilitator. Any defect found

on any such examination and test shall be immediately reported in writing by the person carrying

out the examination and test to the occupier or manager of the factory.

12. Protective equipment–

a) The occupier shall provide and maintain suitable protective equipment specified for the protection

of workers.

(i) Suitable gloves or other protection for the hands for workers engaged in handling any hot

material likely to cause damage to the hands by burn, scald or scar or in handling pig iron,

rough castings or other articles likely to cause damage to the hands by cut or abrasion.

(ii) Approved respirators for workers carrying out any operation creating a heavy dust

concentration which cannot be dispelled quickly and effectively by the existing ventilation

arrangements.

b) No respiration provided for the purposes of clause 1(b) worn by a person shall be worn by

another person if it has not since been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

c) Persons who for any of their time:-

(i) work at a spout of or attend to a cupola or furnace in such circumstances that material there

from may come into contact with the body, being material at such a temperature its contact

with the body would cause a burn; or

(ii) is engaged in, or in assisting with the pouring of molten metal; or

(iii) carries by hand or move by manual power any ladle or mould contain molten; or

(iv) is engaged in knocking out operations involving material at such a temperature that its contact

with the body would cause a burn, shall be provided with suitable footwear and gaiters which

worn by them prevent so far as reasonably practicable risk of burn to his feet and ankles.

d) Where appropriate, suitable screens shall be provided for protection against flying material

(including splashes of molten metal and sparks and chips thrown off in the course of any process).

e) The occupier shall provide and maintain suitably accommodation for the storage and take

adequate arrangements for cleaning and maintaining of the protective equipment supplied in

pursuance of this paragraph.

f) Every person shall make full and proper use of the equipment provided for his protection in

pursuance of sub-paragraph (1) and (4) and shall without delay report to the occupier manager, or

other appropriate person any defect in or, loss of, the same.

13. Washing and bathing facilities–

a) There shall be provided and maintained in clean state and good repair for the use of all workers

employed in the foundry-

(i) a wash place under cover with either –

(a) a trough with impervious surface fitted with a waste pipe without plug and of sufficient

length to allow at least 60 centimetres for every 10 such persons employed at any one time

and having a constant supply of clean water from taps or jets above the trough at intervals

of not more than 60 centimetres; or

(b) at least one tap or stand pipe for every 10 such persons employed at any one time and

having a constant supply of clean water, the tap or stand pipe being spaced not less than

1.2 meters apart; and

(ii) not less than one half of the total number of washings placed provided under clause (1) shall

be in the form of bathrooms.

(iii) a sufficient supply of clean towels made of suitable material changed daily with sufficient

supply of nail brushes and soap.

b) The facilities provided for the purpose of sub-paragraph (1) shall be placed in charge of a

responsible person or persons and maintained in a clean and orderly condition.

14. Disposal of dross and skimming – Dross and skimming removed from molten metal or taken from a

furnace shall be placed forthwith in suitable receptacles.

15. Disposal of waste – Appropriate measures shall be taken for the disposal of all waste products from

shell moulding (including waste burnt sand) as soon as reasonably practicable after the castings have

been knocked-out.

16. Material and equipment left out of doors - All material and equipments left out of doors (including

material & equipment so left only temporarily or occasionally) shall be so arranged and placed as

to avoid unnecessary risk. There shall be safe means of access to all such material and equipment

and so far, as is reasonably practicable such access so be by roadways or pathways which shall be

properly maintained. Such roadways or pathways shall have a firm and even surface and shall, so far as

reasonably practicable be kept free from obstruction.

17. Medical facilities and records of examination and tests.-

a) The occupier of every factory to which the schedule applies shall-

(i) employs a qualified Factory Medical Officer or medical practitioner for medical surveillance

of the workers employed therein whose employment shall be subject to the approval of the

chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator of factories; and

(ii) Provided to the said medical practitioner all the necessary facilities for the purpose referred

to in clause (a)

b) The record of medical examination and appropriate test carried out by the said medical practitioner

shall be maintained in a separate register approved by the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator of

Factories, which shall be kept readily available for inspection by the Inspector-cum-Facilitator.

18. Medical Examination by the Medical Officer.

a) Every worker employed in a laundry shall be examined by a Medical Officer within 15 days of

his first employment. Such medical examination shall be allowed to work after 15 days of his first

employment in the factory unless certified fit for such employment by the Medical Officer.

b) Every worker employed in the said processes shall be re-examined by a Medical Officer at least once

in every 12 months. Such examination shall, wherever the Medical Officer considers appropriate,

include all the testes specified under sub-paragraph (1) except chest X-ray which will be once in

three years.

c) The Medical Officer after examining a worker, shall issue a certificate of Fitness in FORM-VI.

The record or examination and re-examination 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-paragraph (1) and (2) including the nature and the results of

the tests shall also be entered by the Medical Officer in health register in FORM-V.

d) The certificate of Fitness and the health register shall be kept readily available for inspection by the

Inspector-cum-Facilitator.

e) If at any time the Medical Officer 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/she 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/she considers that the said person is unfit for work in the said processes. The person so

suspended from the process shall be provided with alternative placement facility unless he/she is

fully in capacitated in the opinion of the Medical Officer in which case the person affected shall be

suitably rehabilitated.

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

or permitted to work in the said processes unless the Medical Officer, after further examinations,

again certified him fit for employment in those processes.

19. Exemption- If in respect of any factory, the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator 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-cum-Facilitator may be a certificate in writing, which he/she may at his discretion revoke at

any time, exempt such factory from all or any such provisions subject to such conditions, if any, as he/

she may specify therein.