Schedule VI

(See rule 84)

Manufacture and treatment of lead and certain compounds of lead

1. Application:- This schedule shall apply to all factories or parts of factories in which any of the following

operations are carried on:-

a) work at a furnace where the reduction or treatment of zinc or lead ores is carried on;

b) the manipulation, treatment or reduction of ashes containing lead, the de-silver sing of lead or

the melting of scarp lead or zinc.

c) the manufacture of solder or alloys containing more than ten per cent of lead.

d) the manufacture of any oxide, carbonate, sulphate, chromate, acetate, nitrate or silicate of lead.

e) handling or mixing of lead tetra-ethyl.

f) any other operation involving the use of a lead compound; and

g) the cleaning of work-rooms where any of the operations aforesaid are carried on.

2. Definitions:– For the purposes of this schedule-

a) “Lead Compound” means any compound of lead other than galena, which when treated in the

manner described below, yields to an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid, a quantity of soluble

lead compound exceeding, when calculated as lead monoxide five per cent of the “dry weight”

of the portion taken for analysis. In the case of paints and similar products and other mixtures

containing oil or fat the “dry weight” means the dry weight of the material remaining after the

substances has been thoroughly mixed and treated with suitable solvents to remove oil, fats,

varnish or other media.

The method of treatment shall be as follows:-

A weighed quantity of the material which has been dried at 100°C and thoroughly mixed shall be

continuously shaken for one hour, at the common temperature with 1000 times its weight of an

aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid containing 0.24 percent by weight of hydrogen chloride.

This solution shall thereafter be allowed to stand for one hour and then filtered. The lead salt

contained in the clear filtrate shall then be precipitated as lead sulphide and weighed as lead

sulphate.

b) “Efficient Exhaust Draught” means localized ventilation effected by heat or mechanical means,

for the removal of gas, vapour, dust or fumes so as to prevent them (as far as practicable under the

atmospheric conditions usually prevailing) from escaping into the air of any place in which work

is carried on. No draught shall be deemed efficient which fails to remove smoke generated at the

point where such gas, vapour, fumes or dust originate.

3. Prohibition relating to women and young persons:– No pregnant woman or young person shall be

employed or permitted to work in any of the operations specified in paragraph 1.

4. Requirements to be observed: – No person shall be employed or permitted to work in any process

involving the use of lead compound if the process is such that dust or fume from a lead compound is

produced therein, or the persons employed therein are liable to be splashed with any lead compound

in the course of their employment unless the provisions of paragraphs 5 to 13 are complied with.

5. Exhaust draught:– Where dust, fume, gas or vapour is produced in the process, provision shall be

made for removing them by means of an efficient exhaust draught to contrived as to operate on the

dust, fume, gas or vapour as closely as possible to the point of origin.

6. Food, drinks, etc. prohibited in work rooms:- No food, drink, pan and supari or tobacco shall be

brought into or consumed by any worker in any work-room in which the process is carried on and no

person shall remain in any such room during intervals for meals or rest.

7. Protective clothing:.- Suitable protective overalls and head covered shall be provided, maintained

and kept clean by the occupier and such overalls and head coverings shall be worn by the persons

employed.

8. Cleanliness of work-room, tools, etc.:- The rooms in which the persons are employed and all tools and

apparatus use by them shall be kept in a clean state.

9. Washing facilities

a) The occupier shall provide and maintain for the useof all persons employed suitable washing

facilities consisting of-

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

length to allow at least 60 cm for every ten 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

cm; or

c) at least one wash-basin for every ten persons employed at any one time, fitted with a waste pipe

and plug and having constant supply of clean water; together with, in either case, a sufficient

supply of nail brushes, soap or other suitable cleaning materials and clean towels.

d) The facilities so provided shall be placed under the charge of responsible person and shall be kept

clean.

10. Mess room or canteen:- The occupier shall provide and maintain for the use of the persons employed

suitable and adequate arrangements for taking their meals. The arrangements shall consist of the use of

a room separate from any work-room which shall be furnished with sufficient tables and benches, and

unless a canteen serving hot meals is provided, adequate means of warming the food. The room shall

be adequately ventilated by the circulation of fresh air, shall be placed under the charge of a responsible

person and shall be kept clean.

11. Cloak room.– The occupier shall provide and maintain for the use of persons employed, suitable

accommodation for clothing not worn during working hours, and for the drying of wet clothing.

12. Medical facilities and records of examination and tests.- (1) The occupier of every factory in

which the schedule applies 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-cum-Facilitator, and

b) provided to the said medical practitioner all the necessary facilities for the purpose referred to in

clause(a).

c) The record of medical examinations and appropriate tests carried out by the said medical

practitioner 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.

13. Medical Examination by the Medical Officer:-

1. Every worker employed in processes referred to in paragraph 1 shall be examined by a Medical

Officer within 15 days of his first employment. Such examination shall include test for lead in

blood and urine, ALA in urine, haemoglobin content, stippling or cells and steadiness test. No

worker shall be allowed to work after 15 days of his employment in the factory unless certified fit

for such employment by the Medical Officer.

2. Every worker employed in the said processes shall be re-examined by a Medical Officer at least

once in every 3 calendar months. Such re-examination shall, wherever the Medical Officer

considers appropriate, include testes specified in sub-paragraph (1).

3. The Medical Officer after examining a worker, shall issue a Certificate of Fitness in FORM VI.

The record or examination and 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 each

examination carried out under sub-paragraphs (1) and (2) including the nature and the results

of the tests, shall all so be entered bythe Medical Officer in 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 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 persons is unfit for work in the said processes. The person

so suspended from the process shall be provided with alternative placement facilities unless he/

she is fully in capacitated in the opinion of the Medical Officer, in which case the person affected

shall be suitably rehabilitated.

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 said processes unless the Medical Officer, after further

examinations, again certifies him fit for employment in those processes.

14. Exemption:- If the Chief Inspector-cum-Facilitator is satisfied that all or any of the provisions of this

schedule are not necessary for the protection of the persons employed, he/she may by certificate in

writing exempt any factory from all or any of such provisions, subject to such conditions as he/ she

may specify.