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9 minute read
News from the H. & S.E
by apeauk
NEWS FROM THE HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE
Move to Reduce the Dangers of Acetylene
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Proposals to modify existing regulations covering the use of acetylene gas are being drafted by the Health and Safety Executive, following more than 50 accidents reported so far this year. In these, one man has died and nine have been injured. Current legislation requires the approval of the Health and Safety Executive for holding acetylene above 0.625 bar (9 psig). Users seeking this approval are asked to comply with the 21 points of guidance that have been drawn up by the Explosives Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive. The proposed regulations would formalise these pOints of guidance. 'By giving legal backing to the list of points of guidance, rather than simply making them recommendations,' says Mr Philip Jones, Inspector of Explosives with special responsibility for acetylene, 'we hope to reduce the sad tally of deaths and injuries from the misuse of acetylene.' At present no regulations exist to control the conditions of use of acetylene held below 0.625 bar (9 psig). 'But we are aware that a substantial proportion of the accidents are caused by acetylene at these lower pressures,' says Mr Jones, 'and we strongly advise that wherever possible the same installation standards should be used as apply to the higher pressures, especially those governing safeguards against flashback.' More str.ingent legislation regulate the holding and use of acetylene at pressures greater than 1.5 bar (22 psig) but this applies to only a handful of highly specialised users.
Anyone wishing to use acetylene gas in the pressure range 0.625 to 1.5 bar (9 to 22 psig) should contact the Explosives Inspectorate, Baynards H ouse, Chepstow Place, London W2 4TF, stating the circumstances of use and kas · 1ng for the list of guidance points. 1. Order in Council No. 30, 1937, made under the Explosives Acts 1875, regulates the holding of acetylene at pressures greater than 0.625 bar (9 psig).
2. The Compressed Acetylene Order 1947, amending Order in Council No.30, defines the conditions required for holding acetylene at pressures greater than 1.5 bar (22 psig).
New Advisory Council and Director for British Approvals Service for Electrical Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres The British Approvals Service for Electrical Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres (BASEEFA) is to have a new structure and membership for its Advisory Council. The Advisory Council's task will now be, formally, to advise the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission; it will alsO recommend policy and major lines of activity for the certification service to BASEEFA' s Director. It will include experts from industry with a wide range of technical experience, representing both user and manufacturing interests. Chaired by Mr Jesse Supper, C. Eng. ,F.I.E.E., Consulting Engineer and until 1975 Director of the Ministry of Defence'S Electrical Quality Assurance activities, it will also include Mr Peter Bingley of the Technical Directorate of the British StandardS Institute. All appointments are for three yea rs . lnitially.
The other members are:
Mr J.G. Heatherington Nominated bY the Lighting Industries' Federation Mr G.A. Kent Nominated by the Oil Companies Materials Association Mr V.F. Lord Nominated bY the Engineering Equipment Users' Association Mr G.D. Mason Nominated by the British Electrical & Allied Manufacturers' ASSOCiation Mr P.A. McDonald Nominated by the SCientific Instrument Manufacturers' ASsocjation Mr A.J. McMillan Nominated by
the Chemical Industries Association Mr C.E. Mills Nominated by the Fire Offices Committee !\Ir L.C. Towle Nominated by the British Industrial Measuring and Control Apparatus Manufacturers' Association Mr K.E. White Nominated by the Council of British Manufacturers of Petroleum Equipment Mr F.E.J. Wilson Nominated by the Petrol Pump Manufacturers' Association
BASEEFA, which is part of the Health and Safety Executive's Research and Laboratory Services DiviSion, is located in Buxton, Derbyshire. The Executive has appointed a new Djrector of BASEEFA, following the retirement of Mr Donald Fox. Mr Brian Hill, H.Sc., M.I.N.E., M.I.E.E., took up his appointment as Director in October. Mr Hill was previously a Deputy PrinCipal Inspector in the Executive's Mines and Quarries Inspectorate. He joined the Inspectorate in 1959 after working for the National Coal Board.
New Booklet Published on Hazards of Flammable Gas Welding
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Over the last six years, 22 people have lost their lives in accidents involving gas welding and flame cutting operations. Today the Health and Safety Executive have published a booklet setting out the precautions that should be taken in the handling of compressed flammable and oxidising gases. It also gives examples of accidents that have occurred from unsafe methods of work.
The processes covered in the booklet welding, flame cutting, heating, deposition of metal etc - are used in many types of work. They involve the supply of a flammable gas, such as acetylene, propane or hydrogen, under pressure to a blowpipe (the 'torch' or 'gun') where it is burned, usually with oxygen, to produce a high temperature flame.
Warnings are given on the possible results of Unsafe practice in 32 typical work Situations, many illustrated by brief case histories to show what can happen when problems arise. The booklet pOints out hazards ranging from fire (sparks can set nearby rags, paper or timber alight) to explosions (if cylinders of compressed gases are damaged). It gives general advice on the handling of cylinders, the design and maintenance of pipelines, and on the use of equipment. The booklet stresses that the operator must be fully trained and adequately supervised, he must know the whereabouts of the nearest fire fighting equipment and must wear appropriate protective clothing. The 19 page booklet was prepared jointly by specialists in gas welding safety from Air Products Ltd., BOC Ltd., and the Health and Safety Executive.
Commission Urge Government to Remove Crown Immunity to Legal Sanctions under Health and Safety Legislation The Health and Safety Commission have met the Secretary of State for Emnloymen t and other 'I' . ters .> InlS concerned to Dress the Commission's view that bodies, including Government Departments, should not be from improvement and 'b' tl0n prohl 1 . if notices or the risk of prosecutlon. thev failed to carry out their dutleS the Health and Safety at work
Act. The Chairman of the . . on CommlsS1 , Bi 11 Simpson, . emphaslsed to the Secretary d d of State that the Commission regar e . this speclal bodies as an ·t· of publiC POSl 10n ' nt . Governme anachronlsm. h Service Departments, the National Healt and other Crown employerS werel·th the ob required to comply Wl · ations Ig k Act in the Health and Safety at Wor But just as private employerS were. if they failed to do so there wa:h: o action Health whjch the Commission . and Safety Executlve and d coul ThiS take to require them to complY· was a thoroughly unsatisfactory d Situation. The Commission considere that the law should be changed. Representatives of the TUC 'd sal that the present position t mean that . about two million people employed by bodies has less effective protectlon under the Act than those in private employment. Moreover, individual employees of these Crown bodies were liable to prosecution although their organisations were not. Representatives
of the CBI and Local Authorities emphasised that in their view public employers needed to be placed under the same pressures to meet their obligations as other employers. It was wrong that formal legal action could be taken to put things right in a school but not in a hospital, or could be taken in a commercial shipyard but not in a naval dockyard.
The Chairman of the Commission said that they were not aware of any insuperable legal difficulty about making Crown bodies subject to the full provisions of the Health and Safety At Work Act and asked Ministers to amend the Act.
At the end of the meeting the Secretary of State asked the Commission to put forward specific proposals emphasising those areas in which the greatest difficul ties were likely to be experienced and promised that the Government would consider carefully such p r oposals. and lacquers are detailed in a Guidance Note* issued recently by the Health and Safety Executive . Although the note refers to substances defined in the Highly Flammable Liquids and Liquefied Petroleum Gases Regulations 1972 (1), the Executive believes that many of the recommendatipns are appropriate when spraying other flammable liquids. The practical advice given is aimed at all employers who carry out this process and particularly those in smaller establishments . The note gives detailed guidance on three baS'ic rules:
- the process should be separated from other factory processes; - the process should be entirely enclosed; - effective ventilation should be applied.
These precautions are necessary because 35 per cent of the paint may be lost during spraying and up to 80 per cent of the volatile solvent evaporates to allow drying to take place.
Not es 1 . On September 6, Bill Simpson told the Institute of Shops Acts Administration Annual Conference , that the immunity of Crown bodies against prosecution and other law enforcemen t acti on was out of keeping with modern thinking. He said the Commissi on asked to see Ministers t o di s cuss what could be done .
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2 . Sec t ion 48 , of the Health and Saf ety at Work Act excludes the Crown from e nforcemen t provisions, namely prosecution of the body itself and bei ng subject t o improvement and p r ohibition notices . Individual employees , however, a r e as liable to prosecution as i n t he private s e c tor. 3 . Crown bodies include Government Depar t ments , HM For ces , t he National Heal t h Se rvice and a of ot her b odies such as t he Forestry Commission , Medical Research Counci l etc . National ised industr ies are not Crown bodies .
SAFE SPRAYING OF HIGHLY FLAMMABLE
LIQUIDS
The main safeguards needed t o avoid fire and explos ion hazards and t o minimise the ri s k to health when spraying .certain paints , varnishe s The note recommends standards of booths which can be used to enclose the process, and gives detailed advice on ventilating these. When it is impracticable to use a booth, the note says: "It is essential that the room in which the spraying is to be carried out is separated from other working areas and is itself a fire resisting structure . " The note points out that any solvent vapour should be -maintained its TLV and where this is impracticable it says that it may be necessary to provide breathing apparatus. Sources of
A.highly flammable liquid will give r1se to a dangerous concentr ation of vapour s when its tempe rature is at or above flashpoint, and the liquid is exposed to ai r , says the note . However , a flammable liquid atomised by spraying at a temperat ur e lower than its flashpOint may be i gni ted by a high temper at ure ignition source of suffi cien t ener gy· The note descr ibes such sources and advise s on precauti ons . guidance on safety measur eS 1S also given under the head ings of s tor age and handling of highly flammable l iquids, cleanl ines S and smoking . "Spr .