XN000022-1975-04-23 — Page 8

- 7

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 1975

MORE PROTECTION FOR ABRASIVE WHEEL WORKERS

******

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY APPROVED A SET OF NEW REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE PROPER AND SAFE MANNER OF USING AND MOUNTING ABRASIVE WHEELS.

THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON. IAN PRICE, TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT SUCH WHEELS COULD CAUSE DEATH OR INJURY TO WORKERS IF USED WITH INSUFFICIENT CARE OR AT TOO FAST A SPEED.

IN MOVING THE RESOLUTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (ABRASIVE WHEELS) REGULATIONS 1975, MR. PRICE URGED MORE EMPLOYERS TO SEND THEIR EMPLOYEES TO ATTEND SPECIAL TRAINING COURSES, ORGANISED BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT ON THE USE AND MOUNTING OF THE MACHINE.

HE SAID THAT IN THE EIGHT-MONTH PERIOD ENDING FEBRUARY THIS YEAR, THERE HAD DEEN 137 ACCIDENTS INVOLVING ABRASIVE WHEELS, AND INJURIES SUSTAINED VARIED FROM LACERATION OF FINGERS TO IMPAIRMENT OF VISION.

MR. PRICE SAID AN ABRASIVE WHEEL CONSISTS OF ABRASIVE PARTICLES HELD TOGETHER BY MINERAL, METALLIC OR ORGANIC BONDS, MOUNTED ON A POWER-DRIVEN SPINDLE.

+BY VIRTUE OF CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIAL, SUCH A WHEEL IS BRITTLE AND CAN BURST IF USED WITH INSUFFICIENT CARE OR AT A SPEED IN EXCESS OF THAT SPECIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

+BECAUSE OF THE HIGH SPEED AT WHICH ABRASIVE WHEELS ROTATE, FRAGMENTS FROM BURST WHEELS FLY OFF WITH THE FORCE OF A PROJECTILE AND CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES AND EVEN DEATH.

+FURTHERMORE, ACCIDENTS CAN ALSO BE CAUSED BY CONTACT WITH, OR THE ENTANGLEMENT OF CLOTHING IN, A HIGH SPEED MOVING WHEEL OR SPINDLE, HE SAID.

THE REGULATIONS, EFFECTIVE FROM JANUARY 1, 1976, GENERALLY DEAL WITH THE PERMISSIBLE SPEEDS OF ABRASIVE WHEELS AND SPINDLES, THE EXHIBITION OF NOTICES INDICATING THOSE SPEEDS, THE PROPER MOUNTING OF THESE WHEELS BY COMPETENT PEOPLE, AND THE PROVISION OF ADEQUATE SAFETY MEASURES SUCH AS GUARDS, PROTECTION FLANGES AND MACHINE CONTROLS.

IN ADDITION TO IMPOSING CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS ON PROPRIETORS OF INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS WHERE ABRASIVE WHEELS ARE USED, MR. PRICE SAID THE REGULATIONS ALSO SET OUT CLEARLY THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF EMPLOYEES WORKING ON SUCH WHEELS, THUS PROVIDING THEM WITH ADDITIONAL PROTECTION.

MR. PRICE