XN000022-1976-03-31 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 1976

WORKERS OPERATING IN COMPRESSED AIR CONDITIONS

PROTECTED UNDER NEW REGULATIONS ******

NEW REGULATIONS LAYING DOWN SPECIFIC PROCEDURES TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS OPERATING IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF COMPRESSED AIR WILL COME INTO FORCE TOMORROW (THURSDAY).

THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (WORK IN COMPRESSED AIR) REGULATIONS, 1975 WERE APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN DECEMBER 1975.

THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR. IAN PRICE, AT THAT TIME POINTED OUT THAT WORKING IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF COMPRESSED AIR COULD BE HAZARDOUS, AND COULD CAUSE DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS.

HOWEVER, BY OBSERVING THESE REGULATIONS AND ADOPTING THE CORRECT PROCÉDURES, THESE HAZARDS COULD BE AVOIDED, HE SAID.

MR. PRICE SAID HE HAD NO DOUBT THAT CONTRACTORS WHO WOULD BE USING COMPRESSED AIR FOR THE MASS TRANSIT PROJECT WERE AWARE OF THE PRINCIPLES OF THE REGULATIONS BECAUSE THEY WERE BASED ON INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED STANDARDS.

+COMPRESSED AIR, WHICH IS AIR MECHANICALLY RAISED TO A PRESSURE HIGHER THAN THE ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE. IS REQUIRED TO KEEP OUT EXCESS WATER WHICH MAY BE ENCOUNTERED, FOR EXAMPLE WHEN TUNNELLING THROUGH POROUS ROCK OR SOIL,+ MR. PRICE WENT ON.

+UNLESS A PERSON LEAVING THE WORKING AREA ENTERS A MAN LOCK AND IS BROUGHT BACK BY CAREFULLY CONTROLLED STAGES TO THE NORMAL PRESSURE, THE COMPRESSED AIR WHICH HAS BEEN ABSORBED IN THE BLOOD, OR TISSUE FLUIDS, WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ESCAPE, WITH THE RESULT THAT BUBBLES OF GAS FORM IN THE BODY, HE SAID.

+THIS COULD CAUSE PAIN, PARTICULARLY IN THE JOINTS AND LIMBS, RANGING FROM RELATIVELY MILD DISCOMFORT TO REALLY INTENSE SUFFERING, LEADING TO COLLAPSE.+

THE REGULATIONS COVER FOUR BROAD AREAS:

* THE PROVISION OF PROPER EQUIPMENT, CONTROLLED AND

OPERATED BY TRAINED AND RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE=

* DETAILED PROCEDURE FOR DECOMPRESSION=

* PREVENTIVE MEDICINE AND HEALTH EDUCATION=

*

THE PROVISION OF SPECIAL MEDICAL SUPERVISION AND FACILITIES ON SITE IN THE EVENT OF SICKNESS.

/MR. PRICE