Ordinance on Prevention of Hazards Due to Dust

(Periodical Voluntary Inspection of Local Exhaust Ventilation Systems, etc.)

Article 17.   The local exhaust ventilation system, push-pull type ventilation system and dust collector provided for by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Ordinance based on item 8 of paragraph 1 of Article 15 of the Enforcement Order of the Industrial Safety and Health Law (hereinafter referred to as the "Cabinet Order") (limited to those relating to dusty works) shall be defined as the local exhaust ventilation system and push-pull type ventilation system to be installed in accordance with the provisions of Article 4 and the proviso of paragraph 1 of Article 27 and the dust collector to be installed in accordance with the provisions of Article 10.

2.   The employer shall make a periodical voluntary inspection at least once a year of the local exhaust ventilation system, push-pull type ventilation system and dust collector stipulated in the preceding paragraph on each item of the following in conformity with the type of equipment described in each item. However, this provision shall not apply to equipment not in use for a period exceeding one year, but this shall be limited to the term during which the equipment has not been used:

(1)   Local exhaust ventilation system

a)  Wear, corrosion, dents and other damage and their degree in the hood, ducts and fan.

b)  Accumulation of dust in ducts and exhaust fan.

c)  Loosening of duct joints.

d)  Operating status of belts which link motors with fans.

e) Air suction and exhaust capacity.

f) In addition to the items listed in a) through e), other items necessary for maintaining performance.

(2) Push-pull type ventilation system

a)  Wear, corrosion, dents and other damage and its extent in the hood, ducts and fan.

b)  Accumulation of dust in ducts and exhaust fan

c)  Loosening of duct joints

d)  Operating status of belts which link motors with fans.

e)  Air supply, air suction and exhaust capacity

f)  In addition to the items listed in a) through e), other items necessary for maintaining performance.

(3)   Dust collector

a)  Wear, corrosion and breakage and their degrees in the parts of the structure.

b)  Accumulation of dust inside of the device.

c) For the filter type dust collector, breakage of the filter material and loosening at their fixing parts.

d) dust collection capacity

e) In addition to the items listed in a) through d), other items necessary for maintaining performance.

3.  The employer, before resuming the operation of the equipment stipulated in the proviso of the preceding paragraph, shall make a voluntary inspection of the equipment on each item listed in each item of the same paragraph in conformity with the type of equipment described in each item.

(Records of Periodical Voluntary Inspection)

Article 18.   The employer, upon making the voluntary inspection stipulated in paragraph 2 or 3 of the preceding Article shall make a record of the following matters and keep the records for three years:

(1)  Date of the inspection

(2)  Method of the inspection

(3)  Parts of the equipment inspected

(4)  Results of the inspection

(5)  Name of the person who made the inspection

(6)  Description of repair, etc., or adjusting steps if such steps were taken as the result of the inspection.

(Inspection)

Article 19.   When the local exhaust ventilation system, push-pull type ventilation system or dust collector stipulated in paragraph 1 of Article 17 is set in operation for the first time or after modification or repairing by disassembling, the employer shall make an inspection on each item listed in paragraph 2 of the same Article in conformity with the type of equipment described in the said each item.

(Records of Inspection)

Article 20.   The employer, upon making the inspection stipulated in the preceding Article shall make a record of the following matters and keep the records for three years:

(1)   Date of the inspection

(2)   Method of the inspection

(3)   Parts of the equipment inspected

(4)   Results of the inspection

(5)   Name of the person who made the inspection

(6)   Description of the repair, etc., or adjusting steps if such steps were taken as the result of the inspection.

(Repair, etc.)

Article 21.   The employer, if upon conducting the voluntary inspection stipulated in paragraph 2 or 3 of Article 17 or inspection stipulated in Article 19, he finds any abnormality, shall take immediately necessary measures, such as repair, etc.

(Special Education)

Article 22.   The employer shall, when he is to place workers regularly in specific dusty work, conduct special education on the following subjects:

(1)   Methods of preventing the dispersion of dust and ventilating the workshop

(2)   Management of the workshop

(3)   Method of using the respiratory protective equipment

(4)   Diseases relative to dust and supervision of health

(5)   Related laws and ordinances.

2.  In addition to the items stipulated in Articles 37 and 38 of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health (Ministry of Labour  Ordinance No. 32 of 1972, hereinafter referred to as the "Safety and Health Ordinance") and the preceding Article, other items necessary for conducting the special education described in the same Article shall be provided for by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.

(Rest Facilities)

Article 23.   The employer shall, when he is to place workers in the dusty work, provide rest facilities outside the workshop where the dusty work is carried out. However, this provision shall not apply to a case when there is an inevitable reason that the above cannot be satisfied because the workshop is located in a special place, such as a pit, etc.

2.   The employer shall provide the rest facilities stipulated in the preceding Article with an appliance which can remove dust from overalls, etc., of workers.

3.   When workers were engaged in dusty work, they shall remove dust from their overalls, etc., before using the rest facilities stipulated in paragraph 1.

(Cleaning)

Article 24.   The employer shall clean the indoor workshop where dusty work is carried out at least once a day.

2.   To remove accumulated dust, the employer shall clean periodically at least once a month the floor of the indoor workshop where dusty work is carried out, equipment, etc., and the floor (only limited to the inside of a building) of the place where rest facilities stipulated in paragraph 1 of the preceding Article are installed by using a means which does not disperse dust, such as a vacuum cleaner, washing by water, etc. However, other cleaning measures may be used when it is difficult to take means which do not disperse dust and effective respiratory protective equipment is used for each worker who is engaged in the cleaning.