Ordinance on Prevention of Lead Poisoning

(Special Ordinance of September 30, 1972)
(Ministry of Labour Ordinance No. 37)

Chapter IV.  Management

Section 1.  Operations Chief of Lead Work, etc.

(Appointment of Operations Chief)

Article 33.             The employer shall appoint an operations chief of lead work from among those who have completed the skill training course for operations chiefs of lead work provided for in item (19) of Article 6 of the Enforcement Order.

(Duties of Operations Chief of Lead Work)

Article 34.             The employer shall have the operations chief of lead work carry out the following matters:

(1)    Supervise the workers so that they are not contaminated by lead, etc., or sintered ore, etc., as much as possible.

(2)   When the workers are found to be seriously contaminated by lead, etc., or sintered ore, etc., have them wash off the contaminated substances immediately.

(3)    Inspect the local exhaust ventilation system, general ventilation system, ventilating duct and dust exclusion device at least once a week.

(4)    Observe the use of occupational health protective equipment, etc.

(5)   When the workers are engaged in work as prescribed in item 9 of Attached Table 4 of the Enforcement Order, confirm that the measures provided for in each item of Article 42 are taken.

(Periodical Voluntary Inspection for Local Exhaust Ventilation System, etc.)

Article 35.             The local exhaust ventilation system and dust exclusion device (restricted to those to be used for lead work) established by the Ministry of Labour Ordinance in compliance with item 8 paragraph 1 of Article 15 of the Enforcement Order shall be the local exhaust ventilation system designated in Article2, the local exhaust ventilation system designated in the provisions of Articles 5 through 20 and the dust exclusion device to be installed conforming to the provision of Article 26.

2.             For the local exhaust ventilation system and the dust exclusion device designated in the preceding paragraph, the employer shall voluntarily conduct a periodic inspection at least once a year on the following items, except in a period of one year or longer during which such systems have not been used.

(1)   For a local exhaust ventilation system, check the following items:

a)    Hoods, ducts and fans for wear, corrosion, dents and other damages

b)    Dust and air exhauster for accumulation of dust

c)    Joints of duct for looseness

d) Belt to connect the motor and fan for performance

e) Air intake and exhaust capacity

f)    Besides the above items a) through e), those items necessary for maintaining required performance.

(2)   For a dust exclusion device, check the following items:

a)    Structural parts for wear, corrosion and other damages

b)    Inside of dust exclusion device for accumulation of dust

c)    Dust exclusion device with filter for damage of filter and looseness at the attached part of filter

d)    Processing capacity

e)    Besides the above items a) through d), those items necessary for maintaining the required performance.

3.             The employer, before operating the equipment stated in the provisory clause of the preceding paragraph, shall make a voluntary inspection on items stated in the same paragraph.

(Records)

Article 36.             The employer, upon making the voluntary inspection provided for in paragraph 2 and 3 of the preceding Article, shall make records of the following points 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 or adjustment steps, if such steps were taken, as the result of inspection.

(Inspection)

Article 37.             Before operating the new local exhaust ventilation system or dust exclusion device designated in the provision of paragraph 1 of Article 35 for the first time, or before operating such system/device after modifying or repairing them by disassembling , the employer shall inspect such system as to the following items:

(1)   For a local exhaust ventilation system, check the following items:

a)    Duct and air exhauster for accumulation of dust

b)    Joints of duct for looseness

c) Air intake and exhaust capacities

d)    Besides the above items a) through c), those items necessary for maintaining required performance.

(2)   For a dust exclusion device, check the following items:

a)    Inside of dust exclusion device for accumulation of dust

b)    Dust exclusion device with filter for damage of filter

c)    Processing capacity.

d)    Besides above items a) through c), those items necessary for maintaining required performance.

(Repair)

Article 38.             The employer, upon conducting the voluntary inspection as provided for in paragraph 2 or 3 of Article 35 or the inspection stated in the preceding paragraph and finds any abnormality, shall repair immediately.

Section 2.  Supervision of Work

(Work Beneath Hopper)

Article 39.             The employer shall not have workers engage in work at locations beneath hoppers which might spill powdered lead, etc., or sintered ore, etc., being loaded to the said hoppers. Whereas, this provision shall not be applied when workers who work temporarily in such locations are supplied with effective respiratory protective equipment.

(Scraping Off Lead-Containing Paints)

Article 40.             The employer shall take the following measures when he/she has workers engage in work to scrape off lead-containing paints from objects as provided for in item 8 of Attached Table 4 of the Enforcement Order:

(1)   The said lead work shall be conducted in a wet method unless it is extremely difficult.

(2)    Scraped-off lead-containing paints shall be promptly removed.

(Raking Out Lead Compounds)

Article 41.             The employer shall take the following measures when he/she has workers engage in work to rake lead compounds out of baking furnace:

(1)   Set the hopper or container to receive lead compounds as close as possible to the raking outlet of the furnace.

(2)   Use a rake with long handle.

(Work Inside Lead Facilities)

Article 42.             The employer shall take the following measures when he/she has workers engage in the work listed in item 9 of Attached Table 4 of the Enforcement Order:

(1)   Be certain to shut off the joint between the said lead facilities and the other facilities which are to be kept in operation prior to the commencement of the work.

(2)    Sufficiently ventilate the inside of the said lead facilities prior to the commencement of the work.

(3)    Prevent the diffusion of the lead dust, etc., or sintered ore, etc., by means of wetting those substances either sticking to or accumulating in the said lead facilities prior to the commencement of the work.

(4)   Have the workers wash their bodies as soon as the work is completed.

Section 3.  Storage, etc.

(Storage)

Article 43.             The employer shall take the following measures when he/she stores powdered lead in an indoor storage facility:

(1)   Store powdered lead in containers or the like, which will not spill the dust of lead, etc., or which do not allow it to diffuse.

(2)   clean spills of dust of lead as soon as possible with a vacuum cleaner or by flushing with water.

(Disposal of Empty Containers)

Article 44.             The employer shall take measures to prevent dust of lead, etc., from diffusing over a workplace by means of sealing up the mouth of a container or sufficiently wetting the inside of a container and placing the containers at a specified outdoor site if the empty containers, etc., which previously held powdered lead, etc., have the risk of diffusing the dust.

Section 4.  Preservation of Cleanliness, etc.

(Rest Room)

Article 45.             The employer who has workers engage in lead work shall install a rest room at a location other than the lead workshop.

2.             The employer shall take the following measures for the rest room stated in the precedingparagraph:

(1)   Install equipment such as flushing with water and wet mats at the entrance so that dust of lead, etc., or sintered ore, etc., sticking to the feet of the workers can be removed before entering the room.

(2)   Install brushes for clothes at the entrance.

(3)   Make the floor structure easy to clean with a vacuum cleaner or flushing with water.

3.             Workers who were engaged in the lead work shall remove dust of lead, etc., or sintered ore, etc., sticking to their clothes before entering the rest room stated in paragraph 1.

(Storage of Work Clothes)

Article 46.             The employer shall set up facilities for storing respiratory protective equipment, occupational health protective clothes or work clothes which the employer has the workers use or wear in compliance with the provisions of Article 58 or Article 59, in conditions separated from other clothes, and shall have the said workers use the facilities.

(Body Washing Facilities)

Article 47.             The employer who has workers engage in handling powdered lead, etc., or sintered ore, etc., (except the lead work stated in i) through m) of item (5) of Article 1 and item 17 of Attached Table 4 of the Enforcement Order) shall install facilities for workers to wash their bodies and allow the workers to use them whenever necessary.

(Cleaning)

Article 48.             The employer shall clean at least once a day with a vacuum cleaner or water flushing an indoor workshop for lead work, rest rooms for the workers, and the floor and the like of cafeteria used by the workers for removing contamination due to lead, etc., or sintered ore, etc.

(Detergent Solutions for Hand Washing)

Article 49.             The employer who has workers engage in lead work shall install the aqueous solution of nitric acid or other detergent solution for washing hands, nail brushes, soaps and gargling preparations at each workplace and shall allow the workers to use them as soon as the work is over and/or whenever necessary.

2.             Workers at the end of lead work or whenever necessary shall use the aqueous solution of nitric acid or other detergent solution for washing hands, nail brushes, soaps, and gargling preparations stated in the preceding paragraph.

(Washing Out Contamination of Work Clothes, etc.)

Article 50.             The employer who has workers engage in lead work shall install washing facilities so that contaminants such as lead, etc., or sintered ore, etc., can be washed out of work clothes, etc.

(Prohibition of Smoking, etc.)

Article 51.             The employer shall prohibit his/her workers to smoke, eat or drink in an indoor workshop where lead work is carried out and shall post such notice at locations easily visible to the said workers.

2.             Workers shall not smoke, eat, or drink at workshop stated in the preceding paragraph.