Ordinance on Prevention of Health Impairment due to Asbestos

Ordinance of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, No.21 (24, February 2005)

Last Update : 2007.11.28

Chapter III Performance, etc. of Equipment

Article 16 (Requirements of Local Exhaust Ventilation System, etc.)

(1)When tThe employer shallconformprovides the local exhaust ventilation system installed as stipulated inpursuant to the provision of paragraph (1) of Article 12 to the following provisions, the system shall comply with items prescribed below.
- (i) The hood is installed at each source of dispersal of dust from asbestos, etc., and an exterior-type hood or a receiving-type hood is installed at a location as near as possible to the source of dispersal of dust from specified asbestos, etc.
- (ii) The duct is made as short as possible, and also the number of bends as less as possible. In addition, it shall be provided with a cleaning orifice at a proper location so that cleaning can be easily done.
- (iii) The exhaust outlet is located outdoors.
- (iv) The system has the performance as prescribed by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.
(2)When tThe employer shall conformprovides the push-pull ventilation systems installed pursuant to the provision of as stipulatedin paragraph (1) of Article 12 to the following provisions, the system shall comply with the items prescribed below.
- (i) The duct is made as short as possible, and also the number of bends as small as possible. In addition, it is provided with a cleaning orifice at a proper location so that cleaning can be easily done.
- (ii) The exhaust outlet is located outdoors.
- (iii) The system has the performance as prescribed by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.

Article 17 (Operation of Local Exhaust Ventilation System, etc.)

(1) With reference to The employer shall, as regards the local exhaust ventilation systems or the push-pull type ventilation system provided installed pursuant to the provision of paragraph (1) of Article 12, the employer shall operate them to fulfill the requirements prescribed by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare while the work for asbestos, etc. is being carried out.
(2) The employer shall, when operating the local exhaust ventilation system or the push-pull type ventilation system, take measures necessary for effective operation of the said systems such as elimination of atmospheric currents, which disturb ventilation by using baffles.

Article 18 (Dust Collection)

(1)With regardThe employer shall, as regards the exhaust duct of the manufacturing facility which exhausts gases containing dust from asbestos, etc., or the local exhaust ventilation or push-pull ventilation system pursuant to the provision inof paragraph (1) of Article 12, the employer shall, corresponding to the diameter of dust particles listed in the left column of the following table, provide dust collection devices with any one of the collection methods listed in the right column of the same table or those with the same performance or superior.

Diameter of dust particle (in microns)	Dust collection method
Less than 5	Dust filtration Electrostatic precipitation
5 or more but less than 20	Liquid scrubbing Dust filtration Electrostatic precipitation
20 or more	Multi-cyclone dust shields (which correspond to meaning those in which one cyclone is installed for disposition of gas in quantity of less than 20m3 per minute) Liquid scrubbing Dust filtration Electrostatic Precipitation
Remarks: Diameters of dust particle listed in the table correspond to those whichthose, which are noted at the maximum frequency in the distribution of diameters of dust as measured according to the weight method.

(2) The employer shall install pre-set dust collector for removing dust particles with large diameter on the said dust-collection devices, as stipulated set forth in the preceding paragraph, if necessary.
(3)The employer shall make sure that the said dust-collection devices prescribedset forth in the preceding two paragraphs operate effectively.

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