Cap. 59 sub. leg. P

Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Dry Batteries) Regulations(Cap. 59, section 7) [1 January 1977] L.N. 291 of 1976(Format changes—E.R. 1 of 2017) 1. Citation These regulations may be cited as the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Dry Batteries) Regulations. 2. Interpretation In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—dolly-pressing room (電池心型壓室) means a room in which manganese dioxide is moulded and pressed to form black dollies for use in the manufacture of dry batteries;dry batteries (乾電池) means dry-cell batteries containing manganese dioxide;maintained (保持) means maintained in an efficient state, working order and good repair;manganese dioxide (二氧化錳) includes any substance or combination of substances containing manganese dioxide;mixing room (混調室) means a room in which manganese dioxide is mixed, ground or sifted for use in the manufacture of dry batteries. 3. Application These regulations shall apply to every factory in which dry batteries are manufactured. 4. Storage Manganese dioxide, ammonium chloride and carbon black shall be stored in a room which is not used for any other purpose. 5. Mixing rooms Manganese dioxide shall be mixed, ground and sifted in a room which is not used for any other purpose. 6. Dolly-pressing rooms Dollies shall be moulded and pressed in a room which is not used for any other purpose. 7. Dust (1) Where dust containing manganese dioxide is likely to enter the atmosphere of any room at any stage during the process of manufacture of dry batteries, all practicable steps, including the siting of an exhaust ventilation as near as possible to the point of such entry, shall be taken to prevent the distribution of such dust throughout the atmosphere of such room. (71 of 1989 s. 13)(2) The mixing, grinding and sifting of manganese dioxide shall be carried out within an air-tight mixer or other device which effectively prevents any dust containing manganese dioxide escaping therefrom.(3) Containers used for the storage or in the conveyance of manganese dioxide shall be fitted with lids which effectively prevent dust containing manganese dioxide escaping therefrom. 8. Ventilation Mechanical ventilation sufficient to provide at least 5 changes of air per hour shall be installed and maintained inside every mixing room and dolly-pressing room and shall be operated at all times when such room is in use. 9. Walls and floors (1) The floors of mixing rooms and dolly-pressing rooms shall be tiled or surfaced with smooth impervious material sloping evenly towards drainage outlets.(2) The walls of mixing rooms and dolly-pressing rooms shall be tiled or surfaced with smooth impervious material to a height of not less than 2 metres from the floor and the remainder of the surface of the walls if not so tiled or surfaced to the ceiling shall be coated with light-coloured washable paint. (L.N. 238 of 1984)(3) The walls and floors of mixing rooms and dolly-pressing rooms shall be maintained in a condition and manner which effectively minimizes the accumulation of any dust on the surface thereof. 10. Cleanliness (1) The floors, walls, ceilings, appliances, equipment, fittings and furniture in mixing rooms and dolly-pressing rooms shall be kept reasonably clean and free from the accumulation of surface dust.(2) The floors of mixing rooms and dolly-pressing rooms shall be cleaned thoroughly by washing at least once in each week. 11. Prohibition against food stuffs No person shall take any food or any drink into a mixing room or a dolly-pressing room. 12. Prohibition against smoking No person shall smoke in a mixing room or dolly-pressing room. 13. Prohibition against sleeping (1) No person shall use a mixing room or dolly-pressing room as a sleeping room.(2) No person shall be in a mixing room or a dolly-pressing room during the night unless working therein. 14. Protective clothing (1) A person who works in a mixing room or dolly-pressing room and any other person who by reason of his work is likely to come into contact with manganese dioxide shall be supplied by the proprietor of the factory with not less than 2 sets of protective clothing of a nature suitable for the prevention of contamination by manganese dioxide.(2) Such protective clothing shall include—(a) a cap to cover the hair of the head;(b) a face mask to cover the nose and mouth;(c) gloves to cover the hands and wrists;(d) overalls or other suitable garments to cover the limbs and trunk of the body.(3) No person shall work in a mixing room or dolly-pressing room or with manganese dioxide unless he is wearing and making proper use of the protective clothing supplied to him.(4) No person supplied by the proprietor of a factory with such protective clothing shall remove any item thereof from the factory.(5) The proprietor of a factory shall, at no expense to any person supplied therewith, cause all such protective clothing to be washed clean at least twice in every week. 15. Lockers for protective clothing (1) Every person supplied with protective clothing in accordance with regulation 14 shall be provided by the proprietor of the factory with either 2 lockers or a locker consisting of 2 separate compartments.(2) 1 locker or, where only 1 locker is provided, one of the compartments of the locker shall be used solely and exclusively for the storage of the protective clothing of the person for whom the locker has been provided. 16. Washing facilities (1) Washrooms with space for changing clothes shall be provided by the proprietor of a factory in a convenient position for the use of persons supplied with protective clothing in accordance with regulation 14.(2) Such washrooms shall be equipped with—(a) showers with hot and cold water at the ratio of 1 shower per 10 persons so provided with protective clothing; or(b) wash-hand basins with hot and cold water at the ratio of 1 basin per 6 persons so provided with protective clothing.(3) Separate washrooms shall be provided for persons of each sex.(4) No washroom shall be used for the purpose of any part of the manufacture of or for the storage of dry batteries.(5) The fixtures and interiors of washrooms shall be cleaned thoroughly by washing at least twice in every week. 17. Notices There shall be prominently displayed in mixing rooms and dolly-pressing rooms—(a) in red letters at least 100 millimetres in height on a white background, not less than 2 notices marked plainly “NO SMOKING” in English and “ 不准吸煙” in Chinese; and (L.N. 238 of 1984)(b) not less than 2 notices, in English and in Chinese, in a form approved by the Commissioner, containing information as to the toxic nature of manganese dioxide and the precautions to be taken in its use in the manufacture of dry batteries. 18. Responsibilities (1) No person who works in the manufacture of dry batteries shall wilfully misuse or interfere with any facility or equipment.(2) Where a person who works in the manufacture of dry batteries knows of any fault or defect in any facility or equipment in the factory, he shall forthwith report the same to the proprietor.(3) A proprietor shall not order, direct, authorize, permit or suffer any person to contravene these regulations. 19. Offences and penalties (1) A proprietor of a factory—(a) in or in respect of which regulation 4, 11, 12, 15 or 17 is contravened commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 4; or(b) in or in respect of which regulation 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 16 or 18(3) is contravened commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 6.(2) A person (other than a proprietor of a factory) who—(a) contravenes regulation 11, 12, 14(4) or 15(2) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 3; or(b) contravenes regulation 13, 14(3) or 18(1) or (2) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 5.(5 of 2023 s. 43)