Definition.- (i) A “Rubber and Plastic Mills” shall mean machine with rollers used in breaking down, cracking, washing, grating, mixing, refining and warming of rubber or rubber goods and plastic or plastic goods.
(ii) A “Calender” shall mean machine with rolls used for frictioning, sheeting, coating and breading of rubber compounds and plastic or plastic compounds.
Installation of machines.- Rubber and plastic mills shall be so installed that top of the front roll is not less than one metre above the floor or working level provided that in existing installations where the top of the front roll is below this height a strong rigid distance bar guard shall be fitted across the front of the machine in such position that the operator cannot reach the nip of the roller from the normal working position of the operator.
1. Safety Devices.- (i) Rubber and Plastic Mills shall be equipped with-
(a) Hoppers so constructed or guarded that it is impossible for the operators to come into contact in any manner with the nip of the rolls , or
Horizontal Safety.- trip rods or tight wire cable across both front and rear, which will when pushed or pulled operate instantly to disconnect the power and apply the brakes or to reverse the rolls. Safety-trip rods or tight wire cable on rubber mills shall extend across the entire length of the face of the rolls and shall be located not more than 170 centimeters above the floor or working level.
(ii) Calender machines shall be equipped with-
(a) Horizontal safety-trip rods or tight wire across both front and rear, which will when pushed or pulled operate instantly, to disconnect the power and apply the brakes or to reverse the roll;
(b) Safety-trip rods or tight wire cables on calender machines shall extend across the entire length of the face of the roll and shall be located not more than 170 centimetres above the floor or working level;
(c) on each side of all calenders and near both ends of the face of the rolls there shall be a vertical tight wire cable connecting with the bar tripping mechanism at the top and fastened to the frame within 30 centimetres of the floor. These cables should be positioned at a distance of not more than 30 centimetres from the face of the roll and a distance of not less than 25 millimetres from the calender frame.
3. Maintenance and safety devices.- Safety trip rods and tight wire cables on all rubber mills and calenders shall be examined and tested daily in the presence of the Manager or other responsible person and if any defect is disclosed by such examination and test the mill shall not be used until such defect has been remedied.
2. Injunction Moulding Machine.- (a) An electrical interlock arrangement shall be provided so that the moulds cannot be closed unless the front safety gate is fully closed and on opening the front safety gate, the moulds will stop automatically.
(b) In addition to the above arrangement an hydraulic safety shall also be incorporated with the front safety gate. This shall prevent the tail stock mould plate from moving forward on opening of the font safety gate.
(c) At the rear of the machine , there shall be provided either an efficient fixed guard or a sliding gate which shall be electrically inter-locked with the movement of the mould plates in the manner of the front safety gate as required under (a) above so as to prevent access to the danger zone of the moulds in motion from the rear.