New Regulations for Woodworking, Abrasive Wheels and Abrasive Blasting

The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2016 has been announced and will come into force on July 1st.
Following the enactment of the new regulations, the General Application Regulations will in future be cited as the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Regulations 2007 to 2016.

Who will this affect?

Those working within industries involved in woodworking machines, abrasive wheels and abrasive blasting of surfaces.

New Woodworking Machines Regulations include:

• Definitions
• Cover space around machines
• Guarding and protection
• Maintenance of machines
• Dust
• Circular sawing machines
• Band sawing machines
• Planing machines
• Vertical spindle machines

The full list of machines along with provisions on training, instruction and information is available in schedule 13.

New Abrasive Wheels Regulations include:

• Definitions
• The regulations deal with the use of abrasive wheels
• Speed of revolution
• Mounting of abrasive wheels
• Guarding
• Rests for workplaces and flanges

Training and instruction is available in Schedule 14.

New Abrasive Blasting of Surfaces Regulations include:

• Definitions
• Areas where Regulations apply
• Enclosures
• Blasting apparatus
• Ventilating plant
• Rules on the prohibition of silica
• The protection of employees and other persons and also of persons under 18

The new regulations repeal the:

• Factories (Woodworking Machinery) Regulations 1972 (SI 203/1972)
• Factories (Abrasive Blasting of Surfaces) Regulations 1974 (SI 357/1974)
• Safety in Industry (Abrasive Wheels) Regulations 1982 (SI 30/1982).

If you have any questions regarding the affect of these regulations on your business please do not hesitate to contact one of our experienced CMSE Consultants by Clicking Here

CMSE Consultancy – Part of Chris Mee Group are a leading provider of Safety related consultancy services in Ireland & abroad. We have over 100 consultants in Dublin, Cork and London. Our clients range from large multinationals to SMEs.
More information can be found at the Health and Safety Review