Hong Kong Regulations

FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (BLASTING BY ABRASIVES) SPECIAL REGULATIONS - REGULATION 3

Restriction on use of sand or free silica as an abrasive in a blasting process

(Past version on 30/06/1997).

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), no person shall, in any industrial
undertaking, use sand or other material containing free silica as an abrasive
in any blasting process. (L.N. 158 of 1978)

(2) If the Commissioner for Labour, or any officer authorized in writing by
him, is satisfied that in any industrial undertaking the use of sand or any
other material containing free silica as an abrasive in a blasting process
(other than a process incidental or supplemental to the making of metal
castings) is necessary in any particular case, he may by certificate in
writing (which he may in his discretion revoke at any time) permit the use of
the sand or other material containing free silica in that blasting process
subject to the following conditions-

   (a)  that there shall be provided and maintained for the use of every
        person who is employed in that blasting process a protective helmet of
        a type approved in writing by the Commissioner or by any officer
        authorized in writing by the Commissioner for Labour designed to
        enclose the head, face and neck of such person and every such person
        shall wear the helmet provided for his use whilst he is employed in
        that blasting  process; and

   (b)  that every person employed in that blasting process shall, whilst so
        employed, be supplied with clean fresh air at a rate of not less than
        170 litres per minute from a source removed from that blasting 
        process, (L.N. 238 of 1984; L.N. 307 of 1998) and such other
        conditions as the Commissioner for Labour, or any officer authorized
        in writing by him, may in his discretion specify in the certificate.

(3) Any person who uses sand or any other material containing free silica as
an abrasive in a blasting process in contravention of paragraph

(1) shall be guilty of an offence. (L.N. 315 of 1981)

(4) A person who is guilty of an offence under paragraph (3) shall-

   (a)  if he is a proprietor, be liable on conviction to a fine of $50000;
        and (L.N. 15 of 1994)

   (b)  if he is a person other than a proprietor, be liable on conviction to
        a fine of $10000. (L.N. 315 of 1981)