Factories Act -Safety Measures – Hazardous substances
2.Limits of concentrations of substance at work locations
(1) The time-weighted average concentration of any substance listed in Table 1 or 2 of the schedule, at any work location in a factory during any shift on any day shall not exceed the limit of the permissible time-weighted average concentration specified in respect of that substance:
Provided that in the case of a substance mentioned in Table 1 in respect of which a limit in terms of short term maximum concentration is indicated, the concentration of such a substance may exceed the permissible limit of the time-weighted average concentration for the substance for short periods not exceeding 15 minutes at a time, subject to the condition that (a)Such periods during which the concentration exceeds the prescribed time-weighted average concentrate on are restricted to not more than 4 per shift;
(b)The time interval between any two such periods of higher exposure >hail not be less than 60 minutes; and
(c)At no time the concentration of the substance in the air shall exceed the limit of short term maximum concentration.
(2)In the case of any substance given in Table 3, the concentration of the substance at any work location in a factory at any time during any day shall not exceed the limit of exposure for that substance specified in the Table.
(3) In the cases where the word ” skin” has been indicated against certain substances mentioned in Tables 1 and 3, appropriate measures shall be taken to prevent absorption through cutaneous routes particularly skin, mucous membranes and eyes as the limits specified in these Tables are for conditions where the exposure is only through the respiratory tract.
(4)(a) In case, the air at any work location contains a mixture of such substances mentioned in Tables 1, 2 or 3, which have similar toxic properties, the time-weighted concentration of each of these substances during the shift should be such, that when these time-weighted concentration divided by the respective permissible time-weighted average concentration specified in the abovementioned tables, and the fractions obtained are added together, the total shall not exceed unity, i.e. C1 /L1+C3 /L3+ Cn /Ln should not exceed unity when When CI, C2,…., Cn are the time-weighted concentration of toxic substances 1,2 and in respectively, determined after measurement at work location; and LI, L2 Ln are the permissible timeweighted average concentration of the toxic substances 1, 2 and in respectively.
(b) In case the air at any work location contains a mixture of substances mentioned in Table 1, 2 or 3, and these do not have similar toxic properties, then the time-weighted concentration of each of these substances shall not exceed the permissible time-weighted average concentration specified in the above-mentioned tables, for that particular substance.
(c) The requirements in clauses (a) and (b) shall be in addition to the requirements in paragraphs 2 (1) and (2).
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