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7. Fencing of Machinery.
The guards to gravity feed slicing machines are all too often found to be tucked
away under the counter and not in use, but despite this, general progress has been
satisfactory in providing guards to such machinery.
Small refrigeration units are proliferating. Bars are being equipped with extra
facilities such as trays for chilling bottled beer, etc., and the small compressor unit motor
is sometimes found not to be fenced.
8. Lifts and Hoists.
May 28th, 1969 sees the commencement of operation of the Hoists and Lifts
Regulations, 1968 and the Hoists and Lifts Reports Order, 1968 made under the Act.
These Statutory Instruments place obligations upon owners of premises in which are
installed various forms of passenger and goods lifts and hoists to ensure that they are
of good mechanical construction, sound material and adequate strength and are properly
maintained. In addition the various safety devices involving gates, prevention of overrunning,
etc., must be efficiently maintained to avoid accidents arising from persons
falling or being trapped.
In order to ensure that these standards are maintained every such owner is required
to arrange for every lift to be thoroughly examined by a competent person at least once
in every period of 6 months (the first examination to be carried out in the six months
from 28th May, 1969). The "competent person" would clearly be an engineer experienced
in this field and many premises already have similar examinations carried out to
meet insurance requirements. A prescribed form is laid down by the Offices, Shops
and Railway Premises (Hoists and Lifts) Reports Order, 1968 for this examination
and must be kept available for two years for examination by an authorised official.
Where an examination reveals that a lift cannot continue to be used with safety
unless certain repairs are carried out, the person making the report must send a copy
to the Authority administering the Act.
Escalators, fork lift trucks and vehicle lifting hoists are not covered by these
Regulations.
Accidents
The majority of accidents occurred in retail food premises and by far the larger
number of these in large supermarkets. They were of a less serious nature and not due
to contraventions of the Act (with two exceptions).
The cause of the largest number of accidents was slipping or falling (19) and
movement of goods (13).
The knife is still the most dangerous tool even in the hands of experienced users
such as butchers (6 incidents).
The cause of a gas explosion in a restaurant kitchen could not be conclusively
established because of conflicting evidence but it became clear that for months the gas
oven had lacked a knob on the gas control and the staff had become used to turning the
gas on and off by gripping the spindle with a cloth in order to turn it. It would not
be altogether surprising if, on occasion, the gas had not been fully turned off.
The rapid deterioration of floor coverings has been noted, and this necessitated
additional visits to premises subject to heavy wear (as between servery and dining
room). However in spite of the obvious hazard only one accident occurred due to
worn, sloping stairs. When such accidents occur they are almost invariably defects
which have been notified to the employer and result in prosecutions. The injuries
caused by this type of accident have been found to be severe.
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