PART VIII | WELDING AND CUTTING OPERATIONS |
55.—(1) Where any welding or cutting work is carried out in a shipyard or on board a ship in a harbour, it shall be the duty of the responsible person to comply with paragraphs (2) and (3).(2) No cylinder which contains or has contained oxygen or any flammable gas or vapour shall be taken —| (a) | below the weather deck of a ship undergoing repair; or | | (b) | below the topmost completed deck of a ship under construction, |
| unless it is installed or placed in a part of the ship which is adequately ventilated to prevent any dangerous accumulation of gases. |
|
(3) Subject to paragraph (4), no liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) shall be taken and used —| (a) | on board a ship undergoing repair; or | | (b) | below the topmost completed deck of a ship under construction, |
| unless all gas outlets have been fitted with effective anti-leakage devices. |
|
| (4) Paragraph (3) shall not apply to any LPG brought on board a ship by the master for the purpose of maintaining and running of the ship. |
|
| 56. It shall be the duty of the occupier of a shipyard to ensure that all gas manifolds in the shipyard are clearly marked to indicate the substance they contain and are sited in a safe and accessible location in open air. |
57. Where any work involving the cutting, welding or heating of metal is carried out in a shipyard or on board a ship in a harbour, it shall be the duty of the responsible person to ensure that all pipes and hoses for the supply of oxygen or any flammable gas or vapour to any apparatus for cutting, welding or heating of metal are —| (a) | of good construction and sound material; | | (b) | free from defects; and | | (c) | properly maintained. |
|
| Gas equipment to be of good construction, etc. |
58. Where any hot-work is carried out in a shipyard or on board a ship in a harbour, it shall be the duty of the responsible person to ensure that all equipment used for the purpose of carrying out hot-works, including any apparatuses, gas torches, blowpipes, pressure regulators, nozzles and connections, are —| (a) | of a design that is suitable for the gas or vapour being used; | | (b) | of good construction and sound and suitable material; | | (c) | free from defects; and | | (d) | properly maintained. |
|
59.—(1) Where any work involving oxy-fuel and air-fuel gas equipment is carried out in a shipyard or on board a ship in a harbour, it shall be the duty of the responsible person to comply with paragraphs (2), (3) and (4).| (2) A suitable non-return valve or any other equally effective means which prevents the backflow of gas shall be fitted in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions between each gas torch inlet and gas hose of every oxy-fuel and air-fuel gas equipment. |
(3) A flashback arrestor or any other equally effective means which stops flashbacks shall be fitted in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions at every —| (a) | fuel gas and oxygen outlet; and | | (b) | pressure regulator outlet of each gas cylinder. |
|
| (4) An anti-leakage device or other equally effective means to stop a leak shall be provided on every oxygen and fuel gas line used in a confined space. |
|
| Safety measures during break in gas welding and cutting |
60.—(1) Where any work involving welding or cutting is carried out in a shipyard or on board a ship in a harbour, it shall be the duty of the responsible person to comply with paragraphs (2), (3) and (4).(2) Where welding and cutting operations cease for the day or for a substantial period or during a meal interval —| (a) | the supply valves of every gas cylinder and manifold shall be securely closed; and | | (b) | every gas torch, manifold and hose for flammable gases and oxidizing gases shall be taken to the weather deck in the case of a ship undergoing repair or the topmost completed deck in the case of a ship under construction or, in either case, to a safe place that is adequately ventilated to prevent any dangerous accumulation of gases or vapours. |
|
| (3) Where it is impractical to comply with the requirements in paragraph (2)(b) during a meal interval, effective measures shall be taken to ensure that the work area is safe before work resumes. |
(4) The measures referred to in paragraph (3) shall include —| (a) | the provision of effective ventilation to prevent the accumulation of gases in the shipyard or on board the ship in the harbour; and | | (b) | the testing of the atmosphere for the presence of flammable gases. |
|
|
| Inspection of hot-work equipment |
61.—(1) Where any hot-work is carried out in a shipyard or on board a ship in a harbour, it shall be the duty of the responsible person to comply with paragraphs (2), (3) and (4).| (2) All electrode holders, welding cables, cable connectors and other arc welding equipment shall be inspected by a competent person once every 30 days. |
| (3) All equipment and fittings used for the purpose of carrying out hot-work, including any gas hoses, torches, blowpipes, pressure regulators, nozzles and connections, shall be inspected and tested by a competent person or a workplace safety and health officer once every 14 days to ensure that they are free from defects and leaks. |
| (4) All safety devices referred to in regulation 59 shall be inspected and tested by a competent person or a workplace safety and health officer once every 12 months to ensure that they are effective. |
(5) It shall be the duty of the competent person, or the workplace safety and health officer, as the case may be, to —| (a) | enter the results of the inspection and test into a register; | | (b) | keep the register of the inspection and test at the shipyard or on board the ship in the harbour; and | | (c) | produce the register for inspection upon request by an inspector. |
|
| (6) [Deleted by S 434/2024 wef 01/06/2024] |
|
| No welding in wet conditions |
62.—(1) Where any electric arc welding work is carried out in a shipyard or on board a ship in a harbour, it shall be the duty of the responsible person to ensure that, so far as is reasonably practicable, no electric arc welding work is carried out under wet conditions where there is risk of electrocution. | (2) No person shall carry out any electric arc welding in wet conditions where there is risk of electrocution. |
| (3) No person shall require, permit or direct any person to carry out electric arc welding in wet conditions where there is risk of electrocution. |
| (4) [Deleted by S 434/2024 wef 01/06/2024] |
| (5) [Deleted by S 434/2024 wef 01/06/2024] |
|
63.—(1) Where any heating, welding, cutting or any other work involving the application of heat is carried out in a shipyard or on board a ship in a harbour, it shall be the duty of the responsible person to comply with paragraphs (2), (3) and (4).| (2) Where the heating, welding, cutting or other work involving the application of heat is to be carried out in a confined space, adequate ventilation shall be provided. |
| (3) When the heating, welding, cutting or other work involving the application of heat is to be carried out on materials containing lead, cadmium, beryllium, copper or other toxic or harmful substances, effective local exhaust ventilation shall be provided to remove any toxic or harmful fumes or other air impurities at the source of emission. |
| (4) Where the provision of ventilation under paragraphs (2) and (3) is not practicable, breathing apparatus of the type where fresh air is being constantly supplied by an air-line or other equally suitable breathing apparatus shall be provided to the person carrying out the work. |
|
64.—(1) Where any heating, welding, cutting or any other work involving the application of heat is carried out in a shipyard or on board a ship in a harbour, it shall be the duty of the responsible person to comply with paragraphs (2), (3) and (4).| (2) All welding, cutting or other works involving the application of heat shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, be carried out in open air or in areas with good ventilation. |
| (3) Where any work referred to in paragraph (2) cannot be carried out in an area with good ventilation, effective local exhaust ventilation shall be provided to remove any toxic or harmful fumes or other air impurities at the source of emission. |
(4) Where the provision of local exhaust ventilation is not practicable under paragraph (3) —| (a) | forced ventilation shall be used to dilute any toxic or harmful fumes or other air impurities; and | | (b) | breathing apparatus of the type where fresh air is being constantly supplied by an air-line or other equally suitable breathing apparatus shall be provided to and used by the person carrying out the work. |
|
|
| Welding and cutting on containers that held flammable substances |
65. Where any operation involving welding or cutting is carried out in a shipyard or on board a ship in a harbour on any container that has held any explosive or flammable substance or in which flammable gases may have been generated, it shall be the duty of —| (a) | the employer of any person who carries out the operation; or | | (b) | the principal under whose direction any person carries out the operation, |
| to ensure that no such operation is carried out on the container unless — |
| (i) | the container has been thoroughly cleaned by steam or other equally effective means and is completely free from combustible gases or vapours; or | | (ii) | the atmosphere in the container has been rendered non-flammable or non-explosive. |
|
|
