Special Committee Factories Bill, 1954 debate -
Friday, 11 Feb 1955

SECTION 82.

Mr. Larkin

I move amendment No. 55 :—

Before Section 82 to insert a new section as follows :—

() The Minister may make regulations prescribing that suitable protective metal screens shall be erected around hand operated, oil-filled circuit breakers of such a nature as to ensure adequate protection to workers in the event of an explosion in such switchgear.

I have to confess that I am somewhat at sea and that I only put down the amendment to get information. It was put down at the request of one of the trade unions representing large numbers of employees in the E.S.B. There has been a number of accidents where workers who were going to operate these circuit breakers were very seriously burned and in one or two cases there were fatal accidents because of explosions in the circuit breakers. It was suggested that we should try to secure some form of protective screen between the actual electrical apparatus and the worker who might be operating it.

I have to confess that I am not entirely clear as to the procedure in regard to making of safety regulations in regard to electrical undertakings and my own impression is that the Minister does it by special regulation. Secondly, I am not quite clear—because it is largely a technical matter—as to whether the protective measures suggested here would be best from the technical point of view and would be adequate. I am not pressing the amendment in itself. It is put down largely to get the point clear. There has been a good deal of concern amongst workers and trade unions in regard to this particular matter. I know myself of several accidents of a serious nature and that generally involved either fatal accident or often, worse still, complete invalidity for life of a most difficult kind.

Mr. Norton

Some time ago the Amalgamated Transport Union made representations about the attitude of the E.S.B. to these efforts of the union to amend the E.S.B. provisions for the safety of the workers. Among the matters mentioned was the suggestion that metal screens such as those contemplated in the amendment should be erected round hand-operated, oil-filled circuit breakers. This followed upon an explosion in such a circuit breaker at the E.S.B. installation which resulted in the death of a workman. The matter was thoroughly examined by officers of the Department and officers of the E.S.B. but the conclusion was reached that the suggested metal screen would not provide a good or by any means satisfactory solution. We feel that, should such a device or some alternative device be considered necessary, there is power in the Bill to cover it. The power suggested in the amendment, requiring the provision of such safeguards, is unnecessary in the strict terms in which it is given.

Mr. Lemass

The Minister has power to make regulations governing these matters ?

Mr. Norton

Yes.

Mr. Larkin

I accept that. Having power, is it proposed to examine this position further, to see whether some protective measures can be devised which may be included in the regulations drawn up by the E.S.B.?

Mr. Norton

We will even do that at present if we can find a satisfactory solution.

Mr. Lemass

I may mention that the E.S.B. here is in a somewhat exceptional position, in that it has power largely to make its own regulations, which does not obtain in many other countries where there are such undertakings, and it can prescribe its own standards. It would be desirable for the Department to seek advice on this matter other than from E.S.B. technicians, because they will naturally have regard to the technical arrangements already approved and they will be anxious to have the regulations so framed as to permit of the continuation of those arrangements. I was satisfied from the report I received at the time that this metal screen arrangement would not provide a satisfactory safeguard from accident in the operation of these circuit breakers, but I am quite certain there are devices in operation which could be applied and which might have to be applied by the Minister even against the technical advice of the E.S.B.

Mr. Larkin

Yes, I think it is important that the matter should be pursued. Without speaking on the actual record, I have personal recollection of about half a dozen accidents—at least two of which were fatal and others which were very serious, in the sense that it left the men with completely shattered nervous systems and invalided for life.

Mr. Norton

I understand that inquiries were made and advice sought from technical and electrical people in the Post Office and other Government Departments independent of the E.S.B., to see if any suggestion could be made to cover this matter effectively ; but the Department was not able to get anything that would help to meet the situation. If, however, the union wants to reopen the matter we would be only too glad to have it further examined. There is apparently limited technical advice which we can get here, but that would not prevent us from going elsewhere.

Mr. Larkin

Irrespective of the views of the E.S.B. and irrespective of the amendment, I take it that the Minister has complete power if he so desires to make such provisions, even though the E.S.B. may be technically opposing them.

Mr. Norton

Yes.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Section 82 agreed to.