73. Inspection of lifting machines, chains ropes and lifting tackles.
(1)No lifting machine and no chain, rope of lifting tackle, except a fibre rope or a fibre rope sling shall be taken into use in any factory for the first time in that factory unless it has been tested and all parts have been thoroughly examined by a competent person and a certificate of such a test and examination specifying the safe working load or loads and signed by the person making the test and the examination has been obtained and is kept available for inspection.(2)(a)Every jib- crane so constructed that the safe working load may be varied by the raising or lowering of the jib, shall have attached thereto either an automatic indicator of safe working loads or an automatic jib angle indicator and a table indicating the safe working loads at corresponding inclinations of the jib or corresponding radii of the load.(b)A table showing the safe working loads of every kind and size of chain, rope or lifting tackle in use, and in the case of a multiple sling, the safe working loads at different angles of the legs, shall be posted in the store in which the chains, ropes or lifting tackles are kept and in prominent positions on the premises, and no chain, rope or lifting tackle not shown in the table shall be used. The forgoing provisions of this paragraph shall not apply in respect of any lifting tackle not shown in the table shall be used. The foregoing provisions of this paragraph shall not apply in respect of any lifting tackle if the working load thereof. or in the case of a multiple sling, the safe working load at different angles of legs is plainly marked on it.(3)Particulars of register to be maintained under clause (a) (iii) of sub-section (1) of Section 29 of the Act shall be:(i)Name of occupier of factory.(ii)Address of the factory(iii)Distinguishing number or mark, if any, and description sufficient to identify the lifting machine, chain, rope, or the lifting tackle.(iv)Date when the lifting machine, chain, rope or lifting tackle was first taken into use in factory.(v)Date and number of the certificate relating to any test and examination made under sub rules (1) and (7) together with the name and address of the person who issued the certificate.(vi)Date of each periodical thorough examination made under clause (a) (iii) of sub-section (1) of section 29 of the Act and sub-rule (6) and by whom it was carried out.(vii)Date of annealing or other heat treatment of the chain and other lifting tackle made under sub-rule (5) and by whom it was carried out.(viii)Particulars of any defects affecting the safe working load found at any such thorough examination or after annealing and of the steps taken to remedy such defects.The register shall be kept readily available for inspection.(4)All rails on which a traveling crane moves and every track on which the carriage of transporter or run way moves, shall be of proper size and adequate strength and having an even running surface and every such rail or track shall be properly laid, adequately supported and properly maintained.(4)A (i) To provide access to rail tracks of overhead traveling cranes suitable passage ways of at least 50cm. Width with toe-boards and double hand rails 90cm. High shall be provided along side, and clear of the rail tracks of overhead traveling cranes, such that no moving part of the crane can strike persons on the ways, and the passage way shall be at a lower level than the crane track itself. Safe access ladders shall be provided at suitable intervals to afford access to these passage-ways, and from passage-ways to the rails tracks.(ii)The Chief Inspector of Factories may, for reasons to be specified in writing exempt any factory in respect of any overhead traveling crane from the operation of any provision of clause (1) subject to such conditions as he may speedy.(5)All chains and lifting tackle, except a rope sling shall, unless they have been subject to such other heat treatment as may be approved by Chief Inspector of Factories be effectively annealed under the supervision of a competent person at the following intervals.(i)All chains, slings, rings hooks, shackles and swivels used in connection with molten metal or molten slang or when they are made of half inch bar or smaller, once at least in every six months.(ii)All other chains, rings hooks, shackles and swivels in general use, once, at least, in every twelve months;Provided that chains and lifting tackle not in frequent use shall, subject to the Chief Inspector's approval be annealed only when necessary. Particulars of such annealing shall be entered in a register prescribed under sub-rule (3).(6)Nothing in the forgoing sub-rule (5) shall apply to the following classes of chains, and lifting tackles: -(i)Chains made of malleable cast iron.(ii)Plate link chains(iii)Chains, rings, hooks, shackles and swivels made for steel or of any nonferrous metal(iv)Pitched chains working on sprocket or packeted wheels.(v)Rings, hooks, shackles and swivels permanently attached to pitched chains, pulley blocks or weighing machines.(vi)Hooks and swivels having screw threaded parts of ball bearing or other case hardened parts.(vii)Socket shackles secured to wire ropes by whitemetal capping.(viii)Bordeaux connections.Such chains and lifting tackle shall be thoroughly examined by a competent person once atleast in every twelve months, and particulars entered in the register kept in accordance with sub-rule (3).(7)All lifting machines, chains, ropes and lifting tackle, except a fiber rope or fibre rope sling, which have been lengthened, altered or repaired by welding or otherwise, shall, before being again taken into use be adequately, re-tested and re-examined by a competent person and certificate of such test and examination be obtained, and particulars entered in the register kept in accordance with sub-rule (3).(8)No person under 18 years of age and no person who is not sufficiently competent and reliable shall be employed as driver of a lifting machine whether driven by mechanical power or otherwise or to give signals to a driver.(9)Where the Chief Inspector is satisfied that in the factory due to shut down or for any other reasons it is not practicable to maintain a minimum distance of twenty feet between the persons employed or working on or near the wheel track of a traveling crane and the crane, he may on the request of the manager, reduce the distance to such extent as he may consider necessary and also prescribe further precautions indicating appointment of suitable number of supervisors to ensure the safety of the persons while they are employed or working on or near the track.
