Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Woodworking Machinery) Regulations
[1 November 1971]
(Format changes—E.R. 1 of 2021)
These regulations may be cited as the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Woodworking Machinery) Regulations.
These regulations shall apply to any industrial undertaking in which any woodworking machine is used.
In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—
circular saw (圓鋸) means a circular saw working in a bench (including a rack bench) for the purpose of ripping, deep-cutting or crosscutting; but does not include a swing saw or other saw which is moved towards the wood; plain band saw (普通帶鋸) means a band saw, other than a log saw or a band re-sawing machine, the cutting portion of which runs in a vertical direction; planing machine (刨床) includes a machine for overhand planing or for thicknessing or for both operations; (L.N. 171 of 1974) swing saw (搖擺鋸) or pendulum saw (鐘擺鋸) means a revolving saw mounted in a frame, column or chassis which is suspended from a pivot above the table, bench or other support on which the wood is placed and which is operated by being pulled across the table, bench or other support on which the wood is placed; underground room (地下室) means a room any part of which is so situated that half or more of the whole height thereof measured from the floor to the ceiling is below the surface of the footway of the adjoining street or of the ground adjoining or nearest to the room; woodworking machine (木工機器) means any circular saw, swing saw, pendulum saw, plain band saw, planing machine, vertical spindle moulding machine or chain mortising machine that operates on wood.A woodworking machine shall be provided with an efficient stopping and starting appliance, and the control of this appliance shall be in such a position as to be readily and conveniently operated by the person in charge of the machine.
Sufficient clear and unobstructed space shall be maintained at a woodworking machine while in motion to enable the work to be carried on without unnecessary risk.
The floor surrounding a woodworking machine shall be maintained in good and level condition, and, so far as practicable, free from chips and other loose material, and shall not be allowed to become slippery.
Adequate lighting shall be provided for a woodworking machine.
Artificial lighting shall be so placed or shaded as to prevent direct rays of light from impinging on the eyes of the operator while he is operating such machine.
No illumination will be considered adequate which provides less than 160 lux of light of working area. (L.N. 238 of 1984)
No woodworking machine shall be worked in any underground room which is certified by the Commissioner for Labour to be unsuitable for the purpose as regards height, construction, light, ventilation or in any other respect.
A person while being trained to work a woodworking machine shall be fully and carefully instructed as to the dangers arising in connexion with such machine and the precautions to be observed.
No person under 16 years of age shall be employed on any woodworking machine. (L.N. 115 of 2002)
The part of a circular saw below the bench table shall be protected by fencing it with 2 plates of metal or other suitable material, one on each side of the saw and such plates shall not be more than 150 millimetres apart and shall extend from the axis of the saw outwards to a distance of not less than 50 millimetres beyond the teeth of the saw.
If metal plates are used for the purpose mentioned in paragraph (1), the plate shall—
if not beaded, be of a thickness not less than 2 millimetres;
if beaded, be of a thickness not less than 1 millimetre.
Behind and in direct line with the circular saw there shall be a riving knife, which shall—
have a smooth surface;
be strong, rigid and easily adjustable;
be so positioned that the edge of the knife nearer the saw shall form an arc of a circle having a radius not exceeding the radius of the largest saw used on the bench;
be maintained as close as practicable to the saw, having regard to the nature of work being done at the time, and, at the level of the bench table, be so positioned that the distance between the front edge of the knife and the teeth of the saw does not exceed 15 millimetres;
for a circular saw of a diameter of less than 600 millimetres, extend upwards from the bench table to within 25 millimetres of the top of the saw;
for a circular saw of a diameter of 600 millimetres or more, extend upwards from the bench table to a height of not less than 250 millimetres.
The top of a circular saw shall be covered by a strong and easily adjustable guard, with a flange at the side of the saw furthest from the fence; and such guard shall—
be kept so adjusted that the flange shall extend below the roots of the teeth of the saw;
extend from the top of the riving knife to a point as low as practicable at the cutting edge of the saw.
A suitable push-stick shall be kept available for use at the bench of a circular saw that is fed by hand so as to enable the work to be carried on without unnecessary risk.
A swing saw or pendulum saw shall be guarded so far as practicable and shall be so designed and maintained that it automatically returns to the back position when released at any point of its travel. (71 of 1989 s. 13)
A swing saw or pendulum saw shall be provided with limit chains or other effective devices to prevent the front edge of the saw being pulled out in front of the work table; and such chains or devices shall be maintained in good working order.
A plain band saw shall have—
both sides of the bottom pulley completely encased by sheet metal or other suitable material;
the front of the top pulley covered with sheet metal or other suitable material;
all portions of the blade enclosed or securely guarded, except the portion of the blade between the bench table and the top guide.
No planing machine, which is not mechanically fed, shall be used for overhand planing unless it is fitted with a cylindrical cutter block.
A planing machine used for overhand planing shall be provided with a “bridge” guard capable of covering the full length and breadth of the cutting slot in the bench, and shall be so constructed as to be easily adjusted both in a vertical and horizontal direction.
The feed roller of a planing machine used for thicknessing, except a machine used both for overhand planing and thicknessing, shall be provided with an efficient guard.
The cutter of a vertical spindle moulding machine shall, where practicable, be provided with the most efficient guard having regard to the nature of the work being performed. (71 of 1989 s. 13)
For such work as cannot be performed with an efficient guard for the cutter, the wood being moulded at a vertical spindle moulding machine shall, where practicable, be held in a jig or holder of such construction as to reduce as far as possible the risk of accident to the person working the machine. (71 of 1989 s. 13)
A suitable “spike” or push-stick shall be kept available for use at the bench of a vertical spindle moulding machine.
The chain of a chain mortising machine shall be provided with a guard that shall enclose the cutters so far as practicable.
All tools, blades and cutting instruments of a woodworking machine and other machines operating on wood shall be—
kept free from patent defect;
properly maintained;
kept clean;
properly ground, sharpened and set.
Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1), no saw that is cracked shall be used in a circular saw.
The guards and other appliances required under these regulations shall be—
maintained in an efficient state;
constantly kept in position when the machine is in motion, except when, owing to the nature of the work being done, the use of the guards or appliances is rendered impracticable;
so adjusted as to enable the work to be carried on without unnecessary risk.
Regulations 10, 13 and 14(2) and (3) shall not apply to a woodworking machine in respect of which it can be shown that other safeguards are provided and maintained, which render the machine equally safe as it would be if guarded in the manner specified in these regulations.
A person employed on a woodworking machine shall—
use and maintain in proper adjustment the guards provided in accordance with these regulations;
use the “spikes” or push-sticks and jigs or holders provided in compliance with regulations 11 and 15(2) and (3),
except when, owing to the nature of the work being done, the use of the guards or appliances is rendered impracticable.
If regulation 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 or 17 is contravened, the proprietor of the industrial undertaking in respect of which the contravention occurs commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 6.
A person employed on a woodworking machine who contravenes regulation 19 commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 5.