§ Mr. Prenticeasked the Minister of Labour when the existing safety regulations for the chemical industry came into effect; when the Industrial Health Advisory Committee recommended that they should be brought up to date; and why no action has been taken.
§ Mr. HareThe Chemical Works Regulations were made in 1922. A proposal to review the need for revising or extending the Regulations was one of a number of proposals for action made by my Department to the Industrial Health Advisory Committee and endorsed by the Committee in 1955. Important changes covering some of these points were made by the Factories Act of 1959. Other action which will benefit workers in sections of the chemicals industry is the revision of the law dealing with lead and mercury processes and ionising radiations. When this work is completed, the question whether revision of the Chemical Works Regulations is still necessary will be further reviewed.