Safe Quarry - Health and Safety Authority

PART 7
AIR RECEIVERS
54. APPLICATION
(Regulation 56)
56. In this Part “air receiver” means any of the
following:
(a) a vessel for containing compressed air and
connected with air compressing plant, other
than -
(i) a pipe,
(ii) a coil, or
(iii) an accessory, fitting or other part of a
compressed air plant,
(b) a fixed vessel for containing compressed air or
compressed exhaust gases and used for the
purpose of starting an internal combustion
engine,
(c) a vessel forming part of the equipment of a
vehicle at a quarry for containing compressed air
and used to operate the braking system of the
vehicle,
(d) a vessel (not being part of a spraying pistol) used
for the purpose of spraying, by means of
compressed air, paint, varnish, lacquer or similar
material,
(e) a vessel in which oil is stored and from which it is
forced out by compressed air.
This sets out the meaning of an “air receiver” in
relation to a quarry and equipment that might be
found at a quarry. It includes what would traditionally
be understood as air receivers and explicitly
extends the meaning to cover several other vessels
such as; vessels containing gases used to start
engines and operating breaking systems, vessels
containing paint, varnish, oil etc.
55. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
(Regulation 57)
57.
(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the operator shall
ensure that every air receiver at a quarry -
(a) has the safe working pressure marked on it
so as to be plainly visible,
(b) in the case of an air receiver connected with
the air compressing plant, is either
constructed so as to withstand with safety
the maximum pressure that can be obtained
in the compressor, or is fitted with a
reducing valve or other suitable appliance
to prevent the safe working pressure of the
air receiver being exceeded,
(c) is fitted with a suitable safety valve adjusted
so as to permit the air to escape as soon as
the safe working pressure is exceeded,
(d) is fitted with an accurate pressure gauge
indicating the pressure in the air receiver,
(e) is fitted with a suitable appliance for
draining the air receiver,
(f) is fitted with a blow-off cock through which
any fluid that may have accumulated in the
air receiver may be blown off,
(g) is provided with a suitable manhole,
handhole, or other means that will allow the
interior of the air receiver to be thoroughly
cleaned, and
(h) in a case where more than one air receiver is
in use at the quarry, bears a distinguishing
mark that is easily visible.
(2) The requirement of paragraph (1)(e) shall not
apply to an air receiver referred to in Regulation
56(d) or (e) and the requirement of paragraph
(1)(g) shall not apply to an air receiver referred to
in Regulation 56(c).
(3) For the purpose of paragraph (1) relating to
safety valves and pressure gauges and subject to
paragraph (4), any set of 2 or more air receivers
supplied with air through a single pipe may be
treated as one air receiver.
(4) In a case where a reducing valve or other suitable
appliance to prevent the safe working pressure
being exceeded is required to be fitted to a set of
air receivers supplied with air through a single
pipe, paragraph (3) shall not apply unless the
valve or appliance is fitted on the single pipe.
The provisions of Part 7 of these Quarries
Regulations 2008 are identical to the corresponding
provisions of the Quarries (General) Regulations
1974 (S.I.No.146 of 1974),except that the obligation
to comply with them is transferred from the quarry
manager to the quarry operator.
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SAFE QUARRY GUIDELINES TO THE SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE AT WORK (QUARRIES) REGULATIONS 2008