AN120192 – Electricians &c. (State) Award
31.1 Protective Clothing — Where employees are required to wear overalls and/or dust coats they shall be supplied by the employer.
31.2 Damage to Clothing, Spectacles and Hearing Aids — Compensation to the extent of the damage sustained shall be made where in the course of the work clothing, spectacles or hearing aids are damaged or destroyed by fire or molten metal or through the use of corrosive substances: Provided that this subclause shall not apply when an employee is entitled to Workers' Compensation in respect of the damage.
31.3 Gas Masks
31.3.1 The employer shall ensure that sufficient gas masks are available to enable each employee, when engaged on repairs to refrigeration plants outside the employer's premises, to take one with him.
31.3.2 Employers shall provide respirators or gas masks for electric arc or oxy-acetylene operators working in places where fresh air cannot freely circulate.
31.4 Gloves — Suitable canvas or leather gloves shall be provided by employers for operators of pneumatic tools and/or punch and shearing machines and where necessary for employees manually hauling underground cables or ring mains and similar cables and suitable gloves or pads for such other work as the foreman and employee may agree. In the case of disagreement between the foreman and the workman, the workman or a shop steward on his/her behalf shall be entitled within 24 hours, to ask for a decision on the workman's claim by the employer's industrial officer (if there be one) or otherwise by the employer or the executive officer responsible for the management or superintendence of the plant concerned. In such case a decision shall be given on the workman's claim within 48 hours of its being asked for (unless that time expires on a non-working day, in which case it shall be given during the next working day), or else the said equipment shall be provided. In any case where the union alleges that an employer or his/her representative is persistently unreasonable or capricious in relation to such claims, it may bring such case before the Conciliation Committee.
31.5 Goggles — Suitable mica or other goggles shall be provided by the employer for each employee using emery wheels or where used by more than one employee such goggles shall be sterilized before being used by another employee. An employee when working on emery wheels shall wear the goggles provided for his/her protection.
Goggles containing celluloid shall not be considered suitable for the purposes of this provision.
31.6 Masks — Where necessary suitable masks shall be provided for employees required to use compressed air for blowing dust from electrical machinery or equipment. An employee when performing such work shall wear the mask provided for his/her protection. Masks containing celluloid shall not be considered suitable for the purposes of this provision.
31.7 Protective Equipment — Welding — Employers shall provide a sufficient supply of the undermentioned equipment to enable each tradesman and his/her assistant when engaged on work necessitating its use:
31.7.1 suitable asbestos sheets;
31.7.2 hand screens or helmets, fitted with coloured glass (or in the case of oxy-acetylene operators protective glasses with side shields);
31.7.3 anti-flash goggles;
31.7.4 aprons, leather sleeves and leggings (or coveralls of flameproof material) and gauntlet gloves, and
31.7.5 gum or other insulating boots when working in places so damp that danger of electric shock exists.
An employee who is pursuant to this paragraph supplied with any of the equipment specified herein shall wear or use as the case may be such equipment in such a way as to achieve the purpose for which it is supplied. Where electric arc operators are working screens which shall be suitable and sufficient for the purpose shall be provided by the employer for the protection of employees from flash.
31.8 Safety Gear for Live Work — Adequate safety gear (including insulating gloves, mats and/or shields where necessary) shall be provided by employers for employees required to work on live electrical equipment.
31.9 Case Hardened Prescription Lenses — An employer who requires an employee to have his/her prescription lenses case hardened shall pay for the cost of such case hardening.
