Factories Act 1937

31 Air receivers.

(1) Every air receiver shall—

(a) have marked upon it so as to be plainly visible the safe working pressure; and

(b) in the case of a receiver connected with an air compressing plant either be so constructed as to withstand with safety the maximum pressure which can be obtained in the compressor, or be fitted with a suitable reducing valve or other suitable appliance to prevent the safe working pressure of the receiver being exceeded; and

(c) be fitted with a suitable safety valve so adjusted as to permit the air to escape as soon as the safe working pressure is exceeded; and

(d) be fitted with a correct pressure gauge indicating the pressure in the receiver in pounds per square inch; and

(e) be fitted with a suitable appliance for draining the receiver; and

(f) be provided with a suitable manhole, handhole, or other means which will allow the interior to be thoroughly cleaned; and

(g) in a case where more than one receiver is in use in the factory, bear a distinguishing mark which shall be easily visible.

(2) For the purpose of the provisions of the foregoing subsection relating to safety valves and pressure gauges, any set of air receivers supplied with air through a single pipe may be treated as one receiver:

Provided that, in a case where a suitable reducing valve or other suitable appliance to prevent the safe working pressure being exceeded is required to be fitted, this subsection shall not apply unless the valve or appliance is fitted on the said single pipe.

(3) Every air receiver and its fittings shall be of sound construction and properly maintained.

(4) Every air receiver shall be thoroughly cleaned and examined at least once in every period of twenty-six months :

Provided that in the case of a receiver of solid drawn construction—

(a) the person making any such examination may specify in writing a period exceeding twenty-six months but not exceeding four years within which the next examination is to be made; and

(b) if it is so constructed that the internal surface cannot be thoroughly examined, a suitable hydraulic test of the receiver shall be carried out in lieu of internal examination.

Every such examination and test shall be carried out by a competent person, and a report of the result of every such examination and test, containing the prescribed particulars (including particulars of the safe working pressure), shall be entered in or attached to the general register.

(5) In this section the expression “air receiver ” means—

(a) any vessel (other than a pipe or coil, or an accessory, fitting or part of a compressor) for containing compressed air and connected with an air compressing plant;

(b) any fixed vessel for containing compressed air or compressed exhaust gases and used for the purpose of starting an internal combustion engine; or

(c) any fixed or portable vessel (not being part of a spraying pistol) used for the purpose of spraying by means of compressed air any paint, varnish, lacquer or similar material; or

(d) any vessel in which oil is stored and from which it is forced by compressed air:

Provided that the provisions of paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to any such vessel as is mentioned in paragraph (c) or paragraph (d) of this subsection.