Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act , 1989

Type Act
Publication 1989-04-19
State In force
articles 61
Reform history JSON API

(a) to fail to discharge a duty to which he is subject by virtue of sections 6 to 8, 9 (1), 10, 11, 12 (5) to (8), 13 (1) and (5), or

(b) to contravene sections 9 (2), 12 (1) to (4), or

(c) to contravene a provision of a regulation made under section 28.

(2) It shall be an offence for a person wilfully to prevent, obstruct, impede or delay an inspector from exercising any functions conferred on him by this Act and it shall be an offence for a person wilfully to fail to comply with a bona fide request or instruction from an inspector in the exercise of his statutory functions.

(3) It shall be an offence for a person to prevent or attempt to prevent any person from answering any question to which an inspector may by virtue of section 34 require an answer.

(4) It shall be an offence to fail to submit an improvement plan to an inspector within the time specified in a direction under section 35 or to fail to implement an improvement plan which has been approved in accordance with the said section 35 but it shall be a good defence to a prosecution under the said section 35 if it can be shown that other measures providing at least equal protection were taken.

(5) It shall be an offence for a person to contravene any requirement of an improvement notice issued in accordance with section 36.

(6) It shall be an offence for a person to carry on activities in contravention of a prohibition notice issued in accordance with section 37.

(7) It shall be an offence for a person wilfully to prevent, obstruct, impede or delay an officer of customs and excise in the exercise of any of the powers conferred on him by section 38.

(8) It shall be an offence for a person to contravene any requirement imposed by a notice requiring information under section 42.

(9) It shall be an offence for a person to use or to disclose any information in contravention of section 45.

(10) It shall be an offence for a person intentionally to obstruct any person in the exercise of his powers under section 46.

(11) If a person who without reasonable excuse (proof whereof shall lie on him) either fails, after having the expenses (if any) to which he is entitled tendered to him, or refuses to comply with any summons or requisition of a tribunal appointed under section 47 or otherwise prevents or impedes the tribunal in the execution of its duty, he shall be guilty of an offence.

(12) It shall be an offence for a person to make a statement which he knows to be false or recklessly to make a statement which is false where the statement is made—

(a) in purported compliance with a requirement to furnish any information imposed by or under any of the relevant statutory provisions; or

(b) for the purpose of obtaining the issue of a document under any of the relevant statutory provisions to himself or another person.

(13) It shall be an offence for a person to make a false entry intentionally in any register, book, notice or other document required by or under any of the relevant statutory provisions to be kept, served or given or, with intent to deceive, to make use of any such entry which he knows to be false.

(14) It shall be an offence for a person, with intent to deceive, to forge or use a document issued or authorised to be issued under any of the relevant statutory provisions or required for any purpose thereunder or to make or have in his possession a document so closely resembling any such document as to be calculated to deceive.

(15) It shall be an offence for a person falsely to pretend to be an inspector.

(16) Where a person is convicted of an offence under any of the relevant statutory provisions the court may, in addition to or instead of inflicting a fine, order him to take steps within a specified time for remedying the matters in respect of which the contravention occurred (and may on application extend the time so specified) and any person who fails to comply with any such order within the specified time (as extended) shall be guilty of an offence.

(17) If a person is killed, dies or suffers any personal injury, in consequence of any person who is subject to a duty by virtue of sections 6 to 11 having contravened any of the relevant statutory provisions, the latter person shall be guilty of an offence under this subsection; but

(i) the latter person shall not be guilty of an offence under this subsection if a prosecution against him in respect of the act or default by which the death or injury was caused, has been heard and dismissed before the death or injury occurred;

(ii) in the case of injury to health, the latter person shall not be guilty of an offence under this subsection unless the injury was caused directly by the contravention.

(18) (a) Where a person is charged with a summary offence under any of the relevant statutory provisions, he shall be entitled, upon information duly laid by him and on giving to the prosecution not less than three days notice in writing of his intention, to have any other person whom he charges as the actual offender brought before the court at the time appointed for hearing the charge (whether or not the other person is his agent or servant);

(b) if the commission of the offence is proved and the first person charged proves to the satisfaction of the court that he used all diligence to enforce the relevant statutory provisions and that the other person whom he charges as the actual offender committed the offence without his consent, connivance or wilful default, that other person shall be summarily convicted of the offence and the first person shall not be guilty of the offence, and the person convicted shall, in the discretion of the court, be also liable to pay any costs incidental to the proceedings;

(c) the prosecution shall in any case to which this subsection applies, have the right to cross-examine the first person charged if he gives evidence and any witnesses called by him in support of his charge, and to adduce rebutting evidence.

(19) (a) Where an offence under any of the relevant statutory provisions committed by a body corporate is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to have been attributable to any neglect on the part of any director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate or a person who was purporting to act in any such capacity, he as well as the body corporate shall be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly;

(b) where the affairs of a body corporate are managed by its members, paragraph (a) shall apply in relation to the acts and defaults of a member in connection with his functions of management as if he were a director of the body corporate.

(20) Where an offence under any of the relevant statutory provisions is committed by reason of a failure to do something at or within a time fixed by or under any of those provisions, the offence shall be deemed to continue until that thing is done.

49 Penalties.

49.—(1) Subject to subsections (2), (3) and (4), a person guilty of an offence under any of the relevant statutory provisions for which no express money penalty is provided shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding £1,000.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under section 48 (1) shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,000, or

(b) on conviction on indictment to a fine.

(3) A person guilty of an offence—

(a) under subsection (6) or (9) of section 48, or

(b) which consists of contravening any of the relevant statutory provisions by doing otherwise than under the authority of a licence issued by the Authority or any other prescribed body something for the doing of which such a licence is necessary under the relevant statutory provisions, or

(c) which consists of contravening a term of or a condition or restriction attached to any such licence as is mentioned in paragraph (b) shall be liable—

(i) on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,000, or

(ii) on conviction on indictment to a fine or, at the discretion of the court, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both such fine and such imprisonment.

(4) Nothing in this section shall be construed as creating an indictable offence in respect of regulations made under the European Communities Act, 1972.

50 Onus of proof.

50.—In any proceedings for an offence under any of the relevant statutory provisions consisting of a failure to comply with a duty or requirement to do something so far as is practicable or so far as is reasonably practicable, or to use the best practicable means to do something, it shall be for the accused to prove (as the case may be) that it was not practicable or not reasonably practicable to do more than was in fact done to satisfy the duty or requirement, or that there was no better practicable means than was in fact used to satisfy the duty or requirement.

51 Prosecution of offences, etc.

51.—(1) Subject to subsection (2), any summary offence under any of the relevant statutory provisions may be prosecuted by the Authority.

(2) Where a summary offence under any of the relevant statutory provisions consists of a contravention of a provision which is to be enforced by an enforcing agency, the offence may be prosecuted by the enforcing agency.

(3) Notwithstanding section 10 (4) of the Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851, proceedings for any offence under any of the relevant statutory provisions may be instituted at any time within one year after the date of the offence.

(4) Where—

(a) a special report on any matter to which section 46 of this Act applies is made; or

(b) a report is made by a person holding an inquiry into any matter by virtue of section 47; or

(c) a coroner's inquest is held concerning the death of any person whose death may have been caused by an accident which happened while he was at work or by a disease which he contracted or probably contracted at work or by an accident, act or omission which occurred in connection with the work of any person whatsoever;

and it appears from the report or, in a case falling within paragraph (c) from the proceedings at the inquest, that any of the relevant statutory provisions was contravened at a time which is material in relation to the subject matter of the report or inquest, summary proceedings against any person liable to be proceeded against in respect of the contravention may be commenced at any time within six months of the making of the report or, in a case falling within paragraph (c), within six months of the conclusion of the inquest.

52 Appeals from orders.

52.—Any person (including the Authority or an enforcing agency) aggrieved by an order made by the District Court on determining a complaint under this Act may appeal therefrom to a judge of the Circuit Court within whose circuit is situated the District Court in which the decision was given, and the decision of the judge of the Circuit Court on any such appeal shall be final and conclusive.

53 Evidence.

53.—(1) If a person is found in any place of work at any time at which work is going on, he shall, until the contrary is proved, be deemed for the purposes of this Act to have been employed in such place of work.

(2) Where any entry is required by any of the relevant statutory provisions to be made in any register or record, the entry made by an employer or on his behalf shall, as against him, be admissible as evidence of the facts therein stated, and the fact that any entry so required with respect to the observance of any of the relevant statutory provisions has not been made, shall be admissible as evidence that the provision has not been observed.

PART IX Miscellaneous

54 Certificates of birth.

54.—Where the age of any person is required to be ascertained or proved for the purposes of this Act, or any of the relevant statutory provisions, any person shall, on payment of a fee of 70 pence, be entitled to obtain a certificate from the entry of the birth of that person in the register of births under the hand of the registrar or superintendent registrar or other person having the custody thereof.

55 General obligations with regard to fire safety.

55.—(1) The following provisions of the Fire Services Act, 1981, are hereby repealed—

(a) subparagraph (i) of subsection (1) (f) of section 18, and

(b) subsection (2) (b) of section 19.

(2) Sections 45 (as amended by the Safety in Industry Act, 1980), 46, 47 (as amended by the Safety in Industry Act, 1980), 48 and 122 (2) of the Factories Act, 1955, are hereby repealed.

(3) Section 27 of the Safety in Industry Act, 1980, is hereby repealed.

56 Inquest in case of death by accident or disease at work.

56.—Where a coroner holds an inquest on the body of any person whose death may have been caused by an accident which occurred or a disease which was contracted at a place of work, the following provisions shall have effect—

(a) the coroner shall adjourn the inquest unless—

(i) an inspector or some other person appearing on behalf of the Authority or an enforcing agency, as the case may be, is present to watch the proceedings, or

(ii) in case the inquest relates to the death of not more than one person and the coroner has sent to the Authority or to an enforcing agency, as the case may be, notice of the time and place of holding the inquest at such time as to reach the Authority or an enforcing agency not less than twenty-four hours before the time of holding the inquest, the majority of the jury think it unnecessary to adjourn the inquest;

(b) if the coroner adjourns the inquest—

(i) he may, before the adjournment, take evidence to identify the body and may order the interment of the body,

(ii) he shall, at least four days before holding the adjourned inquest, send to the Authority or to an enforcing agency, as the case may be, notice in writing of the time and place of holding the adjourned inquest;

(c) no person having a personal interest in or employed in or about or in the management of the place of work in or about which the accident or disease occurred or was contracted shall be qualified to serve on the jury;

(d) it shall be the duty of the person summoning the jury not to summon any person disqualified under paragraph (c) of this section and it shall be the duty of the coroner not to allow any such person to be sworn or to sit on the jury;

(e) the following persons shall, subject to the power of the coroner to disallow any question which in his opinion is not relevant or is otherwise not a proper question, be entitled to examine any witness either in person or by counsel or solicitor—

(i) an inspector or any other person appearing on behalf of the Authority or an enforcing agency, as the case may be,

(ii) any relation or friend of the person in respect of whose death the inquest is being held,

(iii) the employer at the place of work in which the accident or disease occurred or was contracted,

(iv) any person appointed in writing by the majority of the persons employed at the place of work,

(v) any person appointed in writing by any trade union, friendly society or other association of persons to which the deceased at the time of his death belonged or to which any person employed in the place of work belongs,

(vi) any person appointed in writing by any association of employers of which the employer at the place of work is a member;

(f) where an inspector or a person on behalf of the Authority or an enforcing agency, as the case may be, is not present at the inquest and evidence is given of any neglect having caused or contributed to the accident or disease, or of any defect in or about the place of work appearing to the coroner or jury to require a remedy, the coroner shall send to the Authority or to an enforcing agency, as the case may be, notice in writing of the neglect or defect.

57 Application of Act to prisons, etc.

57.—This Act shall apply to prisons and places of detention unless its application is incompatible with safe custody, good order and security.

58 Increases in miscellaneous penalties.

58.—The following provisions shall have effect—

(a) the maximum penalty for an offence under section 74 (3) (as inserted by section 56 (a) of the Safety in Industry Act, 1980) of the Factories Act, 1955, shall be £150 and, accordingly, that subsection shall be construed and have effect as if the reference therein to £15 were a reference to £150;

(b) the maximum penalty for an offence under section 76 (2) (as inserted by section 56 (a) of the Safety in Industry Act, 1980) of the Factories Act, 1955, shall be £150 and, accordingly, that subsection shall be construed and have effect as if the reference therein to £15 were a reference to £150;

(c) the maximum penalty for an offence under section 76 (5) (as inserted by section 56 (a) of the Safety in Industry Act, 1980) of the Factories Act, 1955, shall be £150 and, accordingly, that subsection shall be construed and have effect as if the reference therein to £15 were a reference to £150;

(d) the maximum penalty for an offence under section 91 (5) (as inserted by section 56 (a) of the Safety in Industry Act, 1980) of the Factories Act, 1955, shall be £150 and, accordingly, that subsection shall be construed and have effect as if the reference therein to £15 were a reference to £150;

(e) the maximum penalty for an offence under section 104 (as inserted by section 56 (j) of the Safety in Industry Act, 1980) of the Factories Act, 1955, shall be £100 and, accordingly, that section shall be construed and have effect as if the reference therein to £6 were a reference to £100;

(f) the maximum penalty for an offence under section 119 (1) (as inserted by section 56 (l) of the Safety in Industry Act, 1980) of the Factories Act, 1955, shall be £300 or £25 per day and, accordingly, that section shall be construed and have effect as if the references therein to £30 and £3 were references to £300 and £25 respectively;

(g) the maximum penalty for an offence under section 120 (3) (as inserted by section 56 (m) of the Safety in Industry Act, 1980) of the Factories Act, 1955, shall be £300 and, accordingly, that subsection shall be construed and have effect as if the reference therein to £30 were a reference to £300;

(h) the maximum penalty for an offence under section 139 of the Mines and Quarries Act, 1965, shall be £100 and, accordingly, that section shall be construed and have effect as if the reference therein to £20 were a reference to £100;

(i) the maximum penalty for an offence under section 142 of the Mines and Quarries Act, 1965, shall be £300 and, accordingly, that section shall be construed and have effect as if the reference therein to £5 were a reference to £300;

(j) the maximum penalty for an offence under section 52 (1) of the Dangerous Substances Act, 1972, shall be £1,000 or a prison term not exceeding 12 months and, accordingly, that subsection shall be construed and have effect as if the reference therein to £100 were a reference to £1,000 and the reference to six months were a reference to 12 months; and

(k) the maximum penalty for an offence under section 52 (2) of the Dangerous Substances Act, 1972, shall be £200 and, accordingly, that subsection shall be construed and have effect as if the reference therein to £20 were a reference to £200.

59 Licences.

59.—(1) The Minister may, for the purpose of protecting the safety, health or welfare of persons at work, prescribe any work activity to which the provisions of the Act apply as being an activity to which may not be carried on except in accordance with the terms or conditions of a licence issued by the Authority, which licence the Authority is hereby authorised to issue.

(2) The Authority may attach conditions to a licence issued in accordance with subsection (1) as it thinks proper including conditions as to its expiry or revocation.

(3) The Authority may at its discretion grant or refuse an application for a licence under this section.

(4) The Authority may, if it so thinks proper, publish particulars of an application for a licence under this section and invite representations concerning it from interested persons.

(5) (a) The Authority shall cause a register of all licences granted by it under this section to be kept in such form and containing such particulars as it thinks proper.

(b) Any person, upon payment of a prescribed fee and an inspector, without payment, shall be entitled at all reasonable times to inspect and take copies of or extracts from a register kept under this subsection.

(6) If the Authority refuses to grant a licence or grants a licence on conditions with which the applicant is dissatisfied, the Authority shall, at his request, deliver to him a certificate stating the grounds on which it has refused a licence or attached the conditions.

(7) The applicant may appeal to the High Court from the decision of the Authority within ten days after receipt of the certificate or such further time as the High Court may allow.

(8) On the hearing of an appeal from a decision of the Authority refusing the grant of a licence or granting a licence on conditions with which the applicant is dissatisfied, the Court may confirm the decision or may direct the Authority to grant the licence, to attach specified conditions to the licence or to amend or delete a condition attached to the licence, as may be appropriate.

(9) A decision of the High Court on an appeal under this section shall be final save that, by leave of that Court, an appeal shall lie to the Supreme Court on a specified question of law.

60 Civil liability.

60.—(1) Nothing in this Act shall be construed—

(a) as conferring a right of action in any civil proceedings in respect of any failure to comply with any duty imposed by or under sections 6 to 11, or

(b) as affecting the extent (if any) to which breach of a duty imposed by any of the existing enactments is actionable.

(2) Breach of a duty imposed by regulations made under section 28 shall, so far as it causes damage, be actionable except in so far as regulations provide otherwise.

(3) Subsections (1) and (2) shall apply without prejudice to any right of action which exists apart from the provisions of this Act.

(4) Any term of an agreement which purports to exclude or restrict the operation of subsection (2) of this section, or any liability arising by virtue of that subsection shall be void, except in so far as regulations made under section 28 provide otherwise.

(5) In this section “damage” includes death of or personal injury to any person.

61 Immunity of Authority or enforcing agency.

61.—No action or other proceedings shall lie or be maintainable against the Authority or an enforcing agency or any person referred to in section 16 (3) (a) for the recovery of damages in respect of any injury to persons, damage to property or other loss alleged to have been caused or contributed to by a failure to perform or to comply with any of the functions imposed on the said Authority or enforcing agency or person referred to in the said section 16 (3) (a).

FIRST SCHEDULE National Authority for Occupational Safety and Health

1.—The Authority shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and power to sue and be sued in its corporate name and to acquire, hold and dispose of land or an interest in land or other property.

2.—The Authority shall consist of a chairman (in this Schedule referred to as “the chairman”) and ten ordinary members.

3.—The chairman and ordinary members of the Authority shall be appointed by the Minister.

4.—In appointing persons to be ordinary members of the Authority, the Minister shall appoint three persons nominated by such organisations representative of employees as he considers appropriate, three persons nominated by such organisations representative of employers as he considers appropriate, and four persons representative of such Government Departments, State Agencies and other bodies, whose activities are concerned with matters relating to any of the purposes of this Act, as he considers appropriate.

5.—The chairman may at any time resign his office by letter addressed to the Minister and his resignation shall take effect as on and from the date of the receipt of the letter by the Minister.

6.—The Minister may at any time remove the chairman from office.

7.—(1) Where a member of the Authority is—

(a) nominated as a member of Seanad Éireann, or

(b) elected as a member of either House of the Oireachtas or of the European Parliament, or

(c) regarded pursuant to section 15 (inserted by the European Assembly Elections Act, 1984) of the European Assembly Elections Act, 1977, as having been elected to such Parliament to fill a vacancy,

he shall thereupon cease to be a member of the Authority.

(2) Where a person who is a member of the staff of the Authority is—

(a) nominated as a member of Seanad Éireann, or

(b) elected as a member of either House of the Oireachtas or of the European Parliament, or

(c) regarded pursuant to section 15 (inserted by the European Assembly Elections Act, 1984) of the European Assembly Elections Act, 1977, as having been elected to such Parliament to fill a vacancy,

he shall thereupon stand seconded from employment by the Authority and shall not be paid by, or be entitled to receive from the Authority any remuneration or allowances in respect of the period commencing on such nomination or election or when he is so regarded as having been elected, as the case may be, and ending when he ceases to be a member of either such House or such Parliament.

(3) A person who is for the time being entitled under the Standing Orders of either House of the Oireachtas to sit therein or is a member of the European Parliament shall, while he is so entitled or is such a member, be disqualified from becoming a member of the Authority or the staff of the Authority.

(4) Without prejudice to the generality of subparagraph (2), that subparagraph shall be construed as prohibiting, inter alia, the reckoning of a period mentioned in that subparagraph as service with the Authority for the purposes of any superannuation benefits.

8.—The chairman shall be appointed by the Minister either in a whole-time or a part-time capacity and shall hold office for not more than three years on such terms and conditions as the Minister determines with the consent of the Minister for Finance.

9.—The chairman shall be paid, out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, such remuneration and allowances for expenses incurred by him as the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, may determine.

10.—Each ordinary member of the Authority shall be a part-time member and, subject to this Schedule, shall hold office for three years on such terms and conditions as the Minister determines with the consent of the Minister for Finance.

11.—The chairman and an ordinary member of the Authority whose term of office expires by effluxion of time shall be eligible for reappointment.

12.—The Minister may at any time remove an ordinary member of the Authority from office.

13.—An ordinary member of the Authority may resign his office as such member by letter addressed to the Minister and the resignation shall take effect as on and from the date of the receipt of the letter by the Minister.

14.—A member of the Authority shall be disqualified from holding and shall cease to hold office if he is adjudged bankrupt or makes a composition or arrangement with creditors or is sentenced by a court of competent jurisdiction to suffer imprisonment or penal servitude or ceases to be ordinarily resident in the State.

15.—Each ordinary member of the Authority shall be paid, out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, such expenses as the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, may sanction.

16.—The Minister shall appoint one of the ordinary members of the Authority to be a vice-chairman of the Authority with the function of acting as chairman in the absence of the chairman.

17.—Where a casual vacancy occurs among the ordinary members of the Authority the Minister shall forthwith invite the organisation which previously nominated that member to nominate a person for appointment to fill the vacancy and the Minister shall appoint the person nominated to fill the vacancy.

18.—(1) The Authority shall hold such and so many meetings as may be necessary for the performance of its functions and may make arrangements for the regulation of its proceedings and business.

(2) Such arrangements may, with the approval of the Minister, provide for the discharge, under the general direction of the Authority, of any of its functions by a committee of the Authority.

19.—The Minister may fix or sanction the date, time and place of the first meeting of the Authority.

20.—The quorum for a meeting of the Authority shall be five members.

21.—At a meeting of the Authority—

(a) the chairman shall, if present, be the chairman of the meeting;

(b) in the absence of the chairman or, if the office of chairman of the Authority is vacant, the vice-chairman of the Authority shall act as chairman;

(c) if, and so long as, the chairman is not present or, if the office of chairman of the Authority is vacant and the vice-chairman is not present or the office of vice-chairman is vacant, the members of the Authority present shall choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting.

22.—The chairman and each ordinary member of the Authority attending a meeting of the Authority shall have a vote.

23.—Every question at a meeting of the Authority shall be determined by a majority of the votes cast on the question and, in the case of an equal division of votes, the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

24.—The Authority may act notwithstanding one or more than one vacancy among its members.

25.—Subject to this Schedule, the Authority shall regulate its procedure and business.

26.—(1) The Authority shall, as soon as may be after its establishment, provide itself with a seal.

(2) The seal of the Authority shall be authenticated by the signature of the chairman or some other member of the Authority authorised by it to act in that behalf and by the signature of an officer of the Authority authorised by it to act in that behalf.

(3) Judicial notice shall be taken of the seal of the Authority and any document sealed with the seal shall be received in evidence.

27.—No person shall be a civil servant by virtue only of membership of the Authority.

SECOND SCHEDULE

PART I Existing Enactments

Chapter, Number and Year Short Title
(1) (2)
1882 c. 22 Boiler Explosions Act, 1882
1890 c. 35 Boiler Explosions Act, 1890
No. 10 of 1955 and No. 9 of 1980 Safety in Industry Acts, 1955 and 1980
No. 3 of 1958 Office Premises Act, 1958
No. 7 of 1965 Mines and Quarries Act, 1965
No. 10 of 1972 and No. 21 of 1979 Dangerous Substances Acts, 1972 and 1979
No. 18 of 1987 Safety, Health and Welfare (Offshore Installations) Act, 1987

PART II Regulations made under the European Communities Act, 1972, which are Existing Enactments

S.I. Number and Year Title
(1) (2)
No. 207 of 1979 European Communities (Wire-Ropes, Chains and Hooks) Regulations, 1979
No. 382 of 1979 European Communities (Dangerous Substances and Preparations) (Marketing and Use) Regulations, 1979
No. 383 of 1979 European Communities (Dangerous Substances) (Classification, Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 1979
No. 34 of 1980 European Communities (Dangerous Substances) (Classification, Packaging and Labelling) (Amendment) Regulations, 1980
No. 365 of 1980 European Communities (Paints, etc.) (Classification, Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 1980
No. 402 of 1980 European Communities (Safety Signs at Places of Work) Regulations, 1980
No. 61 of 1981 European Communities (Electrical Equipment for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres) Regulations, 1981
No. 149 of 1981 European Communities (Dangerous Substances and Preparations) (Marketing and Use) Regulations, 1981
No. 258 of 1982 European Communities (Dangerous Substances) (Classification, Packaging, Labelling and Notification) Regulations, 1982
No. 27 of 1983 European Communities (Dangerous Substances) (Classification, Packaging and Labelling) (Amendment) Regulations, 1983
No. 189 of 1983 European Communities (Dangerous Preparations) (Solvents) (Classification, Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 1983
No. 170 of 1984 European Communities (Paints, etc.) (Classification, Packaging and Labelling) (Amendment) Regulations, 1984
No. 335 of 1984 European Communities (Dangerous Substances) (Classification, Packaging and Labelling) (Amendment) Regulations, 1984
No. 89 of 1985 European Communities (Dangerous Substances) (Classification, Packaging, Labelling and Notification) Regulations, 1985
No. 244 of 1985 European Communities (Dangerous Substances and Preparations) (Marketing and Use) Regulations, 1985
No. 47 of 1986 European Communities (Dangerous Substances and Preparations) (Marketing and Use) Regulations, 1986
No. 224 of 1986 European Communities (Dangerous Substances) (Classification, Packaging and Labelling) (Amendment) Regulations, 1986
No. 244 of 1986 European Communities (Electrical Equipment for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres) (Amendment) Regulations, 1986
No. 292 of 1986 European Communities (Major Accident Hazards of Certain Industrial Activities) Regulations, 1986
No. 204 of 1987 European Communities (Dangerous Substances and Preparations) (Marketing and Use) Regulations, 1987
No. 205 of 1987 European Communities (Paints, etc.) (Classification, Packaging and Labelling) (Amendment) Regulations, 1987
No. 47 of 1988 European Communities (Dangerous Substances) (Classification, Packaging and Labelling) (Amendment) Regulations, 1988
No. 219 of 1988 European Communities (Protection of Workers) (Exposure to Lead) Regulations, 1988
No. 294 of 1988 European Communities (Dangerous Substances and Preparations) (Marketing and Use) Regulations, 1988
No. 34 of 1989 European Communities (Protection of Workers) (Exposure to Asbestos) Regulations, 1989

THIRD SCHEDULE Associated Statutory Provisions

Chapter, Number and Year Short Title Provisions which are Associated Statutory Provisions
(1) (2) (3)
1842 c. 55 Regulation of Railways Act, 1842 The whole Act
1871 c. 58 Regulation of Railways Act, 1871 The whole Act
1875 c. 17 Explosives Act, 1875 The whole Act
Merchant Shipping Acts, 1894 to 1987 The whole Acts
1894 c. 28 Notice of Accidents Act, 1894 The whole Act
1900 c. 27 Railway Employment (Prevention of Accidents) Act, 1900 The whole Act
Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1927 to 1988 The whole Acts
No. 40 of 1936 Air Navigation and Transport Act, 1936 Section 60
No. 12 of 1961 Poisons Act, 1961 Sections 14 and 15
Road Traffic Acts, 1961 to 1987 The whole Acts
No. 12 of 1971 Nuclear Energy Act, 1971 The whole Act
No. 30 of 1976 and Gas Act, 1976 Sections 7, 8 (2) and 38
No. 9 of 1987 Gas (Amendment) Act, 1987 Sections 2 and 3
No. 1 of 1981 Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981 Chapter 5 of Part II
No. 30 of 1981 Fire Services Act, 1981 Section 3 and Parts II and III
No. 6 of 1987 Air Pollution Act, 1987 The whole Act

FOURTH SCHEDULE Regulations

The matters in respect of which regulations may be made under section 28 shall include—

(1) (a) any matter referred to in this Act as prescribed or to be prescribed;

(b) any matter referred to in this Schedule as specified or to be specified;

(2) requirements to be imposed on employers as regards the safety, health or welfare of their employees at work as regards—

(a) the design, provision and maintenance of places of work,

(b) the design, provision and maintenance of safe means of access to and egress from places of work,

(c) the design, provision and maintenance of plant and machinery,

(d) the provision, planning, organisation, performance and maintenance of systems of work,

(e) the provision of information, instruction, training and supervision,

(f) the provision, maintenance and use of protective clothing or equipment,

(g) the preparation and revision of plans to be followed in emergencies, and

(h) the obtaining of the services of competent persons so as to ensure the safety or health of persons at work;

(3) requirements to be imposed on employers and self-employed persons as regards the conduct of their undertakings to provide that persons not in the employment of the said employers or self-employed persons are not exposed thereby to risks to their safety or health;

(4) requirements to be imposed on persons to whom section 8 applies in relation to non-domestic places of work as regards such places of work, any article or substance provided for use in such places and as regards access to or egress from such places;

(5) requirements to be imposed on employees as regards their safety, health or welfare at work including requirements as regards the use of any appliance, protective clothing, convenience, equipment or means or thing provided for securing their safety, health or welfare at work;

(6) requirements to be imposed on persons who design, manufacture, import or supply specified articles for use at work as regards—

(a) the design, construction, testing or examination of any article for use at work,

(b) the provision of information on matters relating to the use at work for which any article was designed or tested or to its being dismantled or disposed of in a manner which will be safe and without risk to health of persons at work;

(7) requirements to be imposed on persons who design or manufacture specified articles for use at work as regards the carrying out of research with respect to such articles with a view to the discovery of potential risks or the elimination or minimisation of any risks to the safety or health of persons at work;

(8) requirements to be imposed on persons who erect or install specified articles for use at work as regards the erection or installation of any such article so as to be safe and without risks to health when such article is used in a place of work;

(9) requirements to be imposed on persons who manufacture, import or supply any specified substance as regards—

(a) the use, testing or examination of any such substance, or

(b) the provision of information about any risk to safety or health to which the substance may give rise, about the results of tests on the substance or about its use or disposal in a manner which will be safe and without risk to health of persons at work;

(10) requirements to be imposed on persons who manufacture, or in a case where the manufacture is undertaken outside the State import, any specified substances as regards the carrying out of research with a view to the discovery, elimination or minimisation of risks to safety or health to which the substance may give rise when in use;

(11) requirements to be imposed on persons who design specified places of work as regards the design of such places so as to be safe and without risk to health of persons at work;

(12) requirements to be imposed on persons who construct specified places of work as regards the construction of such places so as to be safe and without risk to health of persons at work;

(13) requirements to be imposed on employers as regards safety statements;

(14) requirements to be imposed as regards the regulation, prohibition or control of the use of any specified article for use at work including the guarding, siting, installing, commissioning, protecting, examining, altering, adjusting, dismantling, testing or inspecting of any such article;

(15) requirements to be imposed as regards the marking of any specified article for use at work or designed for use as a component of such article;

(16) requirements to be imposed as regards the regulation, prohibition or control of the use of any specified substance;

(17) requirements to be imposed as regards the testing, examination, classification or labelling of any specified substance including notification of specified particulars in relation to such substance;

(18) requirements to be imposed as regards the prohibition or the control of importation or supply of any specified article for use at work or of any specified substance;

(19) requirements to be imposed as regards the prohibition or the regulation of the transport of any specified article for use at work or of any specified substance including requirements as regards the construction, testing and marking of containers and means of transport and the packaging and labelling for transport of such articles or substances;

(20) requirements to be imposed as regards the use or design of specified safety signs at places of work;

(21) requirements to be imposed as regards the making of arrangements for health surveillance of persons at work including medical examinations, biological monitoring or special health surveys;

(22) requirements to be imposed as to the registration in a prescribed register of any specified activity or thing;

(23) requirements to be imposed as to the appointment of prescribed persons or classes of persons to do prescribed things in relation to safety, health or welfare at work;

(24) requirements to be imposed as to the regulation or prohibition from prescribed classes of employment of prescribed classes of persons;

(25) requirements to be imposed with respect to any matter affecting the conditions in which persons work, including such matters as the structural conditions and stability of premises, the means of access to and egress from premises, cleanliness, temperature, humidity, lighting, ventilation, overcrowding, noise, vibrations, ionising and other radiations, dust and fumes and exposure to water or other liquids;

(26) requirements to be imposed as to monitoring the atmospheric or other conditions in which persons work;

(27) requirements to be imposed as to specified facilities or arrangements for welfare at work (including supply of water, sanitary conveniences, washing or bathing facilities, ambulance and first-aid arrangements, cloakroom facilities, seating, refreshment facilities, facilities for the making or taking of meals, prohibiting the taking of meals or refreshments in specified circumstances);

(28) requirements to be imposed so as to limit or control—

(a) the emission into a place of work of any specified gas, vapour, smoke, dust, or any other specified substance arising from work activities,

(b) the emission into the working environment of noise, vibration, any ionising or other radiations,

(c) the monitoring of any such emissions in a place of work;

(29) empowering inspectors in specified circumstances to require persons to submit written particulars of measures proposed to be taken to achieve compliance with any of the relevant statutory provisions;

(30) requirements to be imposed with respect to the keeping and preservation of records, including manual or electronic data, books, registers, documents, plans and maps;

(31) requirements to be imposed as regards the safety, health or welfare of persons with respect to the management of animals in or at places of work;

(32) requirements to be imposed as regards any place of work in relation to—

(a) precautions to be taken against dangers to which such place of work or persons therein are or may be exposed by reason of conditions (including natural conditions) existing in the vicinity of that place,

(b) securing that persons in a place of work leave that place of work in specified circumstances where there is a risk to their safety or health;

(33) requirements to be imposed as to the doing of or prohibition of any specified thing where any accident or other occurrence of a specified kind has occurred;

(34) requirements to be imposed with respect to the carrying out of research in connection with the purposes of this Act;

(35) requirements to be imposed in prescribed circumstances with respect to the taking of precautions in connection with the risk of fire;

(36) requirements to be imposed with respect to the notification in a specified manner of specified matters relating to the safety, health or welfare of persons at work, or that of other persons arising out of work activities, (including specified information relating to specified accidents, diseases or dangerous occurrences) to the Authority or an enforcing agency or to an inspector of the Authority or an enforcing agency or to any other specified person;

(37) requirements to be imposed with respect to the safe lifting or handling by persons at work of any load likely to cause injury to a person so lifting or handling it.

FIFTH SCHEDULE Repeal and Revocation of Certain Provisions of the Existing Enactments Relating to Penalties

PART I Repeal of Statutes

Number and Year Short Title Extent of Repeal
(1) (2) (3)
No. 10 of 1955 Factories Act, 1955 In section 40 (14) (as inserted by the Safety in Industry Act, 1980) the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding £150”.
In section 72 (4) (as inserted by the Safety in Industry Act, 1980) the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding £300”.
In section 74 (6) (as inserted by the Safety in Industry Act, 1980) the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding £150”.
In section 98 (5) (as inserted by the Safety in Industry Act, 1980) the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding £300 or, at the discretion of the Court, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to both such fine and such imprisonment”.
Section 101.
In section 102 (as inserted by the Safety in Industry Act, 1980) the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine (not exceeding £600 in all) not exceeding £15 for each day on which the non-compliance continues”.
In section 103 (1) (as inserted by the Safety in Industry Act, 1980) the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding £500”.
Section 105.
No. 3 of 1958 Office Premises Act, 1958 Section 32.
In section 33, the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding five pounds for each day on which the non-compliance continues”.
No. 7 of 1965 Mines and Quarries Act, 1965 Section 135.
Section 140.

PART II Revocation of Statutory Instruments

Number and Year Title Extent of Revocation
(1) (2) (3)
S.I. No. 382 of 1979 European Communities (Dangerous Substances and Preparations) (Marketing and Use) Regulations, 1979 In regulation 9 (1), the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £600”.
In regulation 9 (2), the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £300”.
Regulation 9 (3).
S.I. No. 383 of 1979 European Communities (Dangerous Substances) (Classification, Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 1979 In regulation 13 (1), the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £600”.
Regulation 13 (2).
In regulation 13 (3), the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £300”.
S.I. No. 365 of 1980 European Communities (Paints, etc.) (Classification, Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 1980 In regulation 7, the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £500”.
S.I. No. 402 of 1980 European Communities (Safety Signs at Places of Work) Regulations, 1980 In regulation 6, the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £500”.
In regulation 7 (2), the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £200”.
S.I. No. 61 of 1981 and S.I. No. 244 of 1986 European Communities (Electrical Equipment for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres) Regulations, 1981 and 1986 In regulation 6 (3), of the European Communities (Electrical Equipment for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres) Regulations, 1981 (as amended by regulation 5 of the European Communities (Electrical Equipment for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres) (Amendment) Regulations, 1986) the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £300”.
S.I. No. 149 of 1981 European Communities (Dangerous Substances and Preparations) (Marketing and Use) Regulations, 1981 In regulation 8 (1), the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £600”.
In regulation 8 (2), the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £100”.
S.I. No. 258 of 1982 European Communities (Dangerous Substances) (Classification, Packaging, Labelling and Notification) Regulations, 1982 In regulation 15 (1), the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £600”.
In regulation 16 (5), the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £600”.
S.I. No. 189 of 1983 European Communities (Dangerous Preparations) (Solvents) (Classification, Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 1983 In regulation 9, the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £500”.
S.I. No. 244 of 1985 European Communities (Dangerous Substances and Preparations) (Marketing and Use) Regulations, 1985 In regulation 7 (1), the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £600”.
In regulation 7 (2), the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £100”.
S.I. No. 47 of 1986 European Communities (Dangerous Substances and Preparations) (Marketing and Use) Regulations, 1986 In regulation 7 (1), the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £600”.
In regulation 7 (2), the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £100”.
S.I. No. 204 of 1987 European Communities (Dangerous Substances and Preparations) (Marketing and Use) Regulations, 1987 In regulation 14 (1), the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,000”.
In regulation 14 (2), the words “and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £350”.

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