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Uimhir 7 de 1989
AN tACHT UM SHÁBHÁILTEACHT, SLÁINTE AGUS LEAS AG AN OBAIR, 1989
RIAR NA nALT
Réamhráiteach agus Ginearálta
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Dualgais Ghinearálta
An tÚdarás Náisiúnta um Shábháilteacht agus Sláinte Ceirde
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20. | Forálacha is infheidhme maidir le hoifigigh, etc. a aistreofar chuig an Údarás. |
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Rialacháin agus Cóid Chleachtais
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Forfheidhmiú
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38. | Cumhacht oifigigh custam agus máil airteagail etc., a choinneáil. |
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Faisnéis a Fháil agus a Nochtadh
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Tuarascálacha agus Fiosrúcháin Speisialta
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Cionta, Pionóis agus Imeachtaí Dlí
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Ilghnéitheach
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56. | Ionchoisne i gcás báis trí thionóisc nó trí ghalar ag an obair. |
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An tÚdarás Náisiúnta um Shábháilteacht agus Sláinte Ceirde
Achtacháin Láithreacha
Rialacháin a rinneadh faoi Acht na gComhphobal Eorpach, 1972, ar Achtacháin Láithreacha iad
Forálacha Reachtúla Comhbhainteacha
Rialacháin
Aisghairm agus Cúlghairm Forálacha Áirithe de na hAchtacháin Láithreacha a Bhaineann le Pionóis
Aisghairm Reachtanna
Ionstraimí Reachtúla a Chúlghairm
Na hAchtanna dá dTagraítear | |
Boiler Explosions Act, 1882 | 1882, c. 22 |
Boiler Explosions Act, 1890 | 1890, c. 35 |
Na hAchtanna um Shubstaintí Contúirteacha, 1972 agus 1979 | |
Na hAchtanna Leictreachais (Soláthar), 1927 go 1988 | |
Na hAchtanna um Thoghcháin do Thionól na hEorpa, 1977 agus 1984 | |
Achtanna na gComhphobal Eorpach, 1972 go 1986 | |
Explosives Act, 1875 | 1875, c. 17 |
Na hAchtanna Gáis, 1976 go 1987 | |
Na hAchtanna Loingis Cheannaíochta, 1894 go 1987 | |
Na hAchtanna um Fhógra Íosta agus Téarmaí Fostaíochta, 1973 agus 1984 | |
Notice of Accidents Act, 1894 | 1894, c. 28 |
An tAcht um Fhuinneamh Núicléach, 1971 | |
Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851 | 1851, c. 93 |
Railway Employment (Prevention of Accidents) Act, 1900 | 1900, c. 27 |
Na hAchtanna um Íocaíochtaí Iomarcaíochta, 1967 go 1984 | |
Regulation of Railways Act, 1842 | 1842, c. 55 |
Regulation of Railways Act, 1871 | 1871, c. 78 |
Na hAchtanna um Thrácht ar Bhóithre, 1961 go 1987 | |
An tAcht Sábháilteachta, Sláinte agus Leasa (Suiteálacha amach ón gCósta), 1987 | |
Na hAchtanna um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1955 agus 1980 | |
Na hAchtanna Aoisliúntas, 1834 go 1963 | |
Uimhir 7 de 1989
AN tACHT UM SHÁBHÁILTEACHT, SLÁINTE AGUS LEAS AG AN OBAIR, 1989
[An tiontú oifigiúil]
CUID I
Réamhráiteach agus Ginearálta
Gearrtheideal agus tosach feidhme.
1.—(1) Féadfar an tAcht um Shábháilteacht, Sláinte agus Leas ag an Obair, 1989, a ghairm den Acht seo.
(2) Tiocfaidh an tAcht seo i ngníomh cibé lá nó laethanta a shocrófar chuige sin le hordú nó le horduithe ón Aire go ginearálta nó faoi threoir aon chríche nó aon fhorála áirithe, agus féadfar laethanta éagsúla a shocrú amhlaidh chun críoch éagsúil agus forálacha éagsúla den Acht seo agus féadfar socrú a dhéanamh le hordú faoin bhfo-alt seo go mbeidh tosach feidhme le halt 4 (3) ar laethanta éagsúla maidir le hachtacháin láithreacha éagsúla agus forálacha éagsúla de chuid achtachán láithreach.
Léiriú.
2.—(1) San Acht seo—
folaíonn “airteagal”—
(a) aon ghléasra, innealra, gaireas agus trealamh atá le húsáid nó le hoibriú (go heisiach nó eile) ag daoine ag an obair, agus
(b) aon airteagal atá ceaptha le húsáid mar chomhpháirt in aon ghléasra, innealra, gaireas nó trealamh den sórt sin;
ciallaíonn “forálacha reachtúla comhbhainteacha” forálacha na n-achtachán atá sonraithe sa tríú colún den Tríú Sceideal maille leis na hionstraimí a rinneadh fúthu atá i bhfeidhm de thuras na huaire;
ciallaíonn “an tÚdarás” an tÚdarás Náisiúnta um Shábháilteacht agus Sláinte Ceirde a bhunaítear le halt 15;
folaíonn “cód cleachtais” caighdeán, sonraíocht, agus treoir, teagasc nó rialú praiticiúil d'aon chineál eile, i scríbhinn nó sainléirithe, arna eisiúint nó arna cheadú de réir alt 30;
ciallaíonn “conradh fostaíochta” conradh fostaíochta nó seirbhíse nó printíseachta, cibé sainráite nó tugtha le fios agus (i gcás é bheith sainráite) cibé ó bhéal nó i scríbhinn;
ciallaíonn “fostaí” duine a bheidh dulta faoi chonradh fostaíochta le fostóir nó a oibríonn (nó i gcás conartha a bheidh foirceanta, a d'oibrigh) faoi chonradh den sórt sin;
ciallaíonn “fostóir” i ndáil le fostaí, an duine a bhfuil an fostaí ar fostú aige faoi chonradh fostaíochta; chun críche an mhínithe seo measfar duine a shealbhaíonn oifig faoi sheirbhís nó i seirbhís an Stáit nó an Rialtais a bheith ar fostú ag an Stát nó ag an Rialtas (de réir mar a bheidh) agus measfar oifigeach nó seirbhíseach d'údarás áitiúil nó d'údarás cuain, do bhord sláinte nó do choiste gairmoideachais a bheith ar fostú ag an údarás áitiúil, an údarás cuain, an bord sláinte nó an coiste gairmoideachais (de réir mar a bheidh);
ciallaíonn “gníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin” comhlacht a fhorordaítear chun bheith ina ghníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin faoi alt 32;
ciallaíonn “lá bunaithe” an lá a cheapfaidh an tAire faoi alt 14 mar lá bunaithe;
ciallaíonn “achtacháin láithreacha” na hachtacháin atá sonraithe i gCuid I den Dara Sceideal, agus aon ionstraimí faoi na hachtacháin sin atá i bhfeidhm de thuras na huaire; agus na rialacháin faoi Acht na gComhphobal Eorpach, 1972, atá i bhfeidhm de thuras na huaire agus atá sonraithe i gCuid II den Dara Sceideal sin;
folaíonn “feidhmeanna” cumhachtaí agus dualgais;
ciallaíonn “fógra feabhsúcháin” fógra faoi alt 36;
ciallaíonn “plean feabhsúcháin” plean faoi alt 35;
ciallaíonn “cigire” cigire a bheidh údaraithe faoi alt 33;
folaíonn “údarás áitiúil”—
(a) comhairle contae,
(b) bardas contaebhuirge, nó
(c) Bardas Dhún Laoghaire,
agus feidhmeoidh údarás áitiúil den sórt sin a fheidhmeanna faoin Acht seo laistigh dá limistéar feidhmiúcháin;
folaíonn “micrea-orgánach” aon eintiteas micreascópach bitheolaíoch inmhacasamhlaithe;
ciallaíonn “an tAire” an tAire Saothair;
ciallaíonn “liachomhairleoir ceirde” duine a bheidh ainmnithe faoi alt 34 (4) chun bheith ina liachomhairleoir ceirde;
folaíonn “díobháil phearsanta” aon ghalar agus aon mhallachar ar bhail choirp nó mheabhrach duine;
folaíonn “áit oibre” aon áit, talamh nó suíomh eile a ndéantar obair go hócáideach nó ar shlí eile acu, iontu, orthu nó gar dóibh agus folaíonn sé go sonrach—
(a) áitreabh,
(b) suiteáil ar thalamh agus aon suiteáil amach ón gcósta (lena n-áirítear suiteáil amach ón gcósta lena mbaineann an tAcht Sábháilteachta, Sláinte agus Leasa (Suiteálacha amach ón gCósta), 1987),
(c) puball, déanmhas sealadach nó déanmhas sochorraithe, agus
(d) feithicil, soitheach nó aerárthach;
ciallaíonn “forordaithe” forordaithe le rialacháin arna ndéanamh ag an Aire faoin Acht seo seachas in ailt 36 (3), 37 (6) (a) agus 42 (4) (a) mar a gciallaíonn sé forordaithe le rialacháin arna ndéanamh ag an Aire Dlí agus Cirt faoin Acht seo tar éis dó dul i gcomhairle leis an Aire;
ciallaíonn “fógra toirmisc” fógra faoi alt 37;
ciallaíonn “ceardchumainn agus comhlachais foirne aitheanta” ceardchumainn agus comhlachais foirne atá aitheanta ag an Údarás chun críocha caibidlí a bhaineann le luach saothair fostaithe nó lena gcoinníollacha fostaíochta nó lena ndálaí oibre;
ciallaíonn “forálacha reachtúla ábhartha” achtacháin láithreacha agus forálacha an Achta seo agus aon ionstraim arna déanamh faoi atá i bhfeidhm de thuras na huaire;
ciallaíonn “ionadaí sábháilteachta” ionadaí sábháilteachta a cheaptar faoi alt 13;
tá le “ráiteas sábháilteachta” an bhrí a shanntar dó le halt 12;
ciallaíonn “duine féinfhostaithe” duine a oibríonn le haghaidh brabúis nó gnóchain, ar shlí seachas faoi chonradh fostaíochta, bíodh daoine eile ar fostú aige féin nó ná bíodh;
folaíonn “substaint” aon substaint, ullmhóid nó oibreán, nádúrtha nó saorga, i bhfoirm sholadach nó leachtach nó mar ghás nó gal nó mar mhicrea-orgánach;
folaíonn “úsáid” chomh fada agus a bhaineann le haon airteagal, na hairteagail sin a mhonarú, a sholáthar, a oibriú, a shuíomh, a dheisiú, a ghlanadh agus a chothabháil; agus chomh fada agus a bhaineann le haon substaint, folaíonn sé aon mhonarú, próiseáil, oibriú, stóráil, cóireáil, meascadh, pacáil, iompar, soláthar, láimhseáil, líonadh nó folmhú, luchtú agus díluchtú ar an tsubstaint sin.
(2) (a) San Acht seo aon tagairt d'alt nó do Sceideal is tagairt í d'alt den Acht seo nó do Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht seo, mura léirítear gur tagairt d'achtachán éigin eile atá beartaithe;
(b) san Acht seo aon tagairt d'fho-alt, do mhír nó d'fhomhír, is tagairt í don fho-alt, don mhír nó don fhomhír den fhoráil ina bhfuil an tagairt, mura léirítear gur tagairt d'fhoráil éigin eile atá beartaithe; agus
(c) aon tagairt san Acht seo d'achtachán forléireofar í mar thagairt don achtachán sin arna leasú nó arna oiriúnú le haon achtachán ina dhiaidh sin.
(3) Déanfar aon tagairtí do chigire in ailt 35, 36 agus 37, in aon chás inarb údarás áitiúil an ghníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin, a fhorléiriú mar thagairt don údarás áitiúil sin.
Fógraí etc. a sheirbheáil.
3.—(1) Aon doiciméad (lena n-áirítear aon toghairm, fógra nó ordú) a cheanglaítear nó a údaraítear a sheirbheáil ar aon duine, nó a chur chuige nó a thabhairt dó faoi na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha, féadfar é a sheirbheáil air nó a chur chuige i slí éigin de na slite seo—
(a) i gcás é a bheith dírithe chuige faoina ainm, trína sheachadadh ar an duine sin, nó i gcás comhpháirtíochta, trína sheachadadh ar aon duine de na comhpháirtithe;
(b) trína fhágáil ag an seoladh ag a mbíonn gnáthchónaí air;
(c) trína chur leis an bpost i litir chláraithe réamhíoctha arna díriú chuige ag an seoladh ag a mbíonn gnáthchónaí air, nó, i gcás seoladh a bheith tugtha le haghaidh seirbheála, ag an seoladh sin;
(d) mura féidir an seoladh ag a mbíonn gnáthchónaí ar an duine sin a fhionnadh ó fhiosrúchán réasúnach agus má cheanglaítear fógra a sheirbheáil air nó a thabhairt dó i leith aon áit oibre, trína sheachadadh ar dhuine os cionn sé bliana déag d'aois a bheidh ina chónaí nó ar fostú in áit oibre nó trína dhaingniú in áit fheiceálach ar an áit oibre nó gar don áit sin.
(2) Aon doiciméad (lena n-áirítear aon toghairm, fógra nó ordú) a cheanglaítear nó a údaraítear a sheirbheáil nó a chur, faoi na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha, féadfar é a sheirbheáil ar chomhlacht, corpraithe nó neamhchorpraithe, nó a chur chuige—
(a) trína fhágáil ag oifig chláraithe an chomhlachta (más ann) nó trína chur leis an bpost i litir chláraithe réamhíoctha chuig an oifig sin;
(b) trína fhágáil ag aon áit ag a seolann an comhlacht gnó nó trína chur leis an bpost i litir chláraithe réamhíoctha chuig áit den sórt sin; nó
(c) trína chur leis an bpost i litir chláraithe réamhíoctha chuig aon duine is stiúrthóir, bainisteoir, rúnaí nó oifigeach eile don chomhlacht nó a airbheartaíonn gníomhú in aon cháil díobh sin, ag an áit ina mbíonn gnáthchónaí air nó trína fhágáil ag an áit sin.
Aisghairm.
4.—(1) Aisghairtear leis seo na forálacha seo a leanas de na hachtacháin láithreacha—
(a) alt 113 den Acht Monarchan, 1955, alt 42 den Acht um Áitribh Oifige, 1958, alt 149 den Acht um Mianaigh agus Cairéil, 1965, agus alt 60 den Acht um Shubstaintí Contúirteacha, 1972, ón tráth a thiocfaidh alt 3 den Acht seo i ngníomh;
(b) alt 125 (1) den Acht Monarchan, 1955, alt 46 den Acht um Áitribh Oifige, 1958, alt 65 (1) den Acht um Shubstaintí Contúirteacha, 1972, agus ailt 15 (1) agus (2) den Acht Sábháilteachta, Sláinte agus Leasa (Suiteálacha amach ón gCósta), 1987, ón tráth a thiocfaidh alt 9 den Acht seo i ngníomh;
(c) alt 9 den Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980, ón tráth a thiocfaidh alt 10 den Acht seo i ngníomh;
(d) alt 39 den Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980, agus alt 26 den Acht Sábháilteachta, Sláinte agus Leasa (Suiteálacha amach ón gCósta), 1987, ón tráth a thiocfaidh alt 12 den Acht seo i ngníomh;
(e) alt 73 den Acht Monarchan, 1955, ailt 35, 36, 37 agus 38 den Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980, agus ailt 23, 24 agus 25 den Acht Sábháilteachta, Sláinte agus Leasa (Suiteálacha amach ón gCósta), 1987, ón tráth a thiocfaidh alt 13 den Acht seo i ngníomh;
(f) alt 127 den Acht Monarchan, 1955, alt 49 den Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980, alt 24 den Acht um Áitribh Oifige, 1958, alt 151 den Acht um Mianaigh agus Cairéil, 1965, agus alt 2 den Acht um Shubstaintí Contúirteacha (Leasú), 1979, ón tráth a thiocfaidh alt 17 den Acht seo i ngníomh;
(g) ailt 93 go 95 den Acht Monarchan, 1955, ailt 27 go 29 den Acht um Áitribh Oifige, 1958, ailt 130 agus 131 den Acht um Mianaigh agus Cairéil, 1965, ailt 39 agus 40 den Acht um Shubstaintí Contúirteacha, 1972, agus alt 53 den Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980, ón tráth a thiocfaidh ailt 33 agus 34 den Acht seo i ngníomh;
(h) alt 11 den Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980, agus alt 132 den Acht um Mianaigh agus Cairéil, 1965, ón tráth a thiocfaidh alt 37 den Acht seo i ngníomh;
(i) alt 78 den Acht Monarchan, 1955, ailt 103 agus 104 den Acht um Mianaigh agus Cairéil, 1965, ailt 29 agus 30 den Acht um Shubstaintí Contúirteacha, 1972, agus alt 31 den Acht Sábháilteachta, Sláinte agus Leasa (Suiteálacha amach ón gCósta), 1987, ón tráth a thiocfaidh ailt 46 agus 47 den Acht seo i ngníomh;
(j) alt 110 den Acht Monarchan, 1955, alt 55 (1) den Acht um Shubstaintí Contúirteacha, 1972, alt 39 den Acht um Áitribh Oifige, 1958, alt 55 den Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980, agus alt 37 (1) den Acht Sábháilteachta, Sláinte agus Leasa (Suiteálacha amach ón gCósta), 1987, ón tráth a thiocfaidh alt 51 den Acht seo i ngníomh;
(k) alt 111 den Acht Monarchan, 1955, agus alt 40 den Acht um Áitribh Oifige, 1958, ón tráth a thiocfaidh alt 52 den Acht seo i ngníomh;
(l) alt 112 den Acht Monarchan, 1955, agus alt 41 den Acht um Áitribh Oifige, 1958, ón tráth a thiocfaidh alt 53 den Acht seo i ngníomh;
(m) alt 114 den Acht Monarchan, 1955, agus alt 150 den Acht um Mianaigh agus Cairéil, 1965, ón tráth a thiocfaidh alt 54 den Acht seo i ngníomh.
(2) Ón tráth a thiocfaidh alt 49 i ngníomh déanfar leis seo na hachtacháin láithreacha atá luaite sa dara colún a ghabhann leis an gCúigiú Sceideal (a bhaineann le pionóis) a aisghairm nó a chúlghairm, de réir mar a bheidh, a mhéid atá sonraithe sa tríú colún a ghabhann leis an Sceideal sin.
(3) Aisghairtear leis seo na hachtacháin láithreacha (seachas iad sin dá dtagraítear i bhfo-ailt (1) agus (2) agus iad sin atá leagtha amach i gCuid II den Dara Sceideal).
Caiteachais.
5.—Déanfar na caiteachais a thabhóidh an tAire ag riaradh an Achta seo a íoc, a mhéid a cheadóidh an tAire Airgeadais, as airgead a sholáthróidh an tOireachtas.
CUID II
Dualgais Ghinearálta
Dualgais ghinearálta fostóirí i leith a gcuid fostaithe.
6.—(1) Beidh de dhualgas ar gach fostóir sábháilteacht, sláinte agus leas a chuid fostaithe go léir ag an obair a chinntiú a mhéid is féidir é le réasún.
(2) Gan dochar do ghinearáltacht dualgais fostóra faoi fho-alt (1), áirítear go sonrach sna nithe a sroicheann na dualgais sin chucu:
(a) maidir le haon áit oibre atá faoi rialú an fhostóra, an áit sin a dhearadh agus a chur ar fáil, agus a chothabháil, i riocht atá, a mhéid is féidir le réasún, slán agus gan phriacal don tsláinte;
(b) a mhéid is féidir le réasún, maidir le haon áit oibre faoi rialú an fhostóra, bealaí sábháilte isteach san áit oibre sin agus amach as a dhearadh, a chur ar fáil agus a chothabháil;
(c) gléasra agus innealra a dhearadh, a chur ar fáil agus a chothabháil atá slán agus gan phriacal don tsláinte, a mhéid is féidir le réasún;
(d) córais oibre a chur ar fáil atá pleanáilte, eagraithe, curtha i gcrích agus cothabháilte ionas go mbeidh siad slán agus gan phriacal don tsláinte, a mhéid is féidir le réasún;
(e) cibé faisnéis, teagasc, oiliúint agus maoirseacht a chur ar fáil is gá chun sábháilteacht, sláinte agus leas a chuid fostaithe ag an obair a chinntiú, a mhéid is féidir le réasún;
(f) in imthosca nach féidir le fostóir, le réasún, guaiseanna a rialú ná a dhíothú in áit oibre faoina rialú, nó i cibé imthosca a bheidh forordaithe, cibé éadach nó trealamh cosantach oiriúnach a chur ar fáil agus a chothabháil, de réir mar is iomchuí, is gá chun sábháilteacht agus sláinte a chuid fostaithe ag an obair a chinntiú;
(g) pleananna leordhóthanacha a chuirtear i bhfeidhm tráthanna éigeandála a ullmhú agus a athmheas mar is gá;
(h) a chinntiú a mhéid is féidir le réasún go mbeidh daoine sábháilte ag an obair agus nach mbeidh priacal ann don tsláinte ag an obair i dtaca le húsáid aon substainte nó airteagail;
(i) saoráidí agus comhshocraíochtaí le haghaidh leasa a chuid fostaithe ag an obair a chur ar fáil agus a chothabháil; agus
(j) seirbhísí duine inniúil a fháil nuair is gá (cibé acu faoi chonradh fostaíochta nó ar shlí eile) chun sábháilteacht agus sláinte a chuid fostaithe ag an obair a chinntiú, a mhéid is féidir le réasún.
(3) Duine atá á oiliúint le haghaidh fostaíochta nó a bhfuil taithí oibre á fáil aige, seachas duine a ghabhann do chúrsa staidéir in ollscoil, scoil nó coláiste measfar, chun críocha an ailt seo, gur fostaí é de chuid an duine arb é a ghnóthas (bíodh sé á sheoladh aige le haghaidh brabúis nó ná bíodh) a neas-sholáthraíonn oiliúint nó taithí oibre don duine sin, de thuras na huaire, agus forléireofar fostaí, fostóir agus focail agus abairtí gaolmhara dá réir sin.
Dualgais ghinearálta fostóirí agus daoine féinfhostaithe i leith daoine seachas a gcuid fostaithe.
7.—(1) Beidh sé de dhualgas ar gach fostóir a ghnóthas a sheoladh i slí a chinnteoidh, a mhéid is féidir le réasún, nach ndéanfar daoine nach bhfuil ar fostú aige ach a bhfearfadh an fhostaíocht sin orthu a chur faoi phriacal maidir lena sábháilteacht nó lena sláinte.
(2) Beidh sé de dhualgas ar gach duine féinfhostaithe a ghnóthas a sheoladh i slí a chinnteoidh, a mhéid is féidir le réasún, nach ndéanfar é féin ná daoine eile (nach fostaithe dá chuid) a bhfearfadh an gnóthas sin orthu a chur faoi phriacal maidir lena sábháilteacht nó lena sláinte.
(3) I cibé cásanna a bheidh forordaithe, beidh sé de dhualgas ar gach fostóir agus ar gach duine féinfhostaithe, sna himthosca forordaithe, agus ar an modh forordaithe, an fhaisnéis fhorordaithe i dtaobh cibé gnéithe den tslí ina seolann sé a ghnóthas a d'fhéadfadh fearadh ar shábháilteacht nó ar shláinte daoine (nach fostaithe dá chuid) a bhféadfadh an tslí ina seolann sé a ghnóthas fearadh orthu, a thabhairt do na daoine sin.
Dualgais ghinearálta daoine dár cúram áiteanna oibre i leith daoine seachas a gcuid fostaithe.
8.—(1) Beidh éifeacht leis an alt seo chun dualgais a fhorchur ar dhaoine i ndáil le daoine nach fostaithe dá gcuid ach ar fostaithe iad de chuid duine eile nó ar daoine iad atá féinfhostaithe agus, d'fhonn a gcuid oibre a dhéanamh, a bhaineann úsáid as áit oibre, ar leith óna láthair oibre baile, a chuirtear ar fáil dóibh nó ina bhféadfaidís, d'fhonn obair a dhéanamh, úsáid a bhaint as aon airteagal nó substaint a chuirtear ar fáil lena úsáid acu ansin, agus beidh feidhm aige maidir le háiteanna oibre a chuirtear ar fáil amhlaidh agus le háiteanna oibre eile, ar leith óna láthair oibre baile, a úsáidtear i ndáil leo.
(2) Gach duine a bhfuil aon áit oibre nó aon chuid d'aon áit oibre lena mbaineann an t-alt seo nó an bealach isteach ann nó amach as, nó aon airteagal nó substaint san áit oibre sin, faoina rialú go feadh méid ar bith, beidh sé de dhualgas air cibé bearta a dhéanamh is réasúnach do dhuine sa phost sin a dhéanamh lena chinntiú, a mhéid is féidir le réasún, maidir leis an áit oibre, agus le gach bealach isteach ann nó amach as atá ar fáil lena úsáid ag daoine a úsáideann an áit oibre, agus maidir le haon airteagal nó substaint san áit oibre, nó, de réir mar a bheidh, a chuirtear ar fáil le húsáid san áit oibre, go mbeidh siad sábháilte agus gan phriacal don tsláinte.
(3) I gcás oibleagáid díobh seo a bheith ar dhuine go feadh méid ar bith, de bhua aon chonartha nó tionóntachta—
(a) oibleagáid maidir le haon áit oibre lena mbaineann an t-alt seo, nó maidir le haon bhealach isteach ann nó amach as, a chothabháil nó a dheisiú; nó
(b) oibleagáid go mbeidh aon airteagal nó substaint in aon áit oibre den sórt sin sábháilte agus nach mbeidh aon phriacal don tsláinte ann mar gheall orthu;
déileálfar leis an duine sin, chun críocha fho-alt (2), mar dhuine a bhfuil rialú aige ar na nithe a sroicheann a oibleagáid chucu.
(4) Aon tagairt san alt seo do dhuine a bhfuil aon áit oibre nó ní faoina rialú is tagairt í do dhuine a bhfuil an áit oibre nó an ní faoina rialú i dtaca le seoladh trádála, gnó, nó gnóthais eile aige (cibé acu le haghaidh brabúis nó eile).
Dualgais ghinearálta fostaithe.
9.—(1) Beidh sé de dhualgas ar gach fostaí agus é ag an obair—
(a) cúram réasúnach a ghlacadh maidir lena shábháilteacht, lena shláinte agus lena leas féin, agus le sábháilteacht, sláinte agus leas aon duine eile ar a bhfearfadh gníomhartha nó neamhghníomhartha an fhostaí agus é ag an obair;
(b) comhoibriú lena fhostóir agus le haon duine eile oiread is a chumasóidh dá fhostóir nó don duine eile déanamh de réir aon cheann de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha;
(c) aon fhearas, éadach cosantach, áis, trealamh nó deiseanna nó ní eile is oiriúnach a chuirtear ar fáil (cibé acu is chun a úsáide aige féin amháin nó chun a úsáide aige féin agus ag daoine eile i gcoitinne) chun a shábháilteacht, a shláinte nó a leas a áirithiú agus é ag an obair, a úsáid ar cibé modh a chuirfidh ar fáil an chosaint atá beartaithe; agus
(d) tuairisc a thabhairt dá fhostóir nó dá neas-mhaoirseoir, gan mhoill mhíréasúnach, i dtaobh aon fhabhtanna ar ghléasra, trealamh, áit oibre nó córas oibre a thiocfaidh ar a iúl a d'fhéadfadh sábháilteacht, sláinte nó leas a chur i mbaol.
(2) Ní dhéanfaidh aon duine go toiliúil ná go meargánta cur isteach ar, ná mí-úsáid a bhaint as, aon fhearas, éadach cosantach, áis, trealamh nó deis nó ní eile a chuirtear ar fáil de bhun aon cheann de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha, nó ar shlí eile, chun sábháilteacht, sláinte agus leas daoine, a thig ó ghníomhaíochtaí oibre, a áirithiú.
Dualgais ghinearálta dearthóirí, monaróirí, etc. i leith airteagal agus substaintí atá le húsáid ag an obair.
10.—(1) Beidh sé de dhualgas ar aon duine a dhearann, a mhonaraíonn, a allmhairíonn nó a sholáthraíonn aon airteagal atá le húsáid ag an obair—
(a) a chinntiú, a mhéid is féidir le réasún, go ndeartar, go ndéantar, go dtástáiltear agus go scrúdaítear an t-airteagal le go mbeidh sé sábháilte agus gan phriacal don tsláinte nuair a úsáideann duine é ag áit oibre;
(b) cibé bearta a dhéanamh is gá lena áirithiú go ndéanfar, i gcás daoine dá soláthraíonn an duine sin an t-airteagal, faisnéis leordhóthanach a chur ar fáil dóibh faoin úsáid dár dearadh nó dár tástáladh an t-airteagal sin, agus faoi aon choinníollacha a bhaineann leis an airteagal chun a chinntiú go mbeidh sé, agus é á úsáid, i bhfoirm díchóimeáilte nó diúscartha, sábháilte agus gan phriacal don tsláinte; agus
(c) cibé bearta a dhéanamh is gá lena áirithiú, a mhéid is féidir le réasún, go gcuirfear ar fáil do dhaoine dár soláthraíodh airteagal amhlaidh na hathbhreithnithe sin go léir ar an bhfaisnéis a tugadh dóibh de bhua mhír (b) agus atá riachtanach de bhíthin eolas a theacht chun cinn priacal tromaí don tsábháilteacht nó don tsláinte a bheith ann mar gheall ar ní ar bith a bhaineann leis an airteagal.
(2) Aon duine a ghabhann de láimh dearadh nó monarú aon airteagail atá le húsáid ag an obair beidh sé de dhualgas air taighde riachtanach a dhéanamh nó a shocrú go ndéanfar an taighde sin d'fhonn aon phriacail don tsábháilteacht nó don tsláinte a aimsiú a d'fhéadfadh a bheith ann mar gheall ar an dearadh nó mar gheall ar an airteagal, agus, a mhéid is féidir le réasún, na priacail sin a dhíothú nó a íoslaghdú.
(3) Aon duine a thógfaidh nó a shuiteálfaidh aon airteagal a bheidh le húsáid in áit oibre, beidh sé de dhualgas air, i gcás go mbeidh an t-airteagal le húsáid ag daoine ag an obair, a chinntiú, a mhéid is féidir le réasún, nach mbeidh an t-airteagal, nuair a bheidh sé á úsáid in áit oibre, contúirteach ná ina phriacal don tsláinte de dheasca aon ní a bhaineann leis an modh tógtha nó suiteála.
(4) Beidh sé de dhualgas ar aon duine a mhonaraíonn, a allmhairíonn nó a sholáthraíonn aon substaint—
(a) a chinntiú, a mhéid is féidir le réasún, go mbeidh an tsubstaint sábháilte agus gan phriacal don tsláinte nuair a bheidh sí á húsáid ag duine in áit oibre;
(b) cibé tástáil agus scrúdú a dhéanamh, nó a shocrú iad a dhéanamh, is gá chun an dualgas a fhorchuirtear air le mír (a) a chomhlíonadh agus aon uair a iarrfaidh cigire air é, fianaise, lena n-áirítear fianaise dhoiciméadach, ar an tástáil nó ar an scrúdú sin a chur ar fáil, nó a chur faoi deara a chur ar fáil, don chigire;
(c) cibé bearta a dhéanamh is gá lena chinntiú go gcuirfear ar fáil do dhaoine dá soláthraíonn an duine sin an tsubstaint faisnéis leordhóthanach ar aon phriacal do shábháilteacht nó do shláinte a d'fhéadfadh a bheith ann mar gheall ar airíonna nádúrtha na substainte, ar thorthaí aon tástálacha ábhartha a bheidh déanta ar an tsubstaint nó i dtaca léi agus ar aon choinníollacha is gá lena chinntiú go mbeidh an tsubstaint sábháilte agus gan phriacal don tsláinte nuair a bheidh sí á húsáid nó á diúscairt.
(5) Beidh sé de dhualgas ar aon duine a ghabhann de láimh monarú aon substainte, nó, i gcás gur lasmuigh den Stát a gabhadh de láimh an monarú, beidh sé de dhualgas ar an allmhaireoir, aon taighde riachtanach a dhéanamh nó a shocrú í a dhéanamh, chun go n-aimseofar, agus a mhéid is féidir le réasún, go ndíothófar nó go n-íoslaghdófar, aon phriacail don tsábháilteacht nó don tsláinte a d'fhéadfadh a bheith ann de dhroim na substainte agus í á húsáid.
(6) Ní fhorléireofar aon ní sna forálacha sin roimhe seo den alt seo mar ní a cheanglaíonn ar dhuine aon tástáil, scrúdú nó taighde nach mbeidh déanta aige féin, nó déanta faoina thionscnamh, a athdhéanamh a fhad a fhéadfaidh sé le réasún muinín a chur i dtorthaí na tástála, an scrúdaithe nó na taighde sin, chun críocha na bhforálacha sin.
(7) Aon dualgas a fhorchuirtear ar dhuine le haon fhoráil de na forálacha roimhe seo den alt seo, ní shroichfidh sé ach amháin chuig nithe a dhéanfar i gcúrsa trádála, gnó nó gnóthais eile a sheolann sé (cibé acu le haghaidh brabúis nó nach ea) agus chuig nithe atá faoina rialú.
(8) I gcás go ndearann, go monaraíonn, go n-allmhairíonn nó go soláthraíonn duine airteagal atá le húsáid ag an obair, le haghaidh duine eile nó do dhuine eile ar bhonn gealltanais i scríbhinn ón duine eile sin bearta sonraithe a dhéanamh is leordhóthanach lena chinntiú, a mhéid is féidir le réasún, go mbeidh an t-airteagal sábháilte agus gan phriacal don tsláinte nuair a bheidh sé á úsáid in áit oibre, beidh d'éifeacht leis an ngealltanas sin a dúradh go saorfar an duine céadluaite ón dualgas a fhorchuirtear air de bhua mhír (a) d'fho-alt (1) a mhéid a bheidh réasúnach ag féachaint do théarmaí an ghealltanais sin.
(9) Ní dhéanfaidh aon ní i bhfo-ailt (7) nó (8) aon duine a allmhairíonn aon airteagal nó substaint a shaoradh ó aon dualgas maidir leo seo—
(a) i gcás airteagail a dearadh lasmuigh den Stát, aon ní a rinne an duine a dhear an t-airteagal agus a rinneadh i gcúrsa aon trádála, gairme nó aon ghnóthais eile a sheolann an duine sin, nó aon ní a bhí faoina rialú; nó
(b) i gcás airteagail nó substainte a monaraíodh lasmuigh den Stát, aon ní a rinne an duine a mhonaraigh an t-airteagal nó an tsubstaint agus a rinneadh i gcúrsa aon trádála, gairme, nó gnóthais eile a sheolann an duine sin, nó aon ní a bhí faoina rialú.
(10) I gcás go ndéanann duine (dá ngairtear “an soláthróir” anseo ina dhiaidh seo san fho-alt seo) aon airteagal nó substaint atá le húsáid ag an obair, a sholáthar do dhuine eile (dá ngairtear “an custaiméir” anseo ina dhiaidh seo san fho-alt seo), lena n-áirítear fruiliú nó léasú an airteagail nó na substainte sin chuig an duine sin, agus sin faoi chomhaontú fruilcheannaigh, comhaontú léasaithe nó comhaontú díola creidmheasa, agus—
(a) gur sheol an soláthróir gnó ag cur airgid ar fáil chun go bhféadfadh daoine eile earraí a fháil trí bhíthin na gcomhaontuithe sin, agus
(b) go bhfuair an soláthróir i gcúrsa an ghnó sin a leas san airteagal nó sa tsubstaint a soláthraíodh don chustaiméir mar bhealach chun airgead a chur ar fáil chun go bhféadfadh an custaiméir an t-airteagal a fháil ó thríú páirtí (dá ngairtear “an déileálaí” san fho-alt seo),
measfar, chun críocha an ailt seo, gurb é an déileálaí agus nach é an soláthróir a sholáthair an t-airteagal nó an tsubstaint don chustaiméir, agus aon dualgas a fhorchuirtear leis an alt seo ar sholáthróirí is ar an déileálaí dá réir sin agus ní ar an soláthróir a thitfidh sé.
(11) Chun críocha an ailt seo, tabharfar neamhaird ar neamhshábháilteacht nó ar phriacal don tsláinte a mhéid a shuitear gur cás nárbh fhéidir le réasún a réamhthuaradh go dtarlódh sé an cás, nó an cás a n-eascródh an neamhshábháilteacht nó an priacal i ndáil leis; agus an tráth a bheidh cinneadh á dhéanamh cibé acu ar comhlíonadh aon dualgas a fhorchuirtear de bhua mhír (a) d'fho-ailt (1) nó (4) nó nár comhlíonadh, tabharfar aird ar aon fhaisnéis nó comhairle ábhartha a chuir an duine a dhear, a mhonaraigh, a d'allmhairigh nó a sholáthair an t-airteagal nó, de réir mar a bheidh, an duine a mhonaraigh, a d'allmhairigh nó a sholáthair an tsubstaint, ar fáil do dhuine ar bith.
(12) Gan dochar do ghinearáltacht an ailt seo, féadfaidh an tAire sonraíochtaí nó ceanglais eile a fhorordú nach foláir a chomhlíonadh i gcás dearadh, monarú agus déanamh an airteagail, ar d'aicme nó de thuairisc forordaithe é.
(13) I gcás go n-úsáidtear airteagal nó substaint ag an obair, agus go ndéanann cigire iarraidh chuige sin, tabharfaidh an fostóir don chigire ainm agus seoladh an duine ónar ceannaíodh an t-airteagal nó an tsubstaint nó óna bhfuarthas iad i slí eile.
Dualgais ghinearálta daoine a dhearann nó a fhoirgníonn áiteanna oibre.
11.—(1) Beidh sé de dhualgas ar aon duine a dhearann áiteanna oibre iad a dhearadh sa chaoi go mbeidh siad, a mhéid is féidir le réasún, sábháilte agus gan phriacal don tsláinte.
(2) Beidh sé de dhualgas ar aon duine a fhoirgníonn áiteanna oibre iad a fhoirgniú sa chaoi go mbeidh siad, a mhéid is féidir le réasún, sábháilte agus gan phriacal don tsláinte.
Ráiteas sábháilteachta.
12.—(1) Déanfaidh gach fostóir, a luaithe is féidir, tar éis teacht i ngníomh don alt seo, ráiteas i scríbhinn ar a dtabharfar agus dá ngairfear anseo ina dhiaidh seo “ráiteas sábháilteachta” a ullmhú, nó a chur faoi deara é a ullmhú.
(2) Sonrófar sa ráiteas sábháilteachta an modh a ndéanfar sábháilteacht, sláinte agus leas daoine a bheidh ar fostú ag an bhfostóir a áirithiú ag an obair.
(3) Beidh an ráiteas sábháilteachta bunaithe ar aithint na nguaiseanna agus ar mheasúnacht na bpriacal don tsábháilteacht agus don tsláinte ag an áit oibre lena mbaineann an ráiteas sábháilteachta.
(4) Gan dochar do ghinearáltacht fho-alt (2), sonrófar sa ráiteas sábháilteachta—
(a) na comhshocraíochtaí a bheidh déanta agus na hacmhainní a bheidh curtha ar fáil faoi chomhair shlánchoimeád a dhéanamh ar shábháilteacht, ar shláinte agus ar leas daoine a fhostaítear in áit oibre lena mbaineann an ráiteas sábháilteachta;
(b) an comhoibriú is gá ó fhostaithe maidir le sábháilteacht, sláinte agus leas; agus
(c) ainmneacha, lena n-áirítear ainmneacha toscairí údaraithe agus post-teidil más infheidhme, na ndaoine a bheidh freagrach as comhlíonadh tascanna a bheidh sannta dóibh leis an ráiteas sin.
(5) I gcás go n-ullmhaítear nó go n-athmheastar ráiteas sábháilteachta de bhun an ailt seo agus gur deimhin le cigire nach bhfuil an ráiteas leordhóthanach i bponc ábhartha, féadfaidh sé ordú a thabhairt athmheas a dhéanamh ar an ráiteas agus déanfaidh an fostóir de réir an ordaithe laistigh de thríocha lá ón lá a thugann an cigire an t-ordú.
(6) Beidh i dtuarascáil stiúrthóirí cuideachta faoi alt 158 d'Acht na gCuideachtaí, 1963, i dteannta na faisnéise a shonraítear san alt sin, meastóireacht ar a mhéid a rinneadh an beartas a bhí leagtha amach i ráiteas sábháilteachta, a chomhlíonadh le linn na tréimhse ama lena mbaineann an tuarascáil sin.
(7) Beidh sé de dhualgas ar dhuine féinfhostaithe ráiteas sábháilteachta a ullmhú, a mhéid is féidir é de réir an ailt seo, lena shábháilteacht, a shláinte agus a leas féin ag an obair, agus sábháilteacht, sláinte agus leas daoine eile san áit oibre, a chinntiú.
(8) Beidh sé de dhualgas ar fhostóir nó ar dhuine féinfhostaithe téarmaí ráitis sábháilteachta a thabhairt ar aire do dhaoine a bheidh fostaithe aige agus do dhaoine eile ag an áit oibre a bhfearfadh an ráiteas sábháilteachta orthu.
Comhchomhairliúchán in áit oibre agus ionadaithe sábháilteachta.
13.—(1) Beidh sé de dhualgas ar gach fostóir—
(a) dul i gcomhairle lena chuid fostaithe d'fhonn comhshocraíochtaí a dhéanamh agus a choimeád i bhfeidhm a chuirfidh ar a chumas agus ar chumas a chuid fostaithe, comhoibriú go héifeachtúil chun bearta a chur chun cinn agus a fhorbairt lena sábháilteacht, lena sláinte agus lena leas ag an obair a chinntiú agus chun éifeachtúlacht na mbeart sin a fhionnadh;
(b) a mhéid is féidir le réasún, aird a thabhairt ar aon uiríll a dhéanfaidh a chuid fostaithe.
(2) Beidh sé de cheart ag fostaithe uiríll a dhéanamh chun a bhfostóra agus dul i gcomhairle leis faoi nithe a bhaineann le sábháilteacht, sláinte agus leas ag a n-áit oibre.
(3) Gan dochar do ghinearáltacht fho-ailt (1) agus (2), féadfaidh fostaithe, ó am go ham, ionadaí (dá ngairtear “an t-ionadaí sábháilteachta” san Acht seo) a roghnú agus a cheapadh as measc a lín ina n-áit oibre chun ionadaíocht a dhéanamh dóibh i gcomhchomhairliúcháin de bhun an ailt seo lena bhfostóir.
(4) Beidh ceart ag ionadaí sábháilteachta cibé faisnéis a fháil óna fhostóir is gá le sábháilteacht agus sláinte fostaithe san áit oibre a chinntiú, a mhéid is féidir le réasún.
(5) Beidh sé de dhualgas ar gach fostóir cibé bearta a dhéanamh is féidir lena chur in iúl d'ionadaí sábháilteachta go bhfuil cigire ag teacht isteach in áit oibre d'fhonn turas iniúchta a dhéanamh.
(6) Féadfaidh ionadaí sábháilteachta—
(a) uiríll a dhéanamh chuig fostóir i dtaobh aon ghnéithe de shábháilteacht, de shláinte agus de leas ag an áit oibre;
(b) tionóiscí agus teagmhaisí contúirteacha a imscrúdú ar choinníoll nach gcuirfidh sé isteach, nó nach gcuirfidh sé bac, ar chomhlíonadh aon oibleagáide reachtúla a cheanglaítear ar aon duine a chomhlíonadh faoi aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha;
(c) uiríll a dhéanamh ó bhéal nó i scríbhinn chun cigirí i leith nithe a bhaineann le sábháilteacht, sláinte agus leas ag an obair;
(d) comhairle agus faisnéis a fháil ó chigirí ar nithe a bhaineann le sábháilteacht, sláinte agus leas ag an obair;
(e) faoi réir fógra a thabhairt roimh ré don fhostóir agus faoi réir comhaontú idir an t-ionadaí sábháilteachta agus an fostóir i dtaobh minicíochta, cigireacht a dhéanamh agus le linn dóibh an comhaontú sin a bhaint amach, nach comhaontú a choimeádfaidh an fostóir siar go míréasúnach, breithneoidh na páirtithe cineál agus méid na nguaiseanna san áit oibre agus iad á chinneadh cé chomh minic a dhéanfaidh an t-ionadaí sábháilteachta cigireacht san áit oibre lena mbaineann;
(f) faoi réir fógra roimh ré a thabhairt don fhostóir in imthosca ina bhfuil sé réasúnach a thoimhdiú go bhfuil priacal díobhála pearsanta ann, imscrúdú a dhéanamh ar ghuaiseanna ionchasacha agus ar ghearáin a dhéanfaidh aon fhostaí dá bhfuil sé ionadach i ndáil le sábháilteacht, sláinte agus leas an fhostaí sin san áit oibre; agus
(g) ar é do dhéanamh iarrata chuige sin, cigire a thionlacan ar aon turas iniúchta seachas turas iniúchta a dhéanann an cigire chun tionóisc a imscrúdú.
(7) Aon uiríll a dhéanfaidh ionadaí sábháilteachta chuig fostóir i dtaobh aon ní a fhearann ar shábháilteacht, sláinte agus leas aon fhostaí ag an obair, is fostaí dá bhfuil an t-ionadaí ionadach, breithneoidh an fostóir iad agus gníomhóidh sé orthu, más gá é.
(8) (a) D'fhonn an t-eolas a fháil is gá chun a bhfeidhmeanna a chomhlíonadh faoi fho-alt (1) (a) den alt seo agus chun a chumasú dóibh na feidhmeanna sin a chomhlíonadh, tabharfaidh fostóir d'fhostaithe a bheidh páirteach i gcomhshocraíochtaí faoi fho-alt (1) (a) nó fo-alt (2) cibé am saor óna ndualgais a bheidh réasúnta ag féachaint do na himthosca uile, gan luach saothair a chailleadh;
(b) tabharfaidh fostóir d'ionadaí sábháilteachta cibé am saor óna dhualgais a bheidh réasúnta ag féachaint do na himthosca uile, gan luach saothair a chailleadh, chun a chumasú dó—
(i) an t-eolas a fháil is gá chun a fheidhmeanna a urscaoileadh mar ionadaí sábháilteachta, agus
(ii) a fheidhmeanna a urscaoileadh mar ionadaí sábháilteachta.
(9) De chionn é d'urscaoileadh a fheidhmeanna faoin alt seo ní chuirfear ionadaí sábháilteachta faoi aon mhíbhuntáiste i ndáil lena chuid fostaíochta.
(10) D'ainneoin ghinearáltacht fho-ailt (1) go (9), féadfaidh an tAire cibé ceanglais, comhshocraíochtaí, modhnuithe nó diolúintí breise a cheapann sé is gá, a fhorordú ó am go ham, i ndáil le hoibriú an ailt seo.
CUID III
An tÚdarás Náisiúnta um Shábháilteacht agus Sláinte Ceirde
An lá bunaithe.
14.—Ceapfaidh an tAire lá le hordú chun bheith ina lá bunaithe chun críocha an Achta seo.
Bunú an Údaráis.
15.—(1) Ar an lá bunaithe beidh comhlacht arna bhunú ar a dtabharfar an tÚdarás Náisiúnta um Shábháilteacht agus Sláinte Ceirde, sa Ghaeilge, agus The National Authority for Occupational Safety and Health, sa Bhéarla (agus gairtear “an tÚdarás” den chomhlacht sin san Acht seo) chun na feidhmeanna a shanntar dó leis an Acht seo a chomhlíonadh.
(2) Beidh éifeacht le forálacha an Chéad Sceidil a ghabhann leis an Acht seo maidir leis an Údarás.
Feidhmeanna an Údaráis.
16.—(1) Is iad príomhfheidhmeanna an Údaráis—
(a) faoi réir fhorálacha fho-alt (3) agus alt 32, socruithe leordhóthanacha a dhéanamh chun na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha a fhorfheidhmiú;
(b) bearta a chur chun cinn, a spreagadh agus a chothú chun tionóiscí agus díobháil don tsláinte ag an obair a sheachaint de réir fhorálacha an Achta seo;
(c) spreagadh agus cothú a thabhairt do ghníomhaíochtaí agus do bhearta atá dírithe ar chur chun cinn sábháilteachta, sláinte agus leasa daoine ag an obair;
(d) cibé socruithe a dhéanamh a cheapann sé is iomchuí chun faisnéis agus comhairle a chur ar fáil i dtaobh nithe a bhaineann le sábháilteacht, sláinte agus leas ag an obair; agus
(e) cibé socruithe a dhéanamh a cheapann sé is iomchuí chun taighde, suirbhéanna agus staidéir a bhaineann le guaiseanna agus le priacail do shábháilteacht agus sláinte daoine ag an obair nó a thig as gníomhaíochtaí oibre, a ghabháil de láimh, a chur chun cinn, a choimirciú, agus a dtorthaí a mheas agus a fhoilsiú.
(2) Gan dochar do ghinearáltacht fho-alt (1), féadfaidh an tÚdarás ina bhfeidhmeanna maidir le forfheidhmiúchán, comhairle, cur chun cinn agus lena bhfeidhmeanna eile, aird a thabhairt—
(a) ar aon nithe a fhearann ar shábháilteacht agus ar shláinte fostaithe agus daoine féinfhostaithe; agus
(b) a mhéid is féidir le réasún, ar shábháilteacht nó ar shláinte daoine eile ar a bhfearfadh priacail a thig as gníomhaíochtaí oibre, lena n-áirítear forbairt talún le haghaidh forbraíochta nó i gceantar na forbraíochta, ar forbraíocht í lena ngabhfaidh táirgeadh, próiseáil, cóireáil, úsáid nó stóráil substainte contúirtí.
(3) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás, faoi réir cheadú an Aire arna thabhairt le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais—
(a) comhaontuithe a dhéanamh le haon Aire den Rialtas, nó le haon duine eile chun go ndéanfaidh an tAire nó an duine sin aon fheidhm d'fheidhmeanna an Údaráis a chomhlíonadh thar ceann an Údaráis (fara nó d'éagmais íocaíochta); nó
(b) comhaontuithe a dhéanamh le haon Aire den Rialtas chun go ndéanfaidh an tÚdarás thar ceann an Aire sin (fara nó d'éagmais íocaíochta) cibé feidhmeanna is iomchuí don Údarás a chomhlíonadh i dtaca lena bhfeidhmeanna faoin Acht seo.
(4) Déanfaidh an tÚdarás—
(a) sonraí a chur faoi bhráid an Aire i scríbhinn, nuair a iarrann seisean ar an Údarás déanamh amhlaidh, á rá conas a bheartaíonn siad a bhfeidhmeanna faoin Acht seo a urscaoileadh;
(b) a bhfeidhmeanna a chomhall de réir cibé togra dá dtagraítear i mír (a) a cheadóidh an tAire;
(c) éifeacht a thabhairt d'aon orduithe i scríbhinn, cibé acu ginearálta nó sonracha, a bhaineann lena bhfeidhmeanna faoin Acht seo agus a bheidh tugtha dóibh ag an Aire; agus
(d) aon fhaisnéis a bhaineann lena bhfeidhmeanna a éileoidh sé ó am go ham a sholáthar don Aire.
Coistí comhairleacha.
17.—(1) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás ó am go ham cibé coistí comhairleacha agus cibé líon coistí comhairleacha is cuí leo, a cheapadh chun comhairle a thabhairt dóibh i dtaobh nithe a bhaineann le sábháilteacht, sláinte agus leas ag an obair, ar feadh cibé tréimhse agus faoi réir cibé téarmaí tagartha is dóigh leis an Údarás is iomchuí.
(2) I gcás coiste a bheith ceaptha ag an Údarás faoi fho-alt (1), ceapfaidh an tÚdarás cathaoirleach ar an gcoiste sin agus leaschathaoirleach a ghníomhóidh i gcás an cathaoirleach a bheith as láthair.
(3) Déanfar, as airgead a bheidh faoina réir ag an Údarás, cibé táillí a cheadóidh an tAire, le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais, a íoc le cathaoirleach coiste a cheapfar faoi fho-alt (1) as freastal ar chruinnithe den choiste.
(4) Déanfar, as airgead a bheidh faoina réir ag an Údarás, cibé liúntais a cheadóidh an tAire, le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais, a íoc le gach comhalta de choiste a cheapfar faoi fho-alt (1) i leith caiteachais a thabhaigh sé.
An tArd-Stiúrthóir.
18.—(1) Beidh príomhoifigeach feidhmiúcháin ar an Údarás (ar a dtabharfar, agus dá ngairtear san Acht seo, an tArd-Stiúrthóir).
(2) Is é an tAire a cheapfaidh an chéad Ard-Stiúrthóir agus féadfaidh sé é a chur as oifig tráth ar bith; is é an tÚdarás le toiliú an Aire a cheapfaidh gach Ard-Stiúrthóir ina dhiaidh sin agus féadfaidh an tÚdarás le toiliú an Aire é a chur as oifig tráth ar bith.
(3) Déanfaidh an tArd-Stiúrthóir riarachán agus gnó an Údaráis a sheoladh, a bhainisteoireacht agus a rialú go ginearálta agus comhlíonfaidh sé cibé feidhmeanna eile a chinnfidh an tÚdarás.
(4) Beidh an tArd-Stiúrthóir i seilbh oifige de réir agus faoi réir cibé téarmaí agus coinníollacha (lena n-áirítear téarmaí agus coinníollacha a bhaineann le luach saothair agus aoisliúntas) a chinnfidh an tAire le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais.
(5) Déanfaidh an tÚdarás, as airgead a bheidh faoina réir, cibé luach saothair agus liúntais a chinnfidh an tÚdarás, le toiliú an Aire agus an Aire Airgeadais, a íoc leis an Ard-Stiúrthóir i leith caiteachais a thabhaigh sé.
Foireann an Údaráis.
19.—(1) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás cibé daoine agus cibé líon daoine a chinnfidh siad le toiliú an Aire agus an Aire Airgeadais a cheapadh le bheith ina gcomhaltaí d'fhoireann an Údaráis.
(2) Déanfar, as airgead a bheidh faoina réir ag an Údarás, cibé luach saothair agus liúntais a chinnfidh an tÚdarás le toiliú an Aire agus an Aire Airgeadais, a íoc le haon chomhalta d'fhoireann an Údaráis (seachas an tArd-Stiúrthóir) i leith caiteachais a thabhaigh sé.
(3) Beidh comhalta d'fhoireann an Údaráis (seachas an tArd-Stiúrthóir) i seilbh a oifige nó a fhostaíochta ar cibé téarmaí agus coinníollacha eile a chinnfidh an tÚdarás le toiliú an Aire agus an Aire Airgeadais.
(4) Déanfaidh an tÚdarás, le toiliú an Aire agus an Aire Airgeadais, na gráid d'fhoireann an Údaráis, agus an líon foirne i ngach grád, a chinneadh.
(5) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás aon fheidhm dá gcuid feidhmeanna a chomhlíonadh trí chomhalta dá bhfoireann, nó ag comhalta dá bhfoireann, arna údarú go cuí ag an Údarás chuige sin.
Forálacha is infheidhme maidir le hoifigigh, etc. a aistreofar chuig an Údarás.
20.—(1) Gach oifigeach don Aire a bheidh ainmnithe ag an Aire tráth ar bith roimh cibé lá a cheapfaidh an tAire le hordú, aistreofar é chuig an Údarás, agus tiocfaidh sé chun bheith ina chomhalta d'fhoireann an Údaráis ar an lá a ainmneofar amhlaidh é.
(2) Ní dhéanfaidh an tAire ordú faoi fho-alt (1) gan fógra i scríbhinn a bheith tugtha aige d'aon cheardchumainn nó comhlachais foirne aitheanta lena mbaineann, agus don Údarás, go bhfuil sé beartaithe aige déanamh amhlaidh agus gan breithniú a bheith déanta aige ar aon uiríll a rinne siad sin nó aon cheann díobh i ndáil leis an ábhar laistigh de cibé tréimhse a bheidh sonraithe san fhógra.
(3) Ach amháin i gcomhréir le comhaontú comhchoiteann arna chaibidil le haon cheardchumann nó comhlachas foirne aitheanta lena mbaineann, aon oifigeach don Aire a bheidh arna ainmniú ag an Aire faoi fho-alt (1) a aistreofar leis an bhfo-alt sin chuig foireann an Údaráis ní lú, fad a bheidh sé i seirbhís an Údaráis, an scála pá a gheobhaidh sé ná ní lú tairbhe dó na téarmaí agus na coinníollacha seirbhíse (seachas na téarmaí agus na coinníollacha sin a bhaineann le seilbh oifige) a mbeidh sé faoina réir ná an scála pá a raibh teideal aige chuige agus na téarmaí agus na coinníollacha seirbhíse (seachas téarmaí agus coinníollacha a bhaineann le seilbh oifige) a raibh sé faoina réir díreach roimh an lá a aistríodh amhlaidh é.
(4) Go dtí go ndéanfaidh an tÚdarás, tar éis dóibh dul i gcomhairle le haon cheardchumainn agus comhlachais foirne aitheanta lena mbaineann, athrú ar scálaí pá agus ar théarmaí agus coinníollacha seirbhíse (seachas téarmaí agus coinníollacha a bhaineann le seilbh oifige) na foirne a bheidh aistrithe amhlaidh, leanfaidh na scálaí pá a raibh teideal ag an bhfoireann chucu agus na téarmaí agus na coinníollacha seirbhíse (seachas téarmaí agus coinníollacha a bhaineann le seilbh oifige), na srianta, na ceanglais agus na hoibleagáidí a raibh an fhoireann faoina réir díreach sular aistríodh í, d'fheidhm a bheith acu maidir leis an bhfoireann agus féadfaidh an tÚdarás nó an tArd-Stiúrthóir, de réir mar a bheidh, iad a chur i bhfeidhm nó a fhorchur, fad a bheidh an fhoireann i seirbhís an Údaráis. Ní oibreoidh aon athrú den sórt sin chun gur measa na scálaí pá nó na téarmaí nó na coinníollacha seirbhíse a bhain le comhalta den fhoireann sin díreach roimh an lá a aistríodh é le fo-alt (1) chuig foireann an Údaráis, ach amháin i gcomhréir le comhaontú comhchoiteann arna chaibidil le haon cheardchumann nó comhlachas foirne aitheanta lena mbaineann.
(5) Na téarmaí agus na coinníollacha a bhaineann le seilbh oifige a dheonaíonn an tUdarás do chomhalta d'fhoireann an Údaráis a d'ainmnigh an tAire agus a aistríodh faoi fho-alt (1) leis an bhfo-alt sin chuig foireann an Údaráis ní lú fabhar dó iad, fad a bheidh sé i seirbhís an Údaráis ná na téarmaí agus na coinníollacha a bheidh i réim sa státseirbhís de thuras na huaire; aon athrú ar na coinníollacha maidir le seilbh oifige aon chomhalta den sórt sin ní athrú é a fhágann gur lú fabhar dó é ná na coinníollacha a bheidh i réim sa státseirbhís tráth an athraithe sin, ach amháin i gcomhréir le comhaontú comhchoiteann arna chaibidil le haon cheardchumainn nó comhlachais foirne aitheanta áirithe. Má bhíonn aon díospóid idir an tÚdarás agus aon chomhalta den sórt sin i dtaobh na gcoinníollacha atá i réim sa státseirbhís, is é an tAire Airgeadais, tar éis dó dul i gcomhairle leis an Aire, a chinnfidh an cheist.
(6) I ndáil le foireann a aistreofar le fo-alt (1) chuig foireann an Údaráis, féadfar seirbhís roimh ré sa státseirbhís a áireamh chun críocha na nAchtanna um Íocaíochtaí Iomarcaíochta, 1967 go 1984, an Achta um Laethanta Saoire (Fostaithe), 1973, na nAchtanna um Fhógra Íosta agus Téarmaí Fostaíochta, 1973 agus 1984, agus an Achta um Dhífhostú Éagórach, 1977, ach sin faoi réir aon eisceachtaí nó eisiamh eile sna hAchtanna sin.
Aoisliúntas fhoireann an Údaráis.
21.—(1) Déanfaidh an tÚdarás, le toiliú an Aire agus an Aire Airgeadais, scéim nó scéimeanna chun sochair aoisliúntais a dheonú do dhaoine, nó i leith daoine, a cheapfar le halt 19 nó a aistreofar le halt 20 chuig ionaid lánaimseartha ar fhoireann an Údaráis.
(2) Socróidh scéim faoi fho-alt (1) an tráth agus na coinníollacha scoir do na daoine go léir a mbeidh sochair aoisliúntais iníoctha leo nó ina leith faoin scéim nó faoi na scéimeanna agus féadfar tráthanna éagsúla agus coinníollacha éagsúla a shocrú i leith aicmí éagsúla daoine.
(3) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás, le toiliú an Aire agus an Aire Airgeadais, scéim a dhéanamh ag leasú nó ag cúlghairm scéime faoin alt seo lena n-áirítear scéim faoin bhfo-alt seo.
(4) Maidir le duine a aistreofar le halt 20 chuig ionad lánaimseartha ar fhoireann an Údaráis, déanfaidh scéim nó scéimeanna faoi fho-alt (1) socrú chun sochair aoisliúntais a dheonú dó nó ina leith ar théarmaí agus ar choinníollacha agus faoi réir téarmaí agus coinníollacha nach lú fabhar dó ná na téarmaí agus na coinníollacha a bhí i bhfeidhm maidir leis díreach roimh an lá a aistríodh é amhlaidh i ndáil leis na sochair sin a dheonú.
(5) Más rud é, le linn na tréimhse idir an lá bunaithe agus teacht i ngníomh scéime faoin alt seo, go mbeadh sochair aoisliúntais deonaithe do dhuine nó i leith duine a aistríodh le halt 20 chuig foireann an Údaráis maidir lena fhostaíocht mar oifigeach don Aire, déanfaidh an tÚdarás na sochair aoisliúntais a dheonú don duine agus a íoc leis an duine nó a dheonú agus a íoc ina leith agus chun na críche sin déanfar a sheirbhís inphinsin leis an Údarás a chomhiomlánú lena sheirbhís inphinsin roimhe sin.
(6) Déanfar scéim faoin alt seo a leagan faoi bhráid gach Tí den Oireachtas a luaithe is féidir tar éis a déanta agus má dhéanann ceachtar Teach acu sin, laistigh den 21 lá a shuífidh an Teach sin tar éis an scéim a leagan faoina bhráid, rún a rith ag neamhniú na scéime beidh an scéim ar neamhní dá réir sin, ach sin gan dochar do bhailíocht aon ní rinneadh faoin scéim.
(7) Faoi réir fho-alt (5) ní dheonóidh an tÚdarás aon sochar aoisliúntais ar chomhalta d'fhoireann an Údaráis d'éirí as, do scor nó d'fháil bháis ach amháin i gcomhréir le scéim nó scéimeanna faoin alt seo.
(8) Má tharlaíonn aon díospóid maidir le héileamh aon duine ar aon sochar aoisliúntais nó maidir le méid aon sochair aoisliúntais is iníoctha de bhun scéime nó scéimeanna faoin alt seo cuirfear an díospóid sin faoi bhráid an Aire, a tharchuirfidh í chun an Aire Airgeadais agus is cinneadh críochnaitheach a chinneadhsan.
(9) San alt seo agus sa Chéad Sceideal ciallaíonn “sochair aoisliúntais” pinsin, aiscí agus liúntais eile is iníoctha ar dhuine d'éirí as, do scor nó d'fháil bháis.
Deontas don Údarás.
22.—(1) Íocfar leis an Údarás i ngach bliain airgeadais, as airgead a sholáthróidh an tOireachtas, deontas de cibé méid a cheadóidh an tAire, le comhthoiliú an Aire Airgeadais, le haghaidh chaiteachais an Údaráis i gcomhlíonadh a bhfeidhmeanna.
(2) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás le toiliú an Aire agus an Aire Airgeadais airgead a infheistiú ar cibé modh is cuí leo.
(3) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás, le toiliú roimh ré ón Aire agus le comhthoiliú an Aire Airgeadais, cistí a lorg agus a ghlacadh ó cibé foinsí eile agus faoi réir cibé coinníollacha a cheadóidh an tAire ó am go ham.
Cumhacht an Údaráis iasachtaí a fháil.
23.—Féadfaidh an tÚdarás ó am go ham, chun foráil a dhéanamh le haghaidh caiteachais reatha nó caipitiúil, airgead, lena n-áirítear airgead in airgead reatha seachas airgead reatha an Stáit, a fháil ar iasacht (cibé acu ar urrús shócmhainní an Údaráis, nó ar shlí eile), ach ní dhéanfaidh siad amhlaidh gan toiliú an Aire agus an Aire Airgeadais.
Muirir i leith seirbhísí.
24.—(1) Faoi réir fhorálacha an ailt seo, féadfaidh an tÚdarás cibé muirir a ghearradh is iomchuí leo i gcomaoin soláthar seirbhísí acu (seachas seirbhís arb é atá inti comhairle a sholáthar don Aire) agus seoladh gníomhaíochtaí acu agus féadfaidh siad aon ní a tháirgfidh, a fhoilseoidh nó a fhorbróidh an tÚdarás a dhíol ar cibé praghsanna is cuí leo agus féadfaidh siad conarthaí a dhéanamh, ar cibé téarmaí agus coinníollacha is iomchuí leo (lena n-áirítear téarmaí agus coinníollacha a bhaineann le híocaíochtaí leis an Údarás).
(2) Is faoi réir cheadú an Aire agus an Aire Airgeadais a chinnfear méideanna muirear a ghearrfaidh an tÚdarás.
(3) Muirir, praghsanna agus íocaíochtaí faoi fho-alt (1) maidir le seirbhísí a sholáthraítear, gníomhaíochtaí a sheoltar nó nithe a dhíoltar, lasmuigh den Stát, ní bheidh siad, ach amháin le ceadú an Aire, níos lú ná an costas a bhaineann leis na seirbhísí a sholáthar, nó an ní a tháirgeadh agus a fhorbairt, de réir mar a bheidh.
(4) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás aon mhéid a bheidh dlite dóibh faoi fho-alt (1) a ghnóthú mar fhiach conartha shimplí in aon chúirt dlínse inniúla ón duine ar iníoctha aige é.
Cuntais agus iniúchtaí.
25.—(1) Coimeádfaidh an tÚdarás i cibé foirm a cheadóidh an tAire, le comhthoiliú an Aire Airgeadais, na cuntais go léir is cuí agus is gnách ar an airgead go léir a gheobhaidh siad nó a chaithfidh siad.
(2) Maidir leis na cuntais a choimeádfar de bhun an ailt seo déanfar iad a chur faoi bhráid an Ard-Reachtaire Cuntas agus Ciste gach bliain lena n-iniúchadh cibé tráthanna a ordóidh an tAire le comhthoiliú an Aire Airgeadais agus nuair a bheidh na cuntais sin iniúchta amhlaidh déanfar iad (maille le tuarascáil an Ard-Reachtaire Cuntas agus Ciste orthu) a thíolacadh don Aire agus cuirfidh an tAire faoi deara cóipeanna de na cuntais iniúchta agus den tuarascáil orthu a leagan faoi bhráid gach Tí den Oireachtas.
Tuarascáil bhliantúil.
26.—(1) A luaithe is féidir tar éis dheireadh gach bliana airgeadais de chuid an Údaráis, ach tráth nach déanaí ná sé mhí ina dhiaidh sin, tabharfaidh an tÚdarás tuarascáil don Aire faoina ngníomhaíochtaí le linn na bliana sin agus cuirfidh an tAire faoi deara cóipeanna den tuarascáil a leagan faoi bhráid gach Tí den Oireachtas.
(2) I ngach tuarascáil faoi fho-alt (1) beidh faisnéis i cibé foirm, agus maidir le cibé nithe, a ordóidh an tAire.
CUID IV
Rialacháin agus Cóid Chleachtais
Reachtaíocht a athmheas.
27.—(1) Beidh sé de dhualgas ar an Údarás—
(a) na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha a choinneáil faoi athmheas;
(b) na forálacha reachtúla comhbhainteacha a choinneáil faoi athmheas;
(c) cibé tograí a mheasann an tÚdarás is iomchuí i ndáil leis na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha nó cibé tograí chun aon ionstraimí faoi na forálacha sin a dhéanamh nó a chúlghairm, a chur faoi bhráid an Aire ó am go ham; agus
(d) cibé tograí a chur, ó am go ham, faoi bhráid an Aire ar a bhfuil an fhreagracht maidir le haon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla comhbhainteacha ar tograí iad a mheasann an tÚdarás a bheith iomchuí i ndáil leis na forálacha sin nó chun aon ionstraimí faoi na forálacha sin a dhéanamh nó a chúlghairm.
(2) Sula gcuirfidh siad tograí faoi bhráid an Aire de réir fho-alt (1) (c), rachaidh an tÚdarás i gcomhairle le haon Aire den Rialtas nó le haon duine nó comhlacht eile is dóigh leis an Údarás is iomchuí sna himthosca, nó, i gcás go n-ordaíonn an tAire amhlaidh, agus, go sonrach, gan dochar do ghinearáltacht an méid sin roimhe seo, rachaidh an tÚdarás i gcomhairle leis an Aire Comhshaoil i gcás aon tograí i ndáil le rialuithe ar dhearadh nó ar fhoirgníocht foirgneamh.
(3) Breithneoidh an tÚdarás aon tograí chun athrú reachtaíochta a dhéanamh a bhaineann le sábháilteacht nó sláinte ceirde agus le nithe gaolmhara a tharchuirfear chuige ag an Aire nó ag aon Aire eile den Rialtas atá freagrach as aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha nó de na forálacha reachtúla comhbhainteacha, de réir mar a bheidh.
Rialacháin.
28.—(1) Féadfaidh an tAire rialacháin a dhéanamh le haghaidh aon ní, nó i ndáil le haon ní, de na nithe atá leagtha amach sa Cheathrú Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht seo agus le haghaidh aon ní eile nó i ndáil le haon ní eile is gá chun éifeacht a thabhairt don Acht seo.
(2) Féadfaidh rialacháin a dhéanfar faoin Acht seo feidhm a bheith acu maidir le gach gníomhaíocht oibre nó maidir le gníomhaíochtaí oibre sonracha agus féadfaidh siad baint a bheith acu le hoibreán nó le hoibreáin de chineál ceimiceach, fisiceach nó bitheolaíoch.
(3) Rachaidh an tAire i gcomhairle leis an Údarás sula ndéanfaidh sé aon rialacháin i bhfeidhmiú aon chumhachta a thugtar dó leis an Acht seo (seachas de thoradh togra ón Údarás faoi alt 27).
(4) I gcás go mbeartaíonn an tAire rialacháin a dhéanamh chun éifeacht a thabhairt, fara modhnuithe, d'aon togra a dhéanann an tÚdarás faoi alt 27, rachaidh sé i gcomhairle leis an Údarás sula ndéanfaidh sé na rialacháin.
(5) Gach rialachán a dhéanfaidh an tAire faoin Acht seo leagfar é faoi bhráid gach Tí den Oireachtas a luaithe is féidir tar éis a dhéanta agus má dhéanann ceachtar Teach acu sin, laistigh den 21 lá a shuífidh an Teach sin tar éis é a leagan faoina bhráid, rún a rith ag neamhniú an rialacháin beidh an rialachán ar neamhní dá réir sin, ach sin gan dochar do bhailíocht aon ní a rinneadh roimhe sin faoin rialachán.
(6) Féadfaidh an tAire, le rialacháin arna ndéanamh faoin alt seo, aon aicme shonraithe gníomhaíochta nó aon aicme shonraithe duine nó áit oibre, a dhíolmhú ó gach foráil nó ó aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha ar cibé coinníollacha a bheidh forordaithe, i gcás gur deimhin leis go bhfuil feidhmiú na bhforálacha sin neamhriachtanach nó neamhphraiticiúil.
Oiriúnuithe ilghnéitheacha.
29.—(1) Aon tagairtí don Aire (seachas tagairtí maidir le rialacha, rialacháin, fodhlíthe, orduithe, díolmhuithe nó eisceachtaí a dhéanamh) a bhí in aon achtachán láithreach díreach roimh an lá bunaithe, forléireofar iad, a mhéid a bhaineann siad le feidhmeanna is infheidhmithe ag an Údarás faoin Acht seo, mar thagairtí don Údarás.
(2) I gcás go mbeidh, díreach roimh an lá bunaithe, aon imeachtaí dlí ar feitheamh ar páirtí iontu an tAire agus go dtagraíonn na himeachtaí d'fheidhm is infheidhmithe ag an Údarás, cuirfear ainm an Údaráis in ionad ainm an Aire sna himeachtaí agus ní thitfidh na himeachtaí ar lár mar gheall ar an ionadú sin.
(3) Aon ní a bheidh tosaithe roimh an lá bunaithe ag an Aire, nó faoi údarás an Aire, féadfaidh an tÚdarás, a mhéid a bhaineann sé le feidhmeanna is infheidhmithe ag an Údarás, é a sheoladh agus a chríochnú ar an lá bunaithe sin nó dá éis.
(4) Gach ionstraim a rinneadh nó a eisíodh faoi achtachán láithreach a bhí i bhfeidhm díreach roimh aisghairm an achtacháin sin le halt 4, leanfaidh sí i bhfeidhm amhail is dá mba faoin Acht seo a dhéanfaí nó a eiseofaí í.
Cóid chleachtais.
30.—(1) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás cóid chleachtais a dhréachtú agus a eisiúint.
(2) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás, de réir mar is cuí leo, aon chód cleachtais nó aon chuid d'aon chód cleachtais a dhréachtaigh aon chomhlacht eile a cheadú.
(3) Na cóid chleachtais a eiseofar nó a cheadófar faoin alt seo is le haghaidh treoir phraiticiúil a chur ar fáil iad maidir leis na ceanglais nó leis na toirmisc atá in aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha.
(4) Gheobhaidh an tÚdarás toiliú an Aire sula n-eiseoidh nó sula gceadóidh siad cód cleachtais.
(5) Sula lorgóidh an tÚdarás toiliú an Aire chun cód cleachtais a eisiúint nó a cheadú, rachaidh siad i gcomhairle le haon Aire den Rialtas nó le haon duine nó comhlacht eile a dhealraíonn don Údarás a bheith iomchuí nó má ordaíonn an tAire amhlaidh.
(6) I gcás go n-eisíonn nó go gceadaíonn an tÚdarás cód cleachtais foilseoidh siad ráiteas san Iris Oifigiúil á rá gur eisigh nó gur cheadaigh siad an cód sin, agus aithneofar ann an cód atá i gceist, agus sonrófar ann cé na forálacha de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha a n-eisítear nó a gceadaítear an cód dóibh agus an dáta óna mbeidh éifeacht leis an gcód sin.
(7) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás le toiliú an Aire agus tar éis dóibh dul i gcomhairle le haon Aire eile den Rialtas nó le haon duine nó le haon chomhlacht eile a dhealraíonn don Údarás a bheith iomchuí—
(a) athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar iomlán aon chóid chleachtais a d'ullmhaigh siad, nó ar chuid den chód sin,
(b) a gceadú a tharraingt siar d'aon chód cleachtais nó d'aon chuid de chód cleachtais.
(8) I gcás go n-athbhreithníonn an tÚdarás cód cleachtais nó go dtarraingíonn siad siar é nó go scoireann siad dá cheadú, foilseoidh siad fógra á rá sin san Iris Oifigiúil.
Cóid chleachtais a úsáid in imeachtaí coiriúla.
31.—(1) I gcás go mainníonn duine ar bith aon fhoráil de chód cleachtais a urramú ní dhlífear, mar gheall air sin amháin, aon imeachtaí sibhialta nó coiriúla a thionscnamh ina aghaidh; ach i gcás go líomhnaítear in aon imeachtaí coiriúla go ndearna páirtí cion de bhíthin aon cheanglas nó toirmeasc a shárú a fhorchuirtear le haon fhoráil nó faoi aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha is foráil a raibh cód cleachtais ann ina leith tráth an tsáraithe líomhnaithe, beidh éifeacht le fo-alt (2) maidir leis an gcód sin i ndáil leis na himeachtaí sin.
(2) Aon fhoráil den chód cleachtais a ndealraíonn sé don Chúirt go dtugann sí treoir phraiticiúil i dtaobh urramú an cheanglais nó an toirmisc a líomhnaítear a bheith sáraithe, beidh sí inghlactha mar fhianaise; agus má chruthaítear gur mainneachtain an fhoráil sin den chód a urramú aon ghníomh nó neamhghníomh de chuid an chosantóra a líomhnaítear gurb é an sárú é, nó má chruthaítear gur comhlíonadh forála den sórt sin den chód aon ghníomh nó neamhghníomh de chuid an chosantóra, ansin beidh an mhainneachtain nó an comhlíonadh sin inghlactha mar fhianaise.
CUID V
Forfheidhmiú
Gníomhaireachtaí forfheidhmiúcháin.
32.—(1) Faoi réir alt 16 (1) (a) agus (3), féadfaidh an tAire, le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais, agus tar éis dó dul i gcomhairle le haon Aire den Rialtas a cheapfaidh an tAire a bheith iomchuí, daoine (lena n-áirítear údaráis áitiúla) a fhorordú chun bheith ina ngníomhaireachtaí forfheidhmiúcháin (agus gairfear “gníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin” den duine sin san Acht seo) in ionad an Údaráis chun cibé forálacha de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha a fhorfheidhmiú a mhéid a bheidh forordaithe.
(2) Beidh sé de dhualgas ar ghníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin comhshocraíochtaí leordhóthanacha a dhéanamh chun na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha a fhorfheidhmiú, a mhéid a chuirtear an fhreagracht uirthi, le rialacháin faoi fho-alt (1), iad a fhorfheidhmiú, agus an dualgas sin agus aon fheidhmeanna eile a thugtar di le haon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha a chomhlíonadh de réir cibé treorach a thabharfaidh an tÚdarás di.
(3) Beidh sé de dhualgas ar gach gníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin aon tuairiscí agus aon fhaisnéis a bhaineann lena feidhmeanna agus lena gníomhaíochtaí faoin Acht seo, agus a éileoidh an tÚdarás ó am go ham, a thabhairt don Údarás.
Cigirí a údarú.
33.—(1) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás nó gníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin daoine a údarú chun bheith ina gcigirí chun na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha a fhorfheidhmiú laistigh dá limistéar freagrachta de réir alt 16 nó 32, de réir mar a bheidh, agus féadfaidh siad na húdaruithe sin a chúlghairm.
(2) Tabharfar deimhniú a údaraithe do chigire agus má éilítear air amhlaidh, le linn dó a bheith ag feidhmiú aon chumhachta a thugtar dó le haon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha, nó ag féachaint lena feidhmiú, tabharfaidh sé ar aird a dheimhniú údaraithe nó cóip de agus é fíordheimhnithe go cuí ag an Údarás nó ag an ngníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin maille le céannacht phearsanta de chineál éigin.
Cumhachtaí cigirí.
34.—(1) Beidh cumhacht ag cigire—
(a) dul isteach gach tráth in aon áit a bhfuil cúis réasúnach aige lena chreidiúint gur áit é a úsáidtear mar áit oibre agus an áit sin a iniúchadh, a scrúdú agus a chuardach gach tráth;
(b) comhalta den Gharda Síochána a thabhairt leis má bhíonn cúis réasúnach aige lena cheapadh go gcuirfear aon bhac tromaí air agus é ag feidhmiú a dhualgais;
(c) aon duine eile a thabhairt leis a bheidh údaraithe ag an Údarás nó ag an ngníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin ábhartha nó aon trealamh nó ábhair a thabhairt leis a bheidh riachtanach chun críche ar bith dá mbeidh an chumhacht iontrála á feidhmiú;
(d) i gcás go mbeidh cúis réasúnach aige lena chreidiúint go bhfuil cion faoin Acht seo déanta nó á dhéanamh ag nó in áit oibre ar bith, forneart réasúnach a úsáid nuair is gá é chun dul isteach san áit oibre, ar choinníoll go bhfuil sé údaraithe chuige sin le barántas ó Bhreitheamh den Chúirt Dúiche (agus údaraítear leis seo do Bhreitheamh den sórt sin an barántas sin a eisiúint ar fhoras réasúnach a bheith tugtha faoi mhionn);
(e) cibé scrúdú agus fiosrú a dhéanamh is gá chun a fhionnadh an bhfuil na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha á gcomhlíonadh;
(f) a cheangal go dtabharfar ar aird aon leabhair, cláir, taifid (cibé acu a choinnítear de láimh iad nó ar mhodh eile), deimhnithe, fógraí, doiciméid, léarscáileanna, agus pleananna a cheanglaítear a choinneáil de bhun aon cheann de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha, nó aon doiciméid eile ar gá dó iad a fheiceáil chun críocha aon scrúdú nó fiosrúcháin faoin Acht seo agus iad a iniúchadh, a scrúdú agus cóip a dhéanamh díobh nó a cheangal go soláthrófar cóip díobh, nó d'aon iontráil iontu, dó;
(g) a cheangal ar aon duine, a bhfuil cúis réasúnach aige lena chreidiúint go bhfuil sé in ann faisnéis a thabhairt atá ábhartha maidir le haon scrúdú nó fiosrúchán faoin Acht seo, freagra a thabhairt, ina aonar nó i láthair aon duine eile, de réir mar is cuí leis, ar cibé ceisteanna maidir le nithe faoin Acht seo is cuí leis a chur agus dearbhú a shíniú i dtaobh fhírinne na bhfreagraí a thugtar, ar choinníoll nach gceanglófar ar aon duine freagra a thabhairt ar aon cheist ná aon fhianaise a thabhairt a d'ionchoireodh an duine féin;
(h) ordú a thabhairt go bhfágfar gan cur isteach orthu aon áit oibre nó aon chuid d'áit oibre agus aon ní san áit nó sa chuid sin a fhad is gá le réasún chun críche aon scrúdaithe nó fiosrúcháin faoin Acht seo;
(i) maidir le haon airteagal nó substaint a fhaigheann sé ag nó in aon áit oibre, a cheangal ar an bhfostóir nó ar aon duine a fhaigheann sé ag an áit oibre nó ar aon duine a ndealraítear don chigire é a bheith i seilbh an airteagail nó na substainte, samplaí leordhóthanacha den chéanna a sholáthar gan íocaíocht le haghaidh tástála, scrúdú nó anailíse;
(j) a chur faoi deara, maidir le haon airteagal nó substaint a fhaigheann sé ag nó in aon áit oibre agus a ndealraítear don chigire gur thrúig chontúirte a bhí, nó is dóigh a bheidh, ann don tsábháilteacht nó don tsláinte, é a dhíchóimeáil nó a chur faoi aon phróiseas nó tástáil (ach ní ar shlí go ndéanfaí díobháil dó nó go millfí é mura bhfuil sin riachtanach sna himthosca chun críocha an Achta seo) agus i gcás go mbeartaíonn cigire an chumhacht a thugtar leis an bhfo-alt seo a fheidhmiú i gcás airteagail nó substainte a fhaightear ag nó in aon áit oibre, déanfaidh sé, má iarrann duine air é atá i láthair an tráth sin ag an áit oibre sin nó ann agus a bhfuil freagrachtaí air i ndáil leis an áit oibre sin, a chur faoi deara gur i láthair an duine sin a dhéanfar aon ní atá le déanamh de bhua na cumhachta sin;
(k) i ndáil le haon airteagal nó substaint a fhaightear ag áit oibre de réir mhír (j), seilbh a ghlacadh ar an airteagal nó ar an tsubstaint sin agus é a choinneáil a fhad is gá chun gach ceann nó aon cheann de na críocha seo a leanas, eadhon—
(i) é a scrúdú, nó a shocrú go ndéanfar é a scrúdú, agus aon ní a dhéanamh leis a bhfuil cumhacht aige é a dhéanamh faoi mhír (j);
(ii) a chinntiú nach gcuirfear isteach air sula gcríochnófar an scrúdú;
(iii) a chinntiú go mbeidh fáil air lena úsáid mar fhianaise in aon imeachtaí;
(l) samplaí den atmaisféar a thógáil in aon áit oibre;
(m) aon toisí nó aon fhótagraif a thógáil nó aon téipthaifeadtaí nó taifeadtaí, leictreacha nó eile, a dhéanamh a mheasann sé is gá chun críocha aon iniúchadh, scrúdú, nó fiosrúcháin a dhéanann sé faoin Acht seo;
(n) a cheangal ar aon duine cibé saoráidí agus cúnamh a thabhairt dó atá faoina urláimh nó mar chuid dá fhreagrachtaí agus is gá le réasún lena chumasú dó aon chumhacht de na cumhachtaí a thugtar dó faoin Acht seo a fheidhmiú; agus
(o) cibé cumhachtaí eile a fheidhmiú is gá chun a fheidhmeanna a chomhlíonadh.
(2) Sula bhfeidhmeoidh sé cumhacht a thugtar dó le fo-alt (1) (j) i gcás aon airteagail nó substainte, rachaidh cigire, a mhéid is féidir sin a dhéanamh le réasún, i gcomhairle le cibé daoine a dhealraíonn dó a bheith iomchuí chun a fhionnadh cé na contúirtí, más ann, a bhainfeadh le haon ní a dhéanamh a bheartaíonn sé a dhéanamh faoin gcumhacht sin.
(3) Más rud é, faoin gcumhacht a thugtar dó le fo-alt 1 (k), go nglacfaidh cigire seilbh ar aon airteagal nó substaint a fhaightear ag nó in aon áit oibre, tógfaidh sé sampla den airteagal nó den tsubstaint más féidir leis sin a dhéanamh agus tabharfaidh sé cuid den sampla a bheidh marcáilte ar shlí leordhóthanach faoi chomhair a aithinte do dhuine freagrach ag an áit oibre.
(4) (a) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás aon chigire ar liachleachtóir cláraithe é a ainmniú i scríbhinn mar liachomhairleoir ceirde.
(b) Beidh sé de dhualgas ar liachomhairleoir ceirde glacadh thar ceann an Údaráis le haon fhógra, tuairisc nó deimhniú a cheanglaítear, le foráil ar bith de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha, ar liachleachtóir cláraithe a chur chuig an Údarás.
(c) Féadfaidh liachomhairleoir ceirde—
(i) a iarraidh ar aon duine a bhí, nó a d'fhéadfadh a bheith, ina thuairim, i gcúrsa a chuid oibre, faoi lé aon phriacail díobhála coirp nó aon chontúirte eile dá shláinte; agus
(ii) d'fhonn staid sláinte daoine a fhostaítear in áiteanna oibre éagsúla nó in áiteanna oibre sonraithe nó in áiteanna éagsúla san áit oibre céanna, a chur i gcomparáid le staid sláinte daoine eile, a iarraidh ar aon duine
samplaí bitheolaíocha a chur ar fáil nó dul faoi scrúdú liachta, nó iad araon, ag cibé áit a ainmneoidh sé, cibé acu ag an liachomhairleoir féin nó thar a cheann nó ag cibé liachleachtóir cláraithe eile a shonróidh sé nó thar a cheannsan.
Orduithe agus pleananna feabhsúcháin.
35.—(1) Baineann an t-alt seo le haon ghníomhaíochtaí atá, nó ar dóigh dóibh a bheith, á seoladh ag aon duine nó faoi rialú aon duine, ar gníomhaíochtaí iad a bhfuil nó, má seoltar na gníomhaíochtaí amhlaidh, a mbeidh, feidhm ag aon cheann de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha maidir leo nó i ndáil leo.
(2) Más rud é, i leith aon ghníomhaíochtaí lena mbaineann an t-alt seo, gurb é tuairim cigire go ngabhann, nó gur dóigh go ngabhfaidh, priacal sábháilteachta nó sláinte daoine leo de réir mar a sheoltar iad nó de réir mar is dóigh a sheolfar iad ag an duine i gceist, nó faoina rialú, féadfaidh an cigire ordú i scríbhinn a sheirbheáil ar an duine sin á iarraidh go ndéanfar, laistigh de thréimhse a bheidh sonraithe san ordú, plean feabhsúcháin a chur faoi bhráid an chigire lena cheadú, ina sonrófar na bearta leasúcháin a bheartaítear a dhéanamh chun na nithe a bheidh leagtha amach san ordú a chur ina gceart.
(3) Má chuirtear plean feabhsúcháin faoi bhráid cigire de réir fho-alt (2) agus nach deimhin leis é a bheith leordhóthanach féadfaidh sé a ordú go ndéanfar an plean a athbhreithniú agus a chur faoina bhráid arís laistigh de thréimhse a bheidh sonraithe san ordú.
Fógra feabhsúcháin.
36.—(1) Más é tuairim cigire go bhfuil aon cheann de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha á shárú nó sáraithe ag duine nó gur mhainnigh an duine sin plean feabhsúcháin iomchuí a chur faoi bhráid an chigire nó a chur i ngníomh ar ordú a bheith tugtha dó chuige sin faoi alt 35, féadfaidh an cigire fógra i scríbhinn a bheidh sínithe aige (dá ngairtear “fógra feabhsúcháin” san Acht seo) a sheirbheáil ar an duine sin á rá gurb é sin a thuairim agus san fhógra feabhsúcháin—
(a) sonrófar an fhoráil nó na forálacha a bhfuil an tuairim sin aige maidir leo;
(b) tabharfar sonraí i dtaobh na gcúiseanna a bhfuil an tuairim sin aige;
(c) más infheidhme, déarfar gur mhainnigh an duine plean feabhsúcháin a chur faoi bhráid cigire nó an plean sin a chur i ngníomh; agus
(d) ordófar don duine sin na sáruithe líomhnaithe a leigheas faoi dháta a bheidh sonraithe san fhógra, nár choir a bheith níos luaithe ná an tréimhse ar laistigh di a fhéadfar achomharc a dhéanamh faoi fho-alt (3).
(2) Féadfaidh orduithe maidir leis na bearta a bheidh le déanamh chun na sáruithe líomhnaithe atá leagtha amach san fhógra a leigheas, a bheith ar áireamh i bhfógra feabhsúcháin.
(3) Duine arb ábhar éagóra leis fógra feabhsúcháin, féadfaidh sé, laistigh den tréimhse ceithre lá dhéag dar tosach an lá a sheirbheáiltear an fógra air, achomharc a dhéanamh in aghaidh an fhógra, ar an modh forordaithe, chuig Breitheamh den Chúirt Dúiche sa Dúiche Cúirte Dúiche inar seirbheáladh an fógra agus le linn dó an t-achomharc a chinneadh féadfaidh an Breitheamh—
(a) más deimhin leis go bhfuil sé réasúnta déanamh amhlaidh in imthosca an cháis, an fógra a dhaingniú, fara nó d'éagmais modhnaithe, nó
(b) an fógra a chealú.
(4) Déanfaidh duine a dhéanann achomharc in aghaidh fógra feabhsúcháin fógra a thabhairt an tráth céanna don Údarás nó don ghníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin de réir mar is iomchuí i dtaobh an achomhairc agus na bhforas le haghaidh an achomhairc agus beidh an tÚdarás nó an ghníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin, de réir mar is iomchuí, i dteideal a bheith i láthair, éisteacht a fháil agus fianaise a thabhairt ar aird le linn an t-achomharc a bheith á éisteacht.
(5) I gcás achomharc a dhéanamh i gcoinne fógra feabhsúcháin, glacfaidh an fógra éifeacht an lá díreach i ndiaidh an lae a dhaingnítear an fógra ar achomharc nó a tharraingítear siar an t-achomharc, nó an lá a mbeidh sé sonraithe san fhógra gurb é an lá é a dtiocfaidh sé in éifeacht, cibé acu is déanaí.
(6) I gcás nach ndéantar aon achomharc in aghaidh fógra feabhs úcháin, glacfaidh an fógra éifeacht ar dhul in éag don tréimhse ina bhféadfar achomharc den sórt sin a dhéanamh nó ar an lá a mbeidh sé sonraithe san fhógra gurb é an lá é a dtiocfaidh an fógra in éifeacht, cibé acu is déanaí.
(7) Féadfaidh cigire fógra feabhsúcháin a tharraingt siar aon tráth roimh an dáta a bheidh sonraithe ann faoi fho-alt (1) (d) agus féadfaidh sé an dáta sin a chur siar nó a chur siar tuilleadh tráth ar bith nach mbeidh achomharc in aghaidh an fhógra ar feitheamh.
Fógra toirmisc.
37.—(1) Baineann an t-alt seo le haon ghníomhaíochtaí atá, nó ar dóigh iad a bheith, á seoladh ag aon duine nó faoi rialú aon duine, ar gníomhaíochtaí iad a bhfuil nó, má sheoltar na gníomhaíochtaí amhlaidh, a mbeidh, feidhm ag aon cheann de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha maidir leo nó i ndáil leo.
(2) Más rud é, i leith aon ghníomhaíochtaí lena mbaineann an t-alt seo, gurb é tuairim cigire go ngabhann nó, de réir mar a bheidh, gur dóigh go ngabhfaidh, priacal díobhála pearsanta tromaí do dhaoine ag aon áit oibre de réir mar a sheoltar iad, nó de réir mar is dóigh a sheolfar iad, ag an duine, nó faoi rialú an duine, i gceist, féadfaidh an cigire fógra (dá ngairtear “fógra toirmisc” san Acht seo) arna shíniú aige a sheirbheáil ar an duine sin.
(3) I bhfógra toirmisc—
(a) déarfar go bhfuil an cigire den tuairim a dúradh;
(b) sonrófar na nithe arb é a thuairim gur astu, nó de réir mar a bheidh, gur dóigh gurb astu, a eascraíonn an priacal sin;
(c) más rud é ina thuairim go ngabhann nó, de réir mar a bheidh, go ngabhfaidh, le haon cheann de na nithe sin, sárú ar aon cheann de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha, déarfar go bhfuil sé den tuairim sin, sonrófar an fhoráil nó na forálacha a bhfuil an tuairim sin aige maidir leo, agus tabharfar sonraí i dtaobh na gcúiseanna a bhfuil an tuairim sin aige; agus
(d) ordófar, maidir leis na gníomhaíochtaí lena mbaineann an fógra, nach seolfar iad ag an duine, ná faoi rialú an duine, ar a seirbheáiltear an fógra ná ag aon duine eile ná faoi rialú aon duine eile mura leigheasfar na nithe a bheidh sonraithe san fhógra de bhun mhír (b), agus aon sárú comhbhainteach ar fhorálacha a bheidh sonraithe amhlaidh de bhun mhír (c).
(4) Glacfaidh fógra toirmisc éifeacht—
(a) má dhearbhaíonn an fógra amhlaidh, a luaithe díreach a fhaigheann an duine é ar a seirbheáiltear é;
(b) in aon chás eile—
(i) mura ndéantar aon achomharc in aghaidh an fhógra, ar dhul in éag don tréimhse ina bhféadfar achomharc den sórt sin a dhéanamh nó ar an lá a mbeidh sé sonraithe san fhógra gurb é an lá é ar a dtiocfaidh an fógra in éifeacht, cibé acu is déanaí; nó
(ii) i gcás achomharc den sórt sin a dhéanamh, ar an lá díreach i ndiaidh an lae a ndaingnítear an fógra ar achomharc nó a dtarraingítear siar an t-achomharc nó an lá a mbeidh sé sonraithe san fhógra gurb é an lá é a dtiocfaidh sé in éifeacht, cibé acu is déanaí.
(5) Má thionscnaítear achomharc i gcoinne fógra toirmisc atá le héifeacht a ghlacadh de réir fho-alt (4) (a) ní bheidh d'éifeacht leis sin go ndéanfaidh sé oibriú an fhógra a fhionraí; ar choinníoll, áfach, go bhféadfaidh an t-achomharcóir iarratas a dhéanamh chun na Cúirte chun oibriú an fhógra a fhionraí go dtí go mbeidh an t-achomharc curtha de láimh, agus ar iarratas den sórt sin a bheith déanta, féadfaidh an Chúirt, más cuí léi déanamh amhlaidh, ordú a thabhairt oibriú an fhógra a fhionraí go dtí go mbeidh an t-achomharc curtha de láimh.
(6) (a) Duine arb ábhar éagóra leis fógra toirmisc, féadfaidh sé, laistigh den tréimhse seacht lá dar tosach an lá a seirbheáiltear an fógra air, achomharc a dhéanamh in aghaidh an fhógra ar an modh forordaithe chuig Breitheamh den Chúirt Dúiche sa Dúiche Chúirte Dúiche inar seirbheáladh an fógra agus le linn dó an t-achomharc a chinneadh féadfaidh an Breitheamh sin—
(i) más deimhin leis go bhfuil sé réasúnta déanamh amhlaidh in imthosca an cháis, an fógra a dhaingniú fara nó d'éagmais modhnaithe; nó
(ii) an fógra a chealú.
(b) Más rud é, ar achomharc faoin alt seo a éisteacht, go ndaingneofar fógra toirmisc, d'ainneoin fho-alt (4) féadfaidh an Breitheamh Dúiche a d'éist an t-achomharc, ar iarratas an achomharcóra, oibriú an fhógra a fhionraí go ceann cibé tréimhse a mheasann sé a bheith iomchuí in imthosca an cháis.
(7) Duine a dhéanann achomharc i gcoinne fógra toirmisc nó a dhéanann iarratas ar ordú chun feidhmiú an fhógra a fhionraí faoi fho-alt (5), tabharfaidh sé fógra an tráth céanna don Údarás nó don ghníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin, de réir mar is iomchuí, i dtaobh an achomhairc nó an iarratais agus i dtaobh na bhforas le haghaidh an achomhairc nó an iarratais agus beidh an tÚdarás nó an ghníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin, de réir mar is iomchuí, i dteideal a bheith i láthair, éisteacht a fháil agus fianaise a thabhairt ar aird le linn an t-achomharc nó an t-iarratas a bheith á éisteacht.
(8) Féadfaidh cigire fógra toirmisc a chúlghairm.
(9) (a) I gcás fógra toirmisc a bheith seirbheáilte agus gníomhaíochtaí a bheith á seoladh de shárú ar an bhfógra, féadfaidh an Ard-Chúirt, ar iarratas ó chigire, toirmeasc a chur, le hordú, ar leanúint ar aghaidh leis na gníomhaíochtaí.
(b) Is le foriarratas a dhéanfar iarratas chun na hArd-Chúirte ar ordú faoin bhfo-alt seo agus féadfaidh an Chúirt agus an t-ábhar á bhreithniú aici cibé ordú (más aon ordú é) eatramhach nó idirbhreitheach a dhéanamh is iomchuí léi agus féadfaidh cibé téarmaí agus coinníollacha (más ann) maidir le híocaíocht costas a cheapann an Chúirt a bheith iomchuí, a bheith san ordú trína ndéantar cinneadh ar iarratas faoin bhfo-alt seo.
Cumhacht oifigigh custam agus máil airteagail etc., a choinneáil.
38.—D'fhonn a éascú don Údarás aon cheann de na cumhachtaí nó de na dualgais is infheidhmithe acu faoi aon cheann de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha a fheidhmiú nó a chomhlíonadh, féadfaidh oifigeach custam agus máil ar é bheith údaraithe dó déanamh amhlaidh ag na Coimisinéirí Ioncaim, ar iarraidh i scríbhinn chuige sin ón Údarás, aon airteagal nó substaint a allmhairítear a choinneáil a fhad is gá le réasún le go scrúdóidh cigire é, ach in aon chás tráth nach faide ná 48 n-uaire an chloig ó thráth coinneála an airteagail nó na substainte i gceist.
Ordú ón Ard-Chúirt maidir le húsáid áite oibre.
39.—(1) Má cheapann an tÚdarás nó gníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin go bhfuil an priacal do shábháilteacht agus do shláinte daoine chomh tromaí sin gur chóir srian nó toirmeasc láithreach a chur le húsáid áite oibre nó cuid d'áit oibre go dtí go mbeidh bearta sonraithe déanta chun an priacal a laghdú go dtí leibhéal réasúnta, féadfaidh an tÚdarás nó gníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin iarratas a dhéanamh ex parte chun na hArd-Chúirte ar ordú chun srian nó toirmeasc a chur le húsáid na háite oibre nó cuid den áit oibre, dá réir sin.
(2) Féadfaidh an Chúirt cibé ordú eatramhach nó idirbhreitheach a dhéanamh is iomchuí léi.
(3) Beidh éifeacht le haon ordú den sórt sin d'ainneoin théarmaí aon cheada a bheidh tugtha faoi aon achtachán eile faoi chomhair úsáide na háite oibre nó cuid den áit oibre.
(4) Ar aon iarratas chun ordú a chúlghairm nó a athrú faoi fho-alt (1), beidh an tÚdarás nó gníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin, de réir mar is iomchuí, i dteideal éisteacht a fháil.
Cigirí a shlánú, etc.
40.—I gcás gur deimhin leis an Údarás nó le gníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin go bhfuil cigire a bheidh údaraithe acu, nó aon chomhalta eile d'fhoireann an Údaráis, tar éis a dhualgais i ndáil le forfheidhmiú na bhforálacha reachtúla ábhartha a urscaoileadh ar mhodh bona fide, slánóidh siad an cigire nó an comhalta sin d'fhoireann an Údaráis in aghaidh gach caingne nó éilimh, is cuma conas a éiríonn siad, maidir le hurscaoileadh a dhualgas aige.
Fiosrúchán ar ghníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin.
41.—(1) Má líomhnaíonn an tÚdarás gur mhainnigh aon ghníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin aon fheidhm dá feidhmeanna faoi aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha a chomhlíonadh, féadfaidh an tÚdarás le toiliú an Aire (agus ní thabharfar an toiliú sin ach amháin tar éis dul i gcomhairle leis an Aire den Rialtas atá freagrach as gníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin a líomhnaítear gur mhainnigh sí a feidhmeanna a chomhlíonadh) a ordú go ndéanfar imscrúdú i dtaobh na mainneachtana chun gníomhú atá á líomhain.
(2) Ceapfaidh an tÚdarás duine nó daoine, a bheidh inniúil, chun an t-imscrúdú a dhéanamh agus chun tuarascáil a ullmhú agus a chur faoi bhráid an Údaráis ina luafar tátail faoin líomhain gur mhainnigh an ghníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin a feidhmeanna a chomhlíonadh.
(3) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás, le toiliú an Aire, a chur faoi deara go ndéanfar iomlán aon tuarascála, nó aon chuid d'aon tuarascáil, a thugtar de bhua fho-alt (2)—
(a) a chur ar fáil don ghníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin i gceist,
(b) a fhoilsiú cibé tráth agus ar cibé modh a cheapann an tÚdarás a bheith iomchuí.
(4) Beidh sé de dhualgas ar ghníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin comhoibriú le duine atá ag seoladh fiosrúcháin faoin alt seo.
CUID VI
Faisnéis a Fháil agus a Nochtadh
An tÚdarás d'fháil faisnéise.
42.—(1) D'fhonn faisnéis a fháil a éilíonn an tÚdarás nó gníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin chun a bhfeidhmeanna a urscaoileadh, féadfaidh an tÚdarás, trí fhógra i scríbhinn (dá ngairtear “fógra ag éileamh faisnéise” san alt seo) arna sheirbheáil ar aon duine, a cheangal ar an duine sin faisnéis i dtaobh aon nithe a bheidh sonraithe san fhógra a thabhairt don Údarás laistigh de thréimhse a bheidh sonraithe san fhógra agus i cibé foirm, más ann, a bheidh sonraithe san fhógra.
(2) Ní sheirbheálfaidh an tÚdarás fógra ag éileamh faisnéise mura rud é, ag féachaint d'imthosca uile an cháis áirithe, go bhfuil an fhaisnéis á héileamh le réasún i dtaca le sábháilteacht, sláinte nó leas daoine a chosaint faoi aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha.
(3) Cuirfidh duine ar fáil an fhaisnéis a iarrtar i bhfógra ag éileamh faisnéise—
(a) i gcás nach ndéantar aon achomharc in aghaidh an fhógra—
(i) ar dhul in éag don tréimhse ina bhféadfar achomharc den sórt sin a dhéanamh; nó
(ii) laistigh den tréimhse ama a bheidh sonraithe san fhógra chun an fhaisnéis a thabhairt; nó
(iii) ar cibé lá dá éis sin ar a gcomhaontóidh an tÚdarás i scríbhinn,
cibé acu is déanaí;
(b) i gcás go ndéantar achomharc agus go ndaingnítear an fógra ar achomharc nó go dtarraingítear siar an t-achomharc—
(i) ar an lá tar éis an lae a ndaingnítear an fógra amhlaidh nó a dtarraingítear siar an t-achomharc; nó
(ii) laistigh den tréimhse ama a bheidh sonraithe san fhógra chun an fhaisnéis a thabhairt; nó
(iii) i gcás oibriú an fhógra a bheith curtha ar fionraí de réir fho-alt (4) (b), ar dhul in éag don tréimhse a cheap an Breitheamh den Chúirt Dúiche a bheith iomchuí chun críche an fho-ailt sin,
cibé acu is déanaí.
(4) (a) Duine arb ábhar éagóra leis fógra ag éileamh faisnéise a seirbheáladh air, féadfaidh sé, laistigh den tréimhse seacht lá dar tosach an lá ar a seirbheáiltear an fógra amhlaidh, achomharc a dhéanamh in aghaidh an fhógra ar an modh forordaithe chun Breitheamh den Chúirt Dúiche sa Dúiche Cúirte Dúiche inar seirbheáladh an fógra agus le linn dó an t-achomharc a chinneadh féadfaidh an Breitheamh—
(i) más deimhin leis go bhfuil sé réasúnta déanamh amhlaidh in imthosca an cháis, an fógra a dhaingniú, fara nó d'éagmais modhnaithe; nó
(ii) an fógra a chealú;
(b) más rud é, ar achomharc faoin bhfo-alt seo a éisteacht, go ndaingneofar fógra ag éileamh faisnéise, féadfaidh an Breitheamh a d'éist an t-achomharc, ar iarratas an achomharcóra, oibriú an fhógra a fhionraí go ceann cibé tréimhse a mheasann sé a bheith iomchuí in imthosca an cháis;
(c) féadfaidh an Breitheamh a chinneann achomharc faoin bhfo-alt seo cibé ordú a dhéanamh a cheapann sé a bheith iomchuí i dtaobh costais a íoc maidir leis an achomharc.
(5) I gcás go n-airbheartaítear aon tuairim de chuid an Údaráis, is tuairim lena mbaineann fo-alt (2), a bheith in aon doiciméad—
(a) a airbheartaítear a bheith déanta ag an Údarás nó faoi ordú ón Údarás; agus
(b) a thugann oifigeach don Údarás ar aird mar fhianaise in aon imeachtaí,
beidh an doiciméad sin inghlactha mar fhianaise agus ina fhianaise ar aon tuairim den sórt sin sna himeachtaí sin gan tuilleadh cruthúnais.
Faisnéis arna páirtiú ag na Coimisinéirí Ioncaim.
43.—Más cuí leo déanamh amhlaidh chun a éascú don Údarás nó do ghníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin nó do chigire de chuid an Údaráis nó de chuid gníomhaireachta forfheidhmiúcháin aon cheann de na cumhachtaí nó na dualgais a fheidhmíonn siad faoi aon cheann de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha a fheidhmiú nó a chomhlíonadh, féadfaidh na Coimisinéirí Ioncaim a údarú go nochtfar don Údarás nó do ghníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin nó do chigire de chuid an Údaráis nó de chuid gníomhaireachta forfheidhmiúcháin aon fhaisnéis a fhaigheann na Coimisinéirí Ioncaim chun iad d'fheidhmiú a bhfeidhmeanna i ndáil le hairteagail nó substaintí a allmhairítear isteach sa Stát.
Rochtain ar fhaisnéis.
44.—Féadfaidh an tAire Sláinte agus an tAire Leasa Shóisialaigh cibé faisnéis a thabhairt don Údarás i ndáil le díobháil phearsanta a bhaineann do dhaoine ag an obair is faisnéis is gá chun sábháilteacht, sláinte nó leas daoine ag an obair a chinntiú.
Srianta le nochtadh faisnéise.
45.—(1) San alt seo—
ciallaíonn “faisnéis ábhartha” faisnéis a fhaigheann duine nó a thugtar d'aon duine de bhun alt 42 nó alt 43 nó de bhun ceanglais a fhorchuirtear le haon cheann de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha;
ciallaíonn “toiliú ábhartha” i gcás faisnéise a thugtar de bhun ceanglais a fhorchuirtear le halt 34, toiliú ón duine a thug í, agus, in aon chás eile, toiliú ó dhuine a bhfuil an ghníomhaíocht, nó an áit oibre mar a bhfuarthas an fhaisnéis, faoina rialú;
ciallaíonn “an faighteoir”, i ndáil le haon fhaisnéis ábhartha, an duine a fuair an fhaisnéis sin amhlaidh nó dár tugadh an fhaisnéis sin amhlaidh, de réir mar a bheidh.
(2) Faoi réir fho-alt (3), ní nochtfar aon fhaisnéis ábhartha gan an toiliú ábhartha a bheith tugtha.
(3) Ní bheidh feidhm ag fo-alt (2)—
(a) maidir le nochtadh faisnéise don Údarás, do ghníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin nó d'Aire den Rialtas;
(b) gan dochar do mhír (a), maidir leis an bhfaighteoir do nochtadh faisnéise d'aon duine chun críoch aon fheidhme a thugtar don fhaighteoir le haon cheann, nó faoi aon cheann, de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha;
(c) gan dochar do mhír (a), maidir leis an bhfaighteoir do nochtadh faisnéise d'oifigeach do chomhlacht poiblí a n-údaraíonn an comhlacht sin dó an fhaisnéis a fháil;
(d) maidir leis an bhfaighteoir do nochtadh faisnéise i bhfoirm atá ceaptha d'fhonn nach n-aithneofar gur faisnéis í a bhaineann le duine ar leith nó le cás ar leith; nó
(e) maidir le nochtadh faisnéise chun críche aon imeachtaí dlí nó aon imscrúdú nó fiosrúcháin a thionólfar de bhua fhorálacha an Achta seo nó chun críocha tuarascála ar aon imeachtaí nó fiosrúcháin den sórt sin nó chun críocha tuarascála speisialta a thugtar de bhua fhorálacha an Achta seo.
(4) I bhfo-alt (3), folaíonn aon tagairt don Údarás, do ghníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin nó d'Aire den Rialtas, tagairt faoi seach d'oifigeach do na comhlachtaí sin agus freisin, i gcás tagartha don Údarás, folaíonn sí tagairt—
(a) do dhuine a chomhlíonann aon fheidhm de chuid an Údaráis;
(b) d'oifigeach do chomhlacht atá ag comhlíonadh amhlaidh aon fheidhmeanna den sórt sin.
(5) Duine dá nochtar faisnéis de bhun fho-alt (3) ní úsáidfidh sé an fhaisnéis seachas—
(a) i gcás a thagann faoi réim mhír (a) den fho-alt sin, chun críche de chuid an Údaráis, de chuid gníomhaireachta forfheidhmiúcháin nó de chuid Aire den Rialtas i dtaca leis na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha; nó
(b) i gcás faisnéise a thugtar d'oifigeach do chomhlacht poiblí, chun críche an chomhlachta sin i dtaca lena ndualgais faoi na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha nó forálacha reachtúla eile a bhaineann le sábháilteacht phoiblí, le sláinte nó leis an timpeallacht a chosaint.
(6) Ní nochtfaidh duine aon fhaisnéis a fhaigheann sé de thoradh aon chumhachta a fheidhmiú a thugtar le forálacha ailt 34, 46 nó 47 (lena n-áirítear, go sonrach, aon fhaisnéis maidir le haon rún trádála a fhaigheann sé in aon áit oibre ina dtéann sé de bhua aon chumhachta den sórt sin) ach amháin—
(a) chun críche a fheidhmeanna reachtúla; nó
(b) chun críche aon imeachtaí dlí nó aon imscrúdú nó fiosrúcháin a thionólfar de bhua fhorálacha alt 47 nó chun críocha tuarascála ar aon imeachtaí nó fiosrúcháin den sórt sin nó chun críocha tuarascála speisialta a thugtar de bhua fhorálacha alt 46; nó
(c) má thugtar an toiliú ábhartha.
(7) D'ainneoin fhorálacha fho-alt (6) déanfaidh cigire, in imthosca inar gá déanamh amhlaidh d'fhonn cabhair a thabhairt le go mbeadh daoine (nó ionadaithe daoine) a fhostaítear ag aon áit oibre sách eolach faoi nithe a fhearann ar a sábháilteacht, ar a sláinte nó ar a leas, an fhaisnéis seo a leanas a thabhairt do na daoine sin nó dá n-ionadaithe, is é sin le rá—
(a) faisnéis fhíorasach a fhaigheann sé mar a luaitear i bhfo-alt (6) a bhaineann leis an áit oibre sin nó le haon ní a bhí nó atá san áit sin nó a bhí nó atá á dhéanamh san áit sin ar choinníoll nach nochtfar aon rúin trádála san fhaisnéis sin; agus
(b) faisnéis maidir le haon ghníomh a bheidh déanta aige nó a bheartaíonn sé a dhéanamh san áit oibre sin nó i dtaca leis an áit oibre sin i gcomhlíonadh a fheidhmeanna;
agus, i gcás go ndéanfaidh cigire mar a dúradh, tabharfaidh sé faisnéis den tsamhail chéanna sin d'fhostóir na ndaoine céadluaite.
(8) Más rud é, chun críche faisnéis a fhaightear faoi alt 42 a mheas, go nochtann an tÚdarás an fhaisnéis sin do dhuine éigin eile, ní úsáidfidh an duine eile sin an fhaisnéis sin chun aon chríche seachas críoch de chuid an Údaráis agus, sula nochtfaidh sé an fhaisnéis sin, cuirfidh an tÚdarás in iúl don duine eile sin cad iad a oibleagáidí faoin alt seo.
CUID VII
Tuarascálacha agus Fiosrúcháin Speisialta
Imscrúduithe agus tuarascálacha speisialta.
46.—(1) (a) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás tráth ar bith a ordú d'aon duine dá bhfoireann nó d'aon duine inniúil eile a cheapann siad a bheith iomchuí na himthosca a bhaineann le haon tionóisc, galar, teagmhas, cor nó aon ní eile a bhaineann le críocha ginearálta an Achta seo a imscrúdú agus tuarascáil a thabhairt dóibh, ar a dtabharfar agus dá ngairtear san alt seo “tuarascáil speisialta”, i dtaobh an ní sin.
(b) Chun críocha imscrúdú den sórt sin, beidh cumhachtaí uile cigire faoin Acht seo ag duine nach cigire a ghabhann imscrúdú den sórt sin de láimh faoin alt seo.
(2) I gcás imscrúdú agus tuarascáil speisialta a dhéantar agus a thugtar faoi fho-alt (1) (seachas ag comhalta d'fhoireann an Údaráis) féadfaidh an tÚdarás cibé táillí agus caiteachais a chinnfidh an tAire, le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais, a íoc leis an duine a dhéanann an t-imscrúdú nó a thugann an tuarascáil sin.
(3) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás, a mhéid a chinnfidh an tAire, íoc as na costais a thabhaítear le linn tuarascáil speisialta a ullmhú, seachas na costais a thabhaítear faoi fho-alt (2), más ann.
(4) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás a chur faoi deara tuarascáil speisialta, nó cuid de thuarascáil speisialta den sórt sin, a fhoilsiú laistigh de thréimhse réasúnach agus ar cibé modh is cuí leo.
(5) I gcás tionóisce aeir nó iarnróid nó tionóisce ar farraige, ní sheolfaidh an tÚdarás imscrúdú i dtaobh na dtionóiscí sin ach amháin le toiliú an Aire arna thabhairt aige le comhthoiliú aon Aire eile den Rialtas is iomchuí leis.
Cumhacht fiosrúchán a ordú.
47.—(1) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás, nuair a cheapann siad gur gá déanamh amhlaidh, agus le toiliú an Aire, ordú a thabhairt fiosrúchán a dhéanamh i dtaca le haon tionóisc, galar, teagmhas, cor nó aon ní eile a bhaineann le críocha ginearálta an Achta seo.
(2) Beidh éifeacht leis na forálacha seo a leanas i ndáil le fiosrúchán faoin alt seo—
(a) ceapfaidh an tÚdarás duine inniúil chun an fiosrúchán a dhéanamh agus féadfaidh siad duine ar bith a bhfuil eolas ar an dlí, nó eolas speisialta, aige a cheapadh chun gníomhú mar mheasúnóir chun cabhair a thabhairt san fhiosrúchán;
(b) an duine nó na daoine a cheapfar (dá ngairtear “an binse” anseo ina dhiaidh seo) déanfaidh sé nó siad an fiosrúchán ar cibé modh agus faoi réir cibé coinníollacha is iomchuí leis an mbinse lena chumasú don bhinse an fiosrúchán a sheoladh, agus lena chumasú dó a thuarascáil a thabhairt;
(c) beidh ag an mbinse, chun críocha an fhiosrúcháin, cumhachtaí uile Breithimh den Chúirt Dúiche le linn dó bheith ag éisteacht ionchúisimh i leith ciona faoin Acht seo, agus cumhachtaí uile cigire faoin Acht seo agus, ina theannta sin, beidh cumhacht aige—
(i) dul isteach in aon áit nó foirgneamh agus iniúchadh a dhéanamh air, más dóigh leis an mbinse gur gá chun na gcríoch a dúradh dul isteach ann nó é a iniúchadh;
(ii) a cheangal, le toghairm faoi shíniú an bhinse, go bhfreastalóidh gach duine ar cuí leis an mbinse é a ghairm os a chomhair agus a cheistiú chun na gcríoch a dúradh, agus a cheangal go dtabharfar freagraí nó tuairisceáin ar cibé fiosrúcháin is oiriúnach leis a dhéanamh;
(iii) a cheangal go dtabharfar ar aird, i bhfoirm inléite, gach taifead cibé acu a choinnítear iad de láimh nó ar shlí eile, gach leabhar, páipéar agus doiciméad a mheasfaidh an binse a bheith riachtanach chun na gcríoch a dúradh;
(iv) daoine a chur faoi mhionn agus a cheangal ar aon duine a cheisteofar dearbhú a dhéanamh agus a shíniú i dtaobh fhírinne na ráiteas a rinne sé le linn a cheistithe.
(3) Lamhálfar do dhaoine a dhéanfaidh freastal mar fhinnéithe os comhair an bhinse cibé caiteachais a lamhálfaí d'fhinnéithe a dhéanfadh freastal os comhair cúirte taifid, agus i gcás díospóide i dtaobh an méid a bheidh le lamháil tarchuirfidh an binse an díospóid chun máistir fómhais don Ard-Chúirt, agus déanfaidh seisean, ar iarratas a fháil faoi shíniú an bhinse, méid ceart na gcaiteachas a fhionnadh agus a dheimhniú.
(4) Tabharfaidh an binse tuarascáil don Údarás ina n-inseofar cúiseanna agus imthosca ábhar an fhiosrúcháin agus cuirfidh an binse leis an tuarascáil aon tuairimí is ceart leis an mbinse a lua.
(5) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás a chur faoi deara tuarascáil binse a thugtar faoin alt seo a fhoilsiú cibé tráth agus ar cibé modh is cuí leo.
(6) I gcás fiosrúcháin agus tuarascála faoin alt seo, féadfaidh an tÚdarás cibé táillí agus caiteachais a chinnfidh an tAire le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais a íoc leis an duine nó leis na daoine a ghabhann an céanna de láimh.
(7) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás, a mhéid a chinnfidh an tAire, íoc as na costais eile, más ann, a bhaineann le fiosrúchán nó tuarascáil den sórt sin.
(8) Féadfaidh an binse a cheangal go mbeidh na táillí agus na caiteachais a tabhaíodh i ndáil le fiosrúchán faoin alt seo agus a ghabh leis an bhfiosrúchán sin (lena n-áirítear táillí aon daoine a ceapadh chun gníomhú mar mheasúnóirí) le híoc go hiomlán nó go páirteach ag aon duine a toghairmeadh os comhair an bhinse agus a bhfeictear don bhinse, mar gheall ar aon ghníomh nó mainneachain aige féin nó ag aon seirbhíseach nó gníomhaire dó, grád ar bith freagrachta a bheith air faoi ábhar an fhiosrúcháin, ach measfar gur cuid de chaiteachais an Údaráis ag riaradh an Achta seo aon chaiteachais den saghas sin nach gceanglaítear iad a íoc.
(9) Tabharfaidh an tÚdarás fógra go bhfuil ar intinn acu fiosrúchán a sheoladh faoin alt seo trí fhógra a fhoilseofar san Iris Oifigiúil agus i nuachtán laethúil amháin ar a laghad a scaiptear sa Stát ina leagfar amach téarmaí tagartha an fhiosrúcháin.
(10) Ní bheidh cumhacht ag an Údarás fiosrúchán a ordú faoi thionóisc aeir nó iarnróid nó faoi thionóisc ar farraige ach amháin le toiliú an Aire arna thabhairt le comhthoiliú aon Aire eile den Rialtas a cheapann sé a bheith iomchuí.
CUID VIII
Cionta, Pionóis agus Imeachtaí Dlí
Cionta.
48.—(1) Is cion é ag duine—
(a) mainneachtain dualgas a urscaoileadh ar dualgas é a bhfuil an duine faoina réir de bhua ailt 6 go 8, 9 (1), 10, 11, 12 (5) go (8), 13 (1) agus (5), nó
(b) ailt 9 (2), 12 (1) go (4), a shárú, nó
(c) foráil de chuid rialacháin arna dhéanamh faoi alt 28 a shárú.
(2) Is cion é ag duine cosc, bac, bacainn nó moill a chur go toiliúil ar chigire aon fheidhmeanna a fheidhmiú a thugtar dó leis an Acht seo agus is cion é ag duine mainneachtain go toiliúil déanamh de réir iarrata nó treorach bona fide ó chigire i bhfeidhmiú a fheidhmeanna reachtúla.
(3) Is cion é ag duine cosc a chur, nó féachaint le cosc a chur, ar aon duine freagra a thabhairt ar aon cheist a bhféadfaidh cigire freagra a éileamh uirthi de bhua alt 34.
(4) Is cion é mainneachtain a dhéanamh plean feabhsúcháin a chur faoi bhráid cigire laistigh den am a bheidh sonraithe in ordú faoi alt 35 nó mainneachtain a dhéanamh plean feabhsúcháin arna cheadú de réir an ailt sin 35 a chur i ngníomh, ach is cosaint mhaith ar ionchúiseamh faoin alt sin 35 a shuíomh go ndearnadh bearta eile a chuir a chomhionann de chosaint, ar a laghad, ar fáil.
(5) Is cion é ag duine sárú a dhéanamh ar aon cheanglas de chuid fógra feabhsúcháin a eisítear de réir alt 36.
(6) Is cion é ag duine gníomhaíochtaí a sheoladh de shárú ar fhógra toirmisc a eisítear de réir alt 37.
(7) Is cion é ag duine cosc, bac, bacainn nó moill a chur go toiliúil ar oifigeach custam agus máil i bhfeidhmiú aon chumhachta de na cumhachtaí a thugtar dó le halt 38.
(8) Is cion é ag duine sárú a dhéanamh ar aon cheanglas a fhorchuirtear le fógra a éilíonn faisnéis faoi alt 42.
(9) Is cion é ag duine aon fhaisnéis a úsáid nó a nochtadh de shárú ar alt 45.
(10) Is cion é ag duine bac a chur d'aonghnó ar aon duine i bhfeidhmiú a chumhachtaí faoi alt 46.
(11) Más rud é gan leithscéal réasúnach a bheith aige (is leithscéal ar air féin a bheidh sé é a chruthú), go mainneoidh duine, tar éis na caiteachais (más ann) a mbeidh sé ina dteideal a bheith tairgthe dó, nó go ndiúltóidh sé, déanamh de réir aon toghairme nó foréilimh ó bhinse a bheidh ceaptha faoi alt 47 nó má chuireann sé cosc nó bacainn thairis sin ar an mbinse i bhfeidhmiú a dhualgais, beidh sé ciontach i gcion.
(12) Is cion é ag duine ráiteas a dhéanamh is eol dó a bheith bréagach nó ráiteas atá bréagach a dhéanamh go meargánta má dhéantar an ráiteas—
(a) mar chomhlíonadh airbheartaithe ar cheanglas faisnéis ar bith a thabhairt a bheidh forchurtha le haon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha nó faoi aon fhoráil acu sin; nó
(b) d'fhonn go ndéanfar doiciméad a eisiúint dó féin nó do dhuine eile faoi aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha.
(13) Is cion é ag duine iontráil bhréagach a dhéanamh d'aonghnó in aon chlár, leabhar, fógra nó doiciméad eile a cheanglaítear a choinneáil, a sheirbheáil nó a thabhairt le haon fhoráil, nó faoi aon fhoráil, de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha nó, le hintinn mheabhlaireachta, úsáid a bhaint as aon iontráil den sórt sin is eol dó a bheith bréagach.
(14) Is cion é ag duine má dhéanann sé, le hintinn mheabhlaireachta, doiciméad a bhrionnú nó a úsáid, is doiciméad a eisítear nó a údaraítear a eisiúint faoi aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha nó a éilítear chun críche ar bith faoi na forálacha sin nó doiciméad a dhéanamh amach nó a bheith i seilbh doiciméid atá chomh dlúthchosúil sin le haon doiciméad den sórt sin go bhfuil sé ceaptha meabhlaireacht a dhéanamh.
(15) Is cion é ag duine a chur i gcéill gur cigire é.
(16) I gcás go gciontaítear duine i cion faoi aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha, féadfaidh an chúirt, i dteannta nó in ionad fíneáil a chur air, a ordú dó bearta a dhéanamh, laistigh de thréimhse shonraithe, chun na nithe sin a leigheas ar maidir leo a tharla an sárú (agus féadfaidh sí, ar iarratas chuige sin, an tréimhse a shonraítear amhlaidh a fhadú) agus beidh aon duine ciontach i gcion a mhainneoidh déanamh de réir aon ordaithe den sórt sin laistigh den tréimhse shonraithe (arna fadú).
(17) Má mharaítear duine, má fhaigheann sé bás nó má bhaineann díobháil phearsanta dó de dhroim duine do shárú aon fhorála de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha, ar dhuine é atá faoi réir dualgais de bhua ailt 6 go 11, beidh an duine deireanach sin ciontach i gcion faoin bhfo-alt seo; ach
(i) ní bheidh an duine deireanach sin ciontach i gcion faoin bhfo-alt seo má rinneadh ionchúiseamh ina choinne maidir leis an ngníomh nó leis an mainneachtain ba chúis leis an mbás nó leis an díobháil, a éisteacht agus a dhíbhe sular tharla an bás nó an díobháil;
(ii) i gcás díobhála don tsláinte, ní bheidh an duine deireanach sin ciontach i gcion faoin bhfo-alt seo murarbh é an sárú ba chúis leis an díobháil go díreach.
(18) (a) I gcás go gcúisítear duine i leith ciona achomair faoi aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha, beidh sé i dteideal, ar fhaisnéis a bheith tugtha go cuí aige agus ar fhógra trí lá ar a laghad a bheith tugtha aige i scríbhinn don ionchúiseamh faoina bhfuil beartaithe aige, aon duine eile a gcuireann sé ina leith gurb é an ciontóir iarbhír é a thabhairt os comhair na cúirte an tráth atá ceaptha chun an cúiseamh a éisteacht (cibé acu is gníomhaire nó seirbhíseach dá chuid an duine eile nó nach ea);
(b) i gcás go gcruthaítear go ndearnadh an cion agus go ndéanann an chéad duine a chúisítear a chruthú chun sástacht na cúirte go ndearna sé gach dícheall chun na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha a fhorfheidhmiú agus go ndearna an duine eile, a gcuireann sé ina leith gurb é an ciontóir iarbhír é, an cion d'éagmais toiliú, cúlcheadú nó mainneachtain thoiliúil ar bith ar a thaobh féin, déanfar an duine eile sin a chiontú sa chion go hachomair agus ní bheidh an chéad duine ciontach sa chion, agus, de rogha na cúirte, beidh an duine a chiontófar faoi dhliteanas freisin aon chostais a íoc a bhaineann leis na himeachtaí;
(c) in aon chás lena mbaineann an fo-alt seo beidh an ceart ag an ionchúiseamh an chéad duine a chúisítear, i gcás go dtugann sé fianaise, agus aon fhinnéithe a ghlaonn sé mar thacaíocht leis an gcur-i-leith a rinne sé, a chroscheistiú agus fianaise fhrisnéiseach a thabhairt ar aird.
(19) (a) Más rud é, maidir le cion a dhéanann comhlacht corpraithe faoi aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha, go gcruthaítear go ndearnadh é le toiliú nó le cúlcheadú, nó gur inchurtha é i leith aon fhaillí ar thaobh, aon duine is stiúrthóir ar an gcomhlacht corpraithe nó is bainisteoir nó rúnaí ar an gcomhlacht sin nó is oifigeach eile den sórt sin don chomhlacht corpraithe, nó is duine a d'airbheartaigh a bheith ag gníomhú in aon cháil den sórt sin, beidh an duine sin, chomh maith leis an gcomhlacht corpraithe, ciontach sa chion sin agus dlífear imeachtaí a shaothrú ina choinne agus é a phionósú dá réir sin;
(b) i gcás cúrsaí comhlachta chorpraithe a bheith á mbainistí ag a chomhaltaí beidh feidhm ag mír (a) i ndáil le gníomhartha agus mainneachtaintí comhalta i dtaca lena fheidhmeanna bainisteoireachta amhail is dá mba stiúrthóir ar an gcomhlacht corpraithe é.
(20) Más rud é gur de dheasca mainneachtana ní éigin a dhéanamh ag am, nó laistigh d'am, a bheidh socraithe le foráil nó faoi fhoráil ar bith de na forálacha ábhartha sin, a rinneadh cion faoi aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha, measfar go leanfaidh an cion go dtí go ndéanfar an ní sin.
Pionóis.
49.—(1) Faoi réir fho-ailt (2), (3) agus (4), duine a bheidh ciontach i gcion faoi aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha nach bhforáiltear aon phionós airgid sainráiteach ina leith, dlífear ar é a chiontú go hachomair fíneáil nach mó ná £1,000 a chur air.
(2) Maidir le duine a bheidh ciontach i gcion faoi alt 48 (1) dlífear—
(a) ar é a chiontú go hachomair fíneáil nach mó ná £1,000 a chur air, nó
(b) ar é a chiontú ar díotáil fíneáil a chur air.
(3) Maidir le duine a bheidh ciontach i gcion—
(a) faoi fho-alt (6) nó (9) d'alt 48, nó
(b) arb é atá sa chion sárú a dhéanamh ar aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha trí rud éigin a dhéanamh ar shlí seachas faoi údarás ceadúnais a d'eisigh an tÚdarás nó aon chomhlacht forordaithe eile, ar rud éigin é a bhfuil ceadúnas den sórt sin riachtanach chun é a dhéanamh faoi na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha, nó
(c) arb é atá sa chion sárú ar théarma nó ar choinníoll nó ar shrian a ghabhann le haon cheadúnas den sórt a luaitear i mír (b)
dlífear—
(i) ar é a chiontú go hachomair fíneáil nach mó ná £1,000 a chur air, nó
(ii) ar é a chiontú ar díotáil fíneáil, nó de rogha na cúirte, príosúnacht ar feadh téarma nach faide ná dhá bhliain nó an fhíneáil sin agus an phríosúnacht sin le chéile, a chur air.
(4) Ní fhorléireofar aon ní san alt seo mar ní a chruthaíonn cion indíotáilte maidir le rialacháin arna ndéanamh faoi Acht na gComhphobal Eorpach, 1972.
Dualgas cruthúnais.
50.—In aon imeachtaí i leith ciona faoi aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha arb é a bheidh ann mainneachtain déanamh de réir dualgais nó ceanglais rud éigin a dhéanamh a mhéid is féidir, nó a mhéid is féidir le réasún, nó úsáid a bhaint as an modh is fearr is féidir chun rud éigin a dhéanamh, is ar an gcúisí a bheidh sé a chruthú (de réir mar a bheidh) nárbh fhéidir nó nárbh fhéidir le réasún níos mó a dhéanamh ná mar a rinneadh iarbhír chun an dualgas nó an ceanglas a chomhlíonadh, ná nach raibh aon mhodh praiticiúil ab fhearr ná an modh a úsáideadh iarbhír chun an dualgas nó an ceanglas a chomhlíonadh.
Cionta a ionchúiseamh, etc.
51.—(1) Faoi réir fho-alt (2), féadfaidh an tÚdarás aon chion achomair faoi aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha a ionchúiseamh.
(2) I gcás gurb é a bheidh i gcion achomair faoi aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha ná sárú ar fhoráil atá le forfheidhmiú ag gníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin, féadfaidh an ghníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin an cion a ionchúiseamh.
(3) D'ainneoin alt 10 (4) den Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851, féadfar imeachtaí i leith aon chiona faoi aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha a thionscnamh ag aon tráth laistigh de bhliain amháin tar éis dháta an chiona.
(4) Más rud é—
(a) go dtugtar tuarascáil speisialta i dtaobh aon ní lena mbaineann alt 46 den Acht seo; nó
(b) go ndéanann aon duine a bheidh ag seoladh fiosrúcháin i dtaobh aon ní de bhua alt 47, tuarascáil a thabhairt; nó
(c) go seoltar ionchoisne cróinéara i dtaobh bhás aon duine a bhféadfadh gurbh é ba thrúig bháis dó tionóisc a tharla nuair a bhí sé ag an obair, nó galar a tholg sé, nó is dóigh a tholg sé, ag an obair nó tionóisc, gníomh nó neamhghníomh a tharla i ndáil le hobair aon duine cibé é féin;
agus gur cosúil ón tuarascáil nó, i gcás a thagann faoi réim mhír (c), ó na himeachtaí ag an ionchoisne, gur sáraíodh aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha ag tráth a bhí ábhartha i ndáil le hábhar na tuarascála, nó an ionchoisne, féadfar tráth ar bith laistigh de thréimhse sé mhí tar éis an tuarascáil a thabhairt, nó i gcás a thagann faoi réim mhír (c), laistigh de thréimhse sé mhí tar éis dheireadh an ionchoisne, tús a chur le himeachtaí achoimre i gcoinne aon duine a ndlítear imeachtaí a shaothrú ina choinne i leith an tsáraithe.
Achomhairc i gcoinne orduithe.
52.—Aon duine (lena n-áirítear an tÚdarás nó gníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin) arb ábhar éagóra leis ordú a rinne an Chúirt Dúiche tar éis di cinneadh a dhéanamh ar ghearán faoin Acht seo, féadfaidh sé achomharc a dhéanamh ina choinne chuig breitheamh den Chúirt Chuarda ar ina cuaird atá an Chúirt Dúiche inar tugadh an cinneadh suite, agus is cinneadh críochnaitheach dochloíte a bheidh i gcinneadh an bhreithimh den Chúirt Chuarda ar aon achomharc den sórt sin.
Fianaise.
53.—(1) Má fhaightear duine in aon áit oibre aon tráth a bhfuil obair ar siúl ann, measfar go dtí go gcruthófar a mhalairt, chun críocha an Achta seo, go raibh sé ar fostú san áit oibre sin.
(2) I gcás go gceanglaítear le haon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha aon iontráil a dhéanamh in aon chlár nó taifead, beidh an iontráil a dhéanfaidh an fostóir, nó a dhéanfar thar a cheann, inghlactha mar fhianaise, amhail ina choinne, ar na fíorais a bheidh ráite san iontráil, agus más rud é nach mbeidh aon iontráil déanta a cheanglaítear a dhéanamh amhlaidh maidir le haon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha a urramú, beidh an méid sin inghlactha mar fhianaise nár urramaíodh an fhoráil.
CUID IX
Ilghnéitheach
Teastais breithe.
54.—I gcás go gceanglaítear aois aon duine a fhionnadh nó a chruthú chun críocha an Achta seo, nó chun críocha aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha, beidh aon duine, ar tháille 70 pingin a íoc, i dteideal teastas a fháil as iontráil bhreith an duine sin sa chlár breitheanna faoi láimh an chláraitheora nó an mhaor-chláraitheora nó duine eile a bhfuil an clár sin ina choimeád aige.
Oibleagáidí ginearálta maidir le sábháilteacht ar dhóiteán.
55.—(1) Aisghairtear leis seo na forálacha seo a leanas den Acht Seirbhísí Dóiteáin, 1981—
(a) fomhír (i) d'fho-alt (1) (f) d'alt 18, agus
(b) fo-alt (2) (b) d'alt 19.
(2) Aisghairtear leis seo ailt 45 (arna leasú leis an Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980), 46, 47 (arna leasú leis an Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980), 48 agus 122 (2) den Acht Monarchan, 1955.
(3) Aisghairtear leis seo alt 27 den Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980.
Ionchoisne i gcás báis trí thionóisc nó trí ghalar ag an obair.
56.—Nuair a sheolfaidh cróinéir ionchoisne ar chorp aon duine a bhféadfadh sé gurbh é ba thrúig bháis dó tionóisc a tharla nó galar a tolgadh in áit oibre, beidh éifeacht leis na forálacha seo a leanas—
(a) cuirfidh an cróinéir an t-ionchoisne ar atráth mura rud é—
(i) go bhfuil cigire, nó duine éigin eile atá ag láithriú thar ceann an Údaráis nó gníomhaireachta forfheidhmiúcháin, de réir mar a bheidh, i láthair chun na himeachtaí a fhaire, nó
(ii) i gcás nach mbaineann an t-ionchoisne ach le bás duine amháin agus inar chuir an cróinéir fógra faoi am agus áit seolta an ionchoisne chun an Údaráis nó gníomhaireachta forfheidhmiúcháin, de réir mar a bheidh, in am chun é a bheith ag an Údarás nó ag an ngníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin ceithre huaire a chloig is fiche ar a laghad roimh am seolta an ionchoisne, gur dóigh le tromlach an ghiúiré nach gá an t-ionchoisne a chur ar atráth;
(b) má chuireann an cróinéir an t-ionchoisne ar atráth—
(i) féadfaidh sé, roimh é a chur ar atráth, fianaise a ghlacadh chun an corp a aithint agus a ordú go n-adhlacfar an corp,
(ii) déanfaidh sé, ceithre lá ar a laghad sula seolfaidh sé an t-ionchoisne atrátha, fógra i scríbhinn a chur chun an Údaráis nó chun gníomhaireachta forfheidhmiúcháin, de réir mar a bheidh, faoin am agus faoin áit a seolfar an t-ionchoisne atrátha;
(c) ní bheidh aon duine cáilithe chun bheith ar an ngiúiré más duine é a bhfuil leas pearsanta aige san áit oibre arb ann nó ina thimpeall a tharla an tionóisc nó a tolgadh an galar, nó má bhíonn sé ar fostú ann nó ina thimpeall nó ina bhainisteoireacht;
(d) beidh sé de dhualgas ar an duine a ghairfidh an giúiré gan aon duine a ghairm atá dícháilithe faoi mhír (c) den alt seo, agus beidh sé de dhualgas ar an gcróinéir gan ligean d'aon duine den sórt sin dul faoi mhionn ná suí ar an ngiúiré;
(e) beidh na daoine seo a leanas, faoi réir chumhacht an chróinéara chun aon cheist a dhícheadú más dóigh leis nach ceist ábhartha í nó nach ceist chuí í ar dhóigh éigin eile, i dteideal aon fhinné a cheistiú, i bpearsain nó trí abhcóide nó trí aturnae—
(i) cigire nó aon duine eile a láithreoidh thar ceann an Údaráis nó gníomhaireachta forfheidhmiúcháin, de réir mar a bheidh,
(ii) aon ghaol nó cara don duine ar i dtaobh a bháis atá an t-ionchoisne á sheoladh,
(iii) an fostóir san áit oibre inar tharla an tionóisc nó inar tolgadh an galar,
(iv) aon duine a bheidh ceaptha i scríbhinn ag tromlach na ndaoine a fhostaítear san áit oibre,
(v) aon duine a bheidh ceaptha i scríbhinn ag aon cheardchumann, carachumann nó comhlachas eile daoine lenar bhain an t-éagach tráth a bháis nó lena mbaineann aon duine a fhostaítear san áit oibre,
(vi) aon duine a bheidh ceaptha i scríbhinn ag aon chomhlachas fostóirí a bhfuil an fostóir san áit oibre ina chomhalta de;
(f) i gcás nach mbeidh cigire nó duine thar ceann an Údaráis nó gníomhaireachta forfheidhmiúcháin, de réir mar a bheidh, i láthair ag an ionchoisne agus go dtabharfar fianaise i dtaobh aon fhaillí a bheith ina cúis nó ina leaschúis leis an tionóisc, nó leis an ngalar, nó i dtaobh aon lochta san áit oibre nó ina thimpeall ar dóigh leis an gcróinéir nó leis an ngiúiré gur gá é a leigheas, cuirfidh an cróinéir fógra i scríbhinn chuig an Údarás nó chuig gníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin, de réir mar a bheidh, i dtaobh na faillí nó an lochta.
Feidhmiú an Achta maidir le príosúin, etc.
57.—Beidh feidhm ag an Acht seo maidir le príosúin agus áiteanna coimeádta mura bhfuil a fheidhmiú ar neamhréir le slánchoimeád, dea-ord agus slándáil.
Méadú ar phionóis ilghnéitheacha.
58.—Beidh éifeacht leis na forálacha seo a leanas—
(a) £150 an pionós uasta i leith ciona faoi alt 74 (3) (arna chur isteach le halt 56 (a) den Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980) den Acht Monarchan, 1955, agus dá réir sin, forléireofar an fo-alt sin agus beidh éifeacht leis ionann is dá mba thagairt do £150 an tagairt atá ann do £15;
(b) £150 an pionós uasta i leith ciona faoi alt 76 (2) (arna chur isteach le halt 56 (a) den Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980) den Acht Monarchan, 1955, agus dá réir sin, forléireofar an fo-alt sin agus beidh éifeacht leis ionann is dá mba thagairt do £150 an tagairt atá ann do £15;
(c) £150 an pionós uasta i leith ciona faoi alt 76 (5) (arna chur isteach le halt 56 (a) den Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980) den Acht Monarchan, 1955, agus dá réir sin, forléireofar an fo-alt sin agus beidh éifeacht leis ionann is dá mba thagairt do £150 an tagairt atá ann do £15;
(d) £150 an pionós uasta i leith ciona faoi alt 91 (5) (arna chur isteach le halt 56 (a) den Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980) den Acht Monarchan, 1955, agus dá réir sin, forléireofar an fo-alt sin agus beidh éifeacht leis ionann is dá mba thagairt do £150 an tagairt atá ann do £15;
(e) £100 an pionós uasta i leith ciona faoi alt 104 (arna chur isteach le halt 56 (j) den Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980) den Acht Monarchan, 1955, agus dá réir sin, forléireofar an fo-alt sin agus beidh éifeacht leis ionann is dá mba thagairt do £100 an tagairt atá ann do £6;
(f) £300 nó £25 in aghaidh an lae an pionós uasta i leith ciona faoi alt 119 (1) (arna chur isteach le halt 56 (l) den Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980) den Acht Monarchan, 1955, agus dá réir sin, forléireofar an fo-alt sin agus beidh éifeacht leis ionann is dá mba thagairtí do £300 agus £25 faoi seach na tagairtí atá ann do £30 agus do £3;
(g) £300 an pionós uasta i leith ciona faoi alt 120 (3) (arna chur isteach le halt 56 (m) den Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980) den Acht Monarchan, 1955, agus dá réir sin, forléireofar an fo-alt sin agus beidh éifeacht leis ionann is dá mba thagairt do £300 an tagairt atá ann do £30;
(h) £100 an pionós uasta i leith ciona faoi alt 139 den Acht um Mianaigh agus Cairéil, 1965, agus dá réir sin, forléireofar an t-alt sin agus beidh éifeacht leis ionann is dá mba thagairt do £100 an tagairt atá ann do £20;
(i) £300 an pionós uasta i leith ciona faoi alt 142 den Acht um Mianaigh agus Cairéil, 1965, agus dá réir sin, forléireofar an t-alt sin agus beidh éifeacht leis ionann is dá mba thagairt do £300 an tagairt atá ann do £5;
(j) £1,000 nó téarma príosúnachta nach faide ná 12 mhí an pionós uasta i leith ciona faoi alt 52 (1) den Acht um Shubstaintí Contúirteacha, 1972, agus dá réir sin, forléireofar an fo-alt sin agus beidh éifeacht leis ionann is dá mba thagairt do £1,000 an tagairt atá ann do £100 agus ionann is dá mba thagairt do 12 mhí an tagairt atá ann do shé mhí; agus
(k) £200 an pionós uasta i leith ciona faoi alt 52 (2) den Acht um Shubstaintí Contúirteacha, 1972, agus dá réir sin, forléireofar an fo-alt sin agus beidh éifeacht leis ionann is dá mba thagairt do £200 an tagairt atá ann do £20.
Ceadúnais.
59.—(1) Féadfaidh an tAire, chun sábháilteacht, sláinte nó leas daoine ag an obair a chosaint, aon ghníomhaíocht oibre lena mbaineann forálacha an Achta seo a fhorordú mar ghníomhaíocht nach bhféadfar a sheoladh ach amháin de réir théarmaí agus coinníollacha ceadúnais arna eisiúint ag an Údarás, agus údaraítear leis seo don Údarás ceadúnas den sórt sin a eisiúint.
(2) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás coinníollacha a chur ag gabháil le ceadúnas a eisítear de réir fho-alt (1) de réir mar is cóir leo, lena n-áirítear coinníollacha i dtaobh dhul in éag nó cúlghairm an cheadúnais.
(3) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás dá rogha féin iarratas ar cheadúnas faoin alt seo a dheonú nó a dhiúltú.
(4) Féadfaidh an tÚdarás, más cóir leo é, sonraí a fhoilsiú i dtaobh iarratais ar cheadúnas faoin alt seo agus uiríll ina leith a iarraidh ó dhaoine leasmhara.
(5) (a) Cuirfidh an tÚdarás faoi deara clár de na ceadúnais go léir a dheonaíonn siad faoin alt seo a choinneáil i cibé foirm, agus cibé sonraí a bheith ann, is cóir leo.
(b) Beidh teideal ag aon duine, ar tháille fhorordaithe a íoc, agus ag cigire gan aon táille a íoc, clár a choinnítear faoin bhfo-alt seo a iniúchadh, agus cóipeanna nó sleachtanna a thógáil as, gach tráth réasúnach.
(6) Má dhiúltaíonn an tÚdarás ceadúnas a dheonú nó má dheonaíonn siad ceadúnas ar choinníollacha a bhfuil an t-iarratasóir míshásta leo, déanfaidh an tÚdarás, ar iarraidh ón iarratasóir sin, deimhniú a sheachadadh air á rá cad iad na forais ar ar dhiúltaigh siad ceadúnas nó ar ar chuir siad na coinníollacha ag gabháil leis.
(7) Féadfaidh an t-iarratasóir achomharc in aghaidh chinneadh an Údaráis a dhéanamh chun na hArd-Chúirte laistigh de thréimhse deich lá tar éis dó an deimhniú a fháil nó tar éis cibé tréimhse bhreise a cheadóidh an Ard-Chúirt.
(8) Ar achomharc a éisteacht i gcoinne cinnidh ón Údarás lena ndiúltaítear ceadúnas a dheonú, nó lena ndeonaítear ceadúnas ar choinníollacha a bhfuil an t-iarratasóir míshásta leo, féadfaidh an Chúirt an cinneadh a dhaingniú nó a ordú don Údarás an ceadúnas a dheonú, coinníollacha sonraithe a chur ag gabháil leis an gceadúnas nó coinníoll a cuireadh ag gabháil leis an gceadúnas a leasú nó a scriosadh, dé réir mar is iomchuí.
(9) Is cinneadh críochnaitheach cinneadh ón Ard-Chúirt ar achomharc faoin alt seo ach amháin go bhféadfar, le cead na Cúirte sin, achomharc a dhéanamh chun na Cúirte Uachtaraí ar cheist shonraithe dlí.
Dliteanas sibhialta.
60.—(1) Ní fhorléireofar aon ní san Acht seo—
(a) mar ní a thugann ceart caingne in aon imeachtaí sibhialta maidir le mainneachtain aon dualgas a fhorchuirtear le hailt 6 go 11 nó fúthu, a chomhlíonadh, nó
(b) mar ní a fhearann ar a mhéid (más aon mhéid é) atá sárú dualgais a fhorchuirtear le haon achtachán de na hachtacháin láithreacha inchaingne.
(2) Beidh sárú dualgais a fhorchuirtear le rialacháin a dhéantar faoi alt 28 inchaingne a mhéid gur cúis le damáiste é, ach amháin a mhéid a fhoráiltear a mhalairt le rialacháin.
(3) Beidh feidhm ag fo-ailt (1) agus (2) gan dochar d'aon cheart caingne atá ann ar leith ó fhorálacha an Achta seo.
(4) Aon téarma de chuid comhaontaithe a airbheartaíonn oibriú fho-alt (2) den alt seo nó aon dliteanas a éiríonn de bhua an fho-ailt sin a eisiamh nó a shrianadh is téarma neamhbhailí a bheidh ann, ach amháin a mhéid a fhoráiltear a mhalairt le rialacháin a dhéantar faoi alt 28.
(5) San alt seo folaíonn “damáiste” bás nó díobháil phearsanta d'aon duine.
Díolúine an Údaráis nó gníomhaireachta forfheidhmiúcháin.
61.—Ní bheidh aon ábhar caingne nó imeachtaí eile ann ná ní bheidh siad inchothabhála i gcoinne an Údaráis nó gníomhaireachta forfheidhmiúcháin nó i gcoinne aon duine dá dtagraítear in alt 16 (3) (a) chun damáistí a ghnóthú maidir le haon díobháil do dhaoine, damáiste do mhaoin nó caillteanas eile, a líomhnaítear gurbh é ba chúis nó ba leaschúis leo mainneachtain aon fheidhm de na feidhmeanna a chomhlíonadh, nó déanamh de réir aon fheidhm de na feidhmeanna, a fhorchuirtear ar an Údarás sin, ar an ngníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin sin nó ar an duine sin dá dtagraítear san alt 16 (3) (a) a dúradh.
AN CHÉAD SCEIDEAL
An tÚdarás Náisiúnta um Shábháilteacht agus Sláinte Ceirde
1.—Beidh an tÚdarás ina gcomhlacht corpraithe agus comharbas suthain acu agus beidh cumhacht agartha acu agus beidh siad inagartha faoina n-ainm corpraithe agus beidh cumhacht acu talamh nó leas i dtalamh nó maoin eile a fháil, a theachtadh agus a dhiúscairt.
2.—Is é a bheidh san Údarás cathaoirleach (dá ngairtear “an cathaoirleach” sa Sceideal seo) agus deich ngnáthchomhalta.
3.—Is é an tAire a cheapfaidh cathaoirleach agus gnáthchomhaltaí an Údaráis.
4.—Agus é ag ceapadh daoine chun bheith ina ngnáthchomhaltaí den Údarás, ceapfaidh an tAire triúr a ainmneofar ag cibé eagraíochtaí a bheidh ionadach d'fhostaithe agus a mheasfaidh sé is iomchuí, triúr a ainmneofar ag cibé eagraíochtaí a bheidh ionadach d'fhostóirí agus a mheasfaidh sé is iomchuí agus ceathrar a bheidh ionadach do cibé Ranna Rialtais, Gníomhaireachtaí Stáit agus comhlachtaí eile, a mbaineann a ngníomhaíochtaí le nithe a bhfuil gaol acu le haon chríoch de chríocha an Achta seo, a mheasfaidh sé is iomchuí.
5.—Féadfaidh an cathaoirleach éirí as a oifig tráth ar bith trí litir a bheidh dírithe chun an Aire agus beidh éifeacht lena éirí as oifig amhail ar agus ón dáta a gheobhaidh an tAire an litir.
6.—Féadfaidh an tAire tráth ar bith an cathaoirleach a chur as oifig.
7.—(1) Más rud é, i gcás comhalta den Údarás—
(a) go n-ainmneofar é mar chomhalta de Sheanad Éireann, nó
(b) go dtoghfar é mar chomhalta de cheachtar Teach den Oireachtas nó de Pharlaimint na hEorpa, nó
(c) go measfar de bhun alt 15 (a cuireadh isteach leis an Acht um Thoghcháin do Thionól na hEorpa, 1984) den Acht um Thoghcháin do Thionól na hEorpa, 1977, é a bheith tofa chun na Parlaiminte sin chun folúntas a líonadh,
scoirfidh sé air sin de bheith ina chomhalta den Údarás.
(2) Más rud é, i gcás duine a bheidh ina chomhalta d'fhoireann an Údaráis—
(a) go n-ainmneofar é mar chomhalta de Sheanad Éireann, nó
(b) go dtoghfar é mar chomhalta de cheachtar Teach den Oireachtas nó de Pharlaimint na hEorpa, nó
(c) go measfar de bhun alt 15 (a cuireadh isteach leis an Acht um Thoghcháin do Thionól na hEorpa, 1984) den Acht um Thoghcháin do Thionól na hEorpa, 1977, é a bheith tofa chun na Parlaiminte sin chun folúntas a líonadh,
beidh sé air sin ar iasacht ó fhostaíocht ag an Údarás agus ní íocfaidh an tÚdarás leis ná ní bheidh sé i dteideal go bhfaighidh sé ón Údarás aon luach saothair ná liúntais i leith na tréimhse dar tosach tráth a ainmnithe nó a thofa amhlaidh nó an tráth a measfar amhlaidh é a bheith tofa, de réir mar a bheidh, agus dar críoch an tráth a scoirfidh sé de bheith ina chomhalta de cheachtar Teach acu sin nó den Pharlaimint sin.
(3) Duine a bheidh de thuras na huaire i dteideal faoi Bhuan-Orduithe ceachtar Tí den Oireachtas suí sa Teach sin nó is comhalta de Pharlaimint na hEorpa beidh sé, fad a bheidh sé i dteideal amhlaidh nó ina chomhalta den sórt sin, dícháilithe chun bheith ina chomhalta den Údarás nó d'fhoireann an Údaráis.
(4) Gan dochar do ghinearáltacht fhomhír (2), forléireofar an fhomhír sin mar fhomhír a thoirmisceann, inter alia, tréimhse a luaitear san fhomhír sin a ríomh mar sheirbhís leis an Údarás chun críocha aon sochar aoisliúntais.
8.—Is é an tAire a cheapfaidh an cathaoirleach i gcáil lánaimseartha nó páirtaimseartha agus beidh sé i seilbh oifige ar feadh trí bliana ar a mhéid ar cibé téarmaí agus coinníollacha a chinnfidh an tAire le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais.
9.—Íocfar leis an gcathaoirleach as airgead a sholáthróidh an tOireachtas cibé luach saothair agus liúntais le haghaidh caiteachas a thabhóidh sé a chinnfidh an tAire le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais.
10.—Is comhalta páirtaimseartha gach gnáthchomhalta den Údarás agus faoi réir an Sceidil seo beidh sé i seilbh oifige ar feadh trí bliana ar cibé téarmaí agus coinníollacha a chinnfidh an tAire le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais.
11.—Beidh cathaoirleach an Údaráis agus gnáthchomhalta den Údarás a rachaidh a théarma oifige in éag trí imeacht aimsire inathcheaptha.
12.—Féadfaidh an tAire tráth ar bith gnáthchomhalta den Údarás a chur as oifig.
13.—Féadfaidh gnáthchomhalta den Údarás éirí as oifig mar chomhalta den sórt sin trí litir a bheidh dírithe chun an Aire agus beidh éifeacht leis an éirí as oifig amhail ar agus ón dáta a gheobhaidh an tAire an litir.
14.—Beidh comhalta den Údarás dícháilithe chun oifig a shealbhú agus scoirfidh sé d'oifig a shealbhú má bhreithnítear ina fhéimheach é nó má dhéanann sé imshocraíocht nó comhshocraíocht le creidiúnaithe nó má ghearrann cúirt dlínse inniúla príosúnacht nó pianseirbhís air nó má scoireann sé de ghnáthchónaí a bheith air sa Stát.
15.—Íocfar le gach gnáthchomhalta den Údarás as airgead a sholáthróidh an tOireachtas cibé caiteachais a cheadóidh an tAire le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais.
16.—Ceapfaidh an tAire duine de ghnáthchomhaltaí an Údaráis chun bheith ina leaschathaoirleach ar an Údarás agus beidh mar fheidhm aige gníomhú mar chathaoirleach má bhíonn an cathaoirleach as láthair.
17.—I gcás go dtarlaíonn corrfholúntas i measc gnáthchomhaltaí an Údaráis, iarrfaidh an tAire láithreach ar an eagras a d'ainmnigh an comhalta sin roimhe sin duine a ainmniú lena cheapadh chun an folúntas a líonadh agus ceapfaidh an tAire an duine a ainmneofar chun an folúntas a líonadh.
18.—(1) Tionólfaidh an tÚdarás cibé cruinnithe agus cibé méid cruinnithe is gá chun a bhfeidhmeanna a chomhlíonadh agus féadfaidh siad socruithe a dhéanamh i dtaobh a n-imeachtaí agus a ngnó a rialáil.
(2) Féadfar le ceadú an Aire foráil a dhéanamh leis na socruithe sin chun coiste den Údarás d'urscaoileadh aon fheidhm d'fheidhmeanna an Údaráis faoi threoir ghinearálta an Údaráis.
19.—Féadfaidh an tAire dáta, am agus áit chéad-chruinniú an Údaráis a shocrú nó a cheadú.
20.—Cúigear is córam do chruinniú den Údarás.
21.—Ag cruinniú den Údarás—
(a) is é an cathaoirleach, má bhíonn sé i láthair, a bheidh ina chathaoirleach ar an gcruinniú;
(b) mura mbeidh an cathaoirleach i láthair nó má bhíonn oifig chathaoirleach an Údaráis folamh, gníomhóidh leaschathaoirleach an Údaráis mar chathaoirleach;
(c) mura mbeidh, agus fad nach mbeidh, an cathaoirleach i láthair nó má bhíonn oifig chathaoirleach an Údaráis folamh agus mura mbeidh an leaschathaoirleach i láthair nó má bhíonn oifig an leaschathaoirligh folamh, roghnóidh comhaltaí an Údaráis a bheidh i láthair duine dá líon chun bheith ina chathaoirleach ar an gcruinniú.
22.—Beidh vóta ag cathaoirleach an Údaráis agus ag gach gnáthchomhalta den Údarás a bheidh i láthair ag cruinniú den chéanna.
23.—Déanfar gach ceist a éireoidh ag cruinniú den Údarás a chinneadh le tromlach na vótaí a chaithfear ar an gceist agus, i gcás comhionnanas vótaí, beidh an dara vóta nó vóta réitigh ag cathaoirleach an chruinnithe.
24.—Féadfaidh an tÚdarás gníomhú d'ainneoin folúntais nó folúntas i measc a gcomhaltaí.
25.—Faoi réir an Sceidil seo, rialálfaidh an tÚdarás a nós imeachta agus a ngnó.
26.—(1) Soláthróidh an tÚdarás séala dóibh féin a luaithe is féidir tar éis a mbunaithe.
(2) Fíordheimhneofar séala an Údaráis le síniú chathaoirleach an Údaráis nó le síniú comhalta éigin eile den Údarás a bheidh údaraithe ag an Údarás chun gníomhú chuige sin agus le síniú oifigigh don Údarás a bheidh údaraithe ag an Údarás chun gníomhú chuige sin.
(3) Tabharfar aird bhreithiúnach ar shéala an Údaráis agus aon doiciméad a bheidh séalaithe leis an séala glacfar i bhfianaise é.
27.—Ní státseirbhíseach aon duine de bhua amháin gur comhalta den Údarás é.
AN DARA SCEIDEAL
CUID I
Achtacháin Láithreacha
Caibidil, Uimhir agus Bliain | Gearrtheideal |
(1) | (2) |
1882 c. 22 | Boiler Explosions Act, 1882 |
1890 c. 35 | Boiler Explosions Act, 1890 |
Na hAchtanna um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1955 agus 1980 | |
Na hAchtanna um Shubstaintí Contúirteacha, 1972 agus 1979 | |
An tAcht Sábháilteachta, Sláinte agus Leasa (Suiteálacha amach ón gCósta), 1987 |
CUID II
Rialacháin a rinneadh faoi Acht na gComhphobal Eorpach, 1972, ar Achtacháin Láithreacha iad
I.R., Uimhir agus Bliain | Teideal |
(1) | (2) |
Uimh. 207 de 1979 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Rópaí Sreinge, Slabhraí agus Crúcaí), 1979 |
Uimh. 382 de 1979 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí agus Ullmhóidí Contúirteacha) (Margú agus Úsáid), 1979 |
Uimh. 383 de 1979 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí Contúirteacha) (Aicmiú, Pacáistiú agus Lipéadú), 1979 |
Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí Contúirteacha) (Aicmiú, Pacáistiú agus Lipéadú), 1980 | |
Uimh. 365 de 1980 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Péinteanna etc.) (Aicmiú, Pacáistiú agus Lipéadú), 1980 |
Uimh. 402 de 1980 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Síneacha Sábháilteachta in Áiteanna Oibre), 1980 |
Uimh. 61 de 1981 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Trealamh Leictreachais le hÚsáid in Atmaisféir a d'Fhéadfadh a bheith Pléascach), 1981 |
Uimh. 149 de 1981 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí agus Ullmhóidí Contúirteacha) (Margú agus Usáid), 1981 |
Uimh. 258 de 1982 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí Contúirteacha) (Aicmiú, Pacáistiú, Lipéadú agus Fógairt), 1982 |
Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí Contúirteacha) (Aicmiú, Pacáistiú agus Lipéadú) (Leasú), 1983 | |
Uimh. 189 de 1983 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Ullmhóidí Contúirteacha) (Tuaslagóirí) (Aicmiú, Pacáistiú agus Lipéadú), 1983 |
Uimh. 170 de 1984 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Péinteanna etc.) (Aicmiú, Pacáistiú agus Lipéadú) (Leasú), 1984 |
Uimh. 335 de 1984 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí Contúirteacha) (Aicmiú, Pacáistiú agus Lipéadú) (Leasú), 1984 |
Uimh. 89 de 1985 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí Contúirteacha) (Aicmiú, Pacáistiú, Lipéadú agus Fógairt), 1985 |
Uimh. 244 de 1985 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí agus Ullmhóidí Contúirteacha) (Margú agus Usáid), 1985 |
Uimh. 47 de 1986 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí agus Ullmhóidí Contúirteacha) (Margú agus Usáid), 1986 |
Uimh. 224 de 1986 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí Contúirteacha) (Aicmiú, Pacáistiú agus Lipéadú) (Leasú), 1986 |
Uimh. 244 de 1986 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Trealamh Leictreachais le hÚsáid in Atmaisféir a d'Fhéadfadh a bheith Pléascach) (Leasú), 1986 |
Uimh. 292 de 1986 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Guaiseacha Mórthionóiscí ó Ghníomhaíochtaí Tionsclaíocha Áirithe), 1986 |
Uimh. 204 de 1987 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí agus Ullmhóidí Contúirteacha) (Margú agus Usáid), 1987 |
Uimh. 205 de 1987 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Péinteanna etc.) (Aicmiú, Pacáistiú agus Lipéadú) (Leasú), 1987 |
Uimh. 47 de 1988 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí Contúirteacha) (Aicmiú, Pacáistiú agus Lipéadú) (Leasú), 1988 |
Uimh. 219 de 1988 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Cosaint Oibrithe) (Risíocht le Luaidhe), 1988 |
Uimh. 294 de 1988 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí agus Ullmhóidí Contúirteacha) (Margú agus Usáid), 1988 |
Uimh. 34 de 1989 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Cosaint Oibrithe) (Risiocht le hAispeist), 1989 |
AN TRÍÚ SCEIDEAL
Forálacha Reachtúla Comhbhainteacha
Caibidil, Uimhir agus Bliain | Gearrtheideal | Forálacha is Forálacha Reachtúla Comhbhainteacha |
(1) | (2) | (3) |
1842 c. 55 | Regulation of Railways Act, 1842 | An tAcht go léir |
1871 c. 58 | Regulation of Railways Act, 1871 | An tAcht go léir |
1875 c. 17 | Explosives Act, 1875 | An tAcht go léir |
Na hAchtanna Loingis Cheannaíochta, 1894 go 1987 | Na hAchtanna go léir | |
1894 c. 28 | Notice of Accidents Act, 1894 | An tAcht go léir |
1900 c. 27 | Railway Employment (Prevention of Accidents) Act, 1900 | An tAcht go léir |
Na hAchtanna Leictreachais (Soláthar), 1927 go 1988 | Na hAchtanna go léir | |
Alt 60 | ||
Ailt 14 agus 15 | ||
Na hAchtanna um Thrácht ar Bhóithre, 1961 go 1987 | Na hAchtanna go léir | |
An tAcht um Fhuinneamh Núicléach, 1971 | An tAcht go léir | |
Uimh. 30 de 1976 agus | Ailt 7, 8 (2) agus 38 | |
Ailt 2 agus 3 | ||
Caibidil 5 de Chuid II | ||
Alt 3 agus Codanna II agus III | ||
An tAcht go léir |
AN CEATHRÚ SCEIDEAL
Rialacháin
Ar na nithe ar féidir rialacháin a dhéanamh ina leith faoi alt 28 áireofar—
(1) (a) aon ní dá dtagraítear san Acht seo mar ní atá forordaithe nó le forordú;
(b) aon ní dá dtagraítear sa Sceideal seo mar ní atá sonraithe nó le sonrú;
(2) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur ar fhostóirí i leith shábháilteacht, sláinte nó leas a gcuid fostaithe ag an obair maidir leis na nithe seo a leanas—
(a) dearadh, cur ar fáil agus cothabháil áiteanna oibre,
(b) dearadh, cur ar fáil agus cothabháil bealaí sábháilte isteach in áiteanna oibre agus amach astu,
(c) dearadh, cur ar fáil agus cothabháil gairis agus innealra,
(d) cur ar fáil, pleanáil, eagrú, oibriú agus cothabháil córas oibre,
(e) faisnéis, teagasc, oiliúint agus maoirseacht a chur ar fáil,
(f) éadach nó trealamh cosantach a chur ar fáil, a chothabháil agus a úsáid,
(g) ullmhú agus athmheas pleananna a bheidh le feidhmiú i gcásanna éigeandála, agus
(h) seirbhísí daoine inniúla a fháil d'fhonn sábháilteacht nó sláinte daoine ag an obair a chinntiú;
(3) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur ar fhostóirí agus ar dhaoine féinfhostaithe i leith sheoladh a ngnóthas lena shocrú nach gcuirtear daoine nach bhfuil ar fostú ag na fostóirí nó ag na daoine féinfhostaithe sin faoi phriacal dá sábháilteacht nó dá sláinte mar gheall ar an gcéanna;
(4) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur ar dhaoine lena mbaineann alt 8, i ndáil le háiteanna oibre ar leith óna láthair oibre baile, i leith na n-áiteanna oibre sin, maidir le haon airteagal nó substaint a sholáthraítear lena úsáid sna háiteanna sin agus maidir le bealaí isteach sna háiteanna sin nó amach astu;
(5) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur ar fhostaithe i leith a sábháilteachta, sláinte nó leasa ag an obair lena n-áirítear ceanglais i leith aon fhearas, éadach cosantach, áis, trealamh, nó deis nó ní a úsáid a chuirtear ar fáil lena sábháilteacht, sláinte nó leas ag an obair a áirithiú;
(6) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur ar dhaoine a dhéanann airteagail shonraithe, a bheidh le húsáid ag an obair, a dhearadh, a mhonarú, a allmhairiú nó a sholáthar, ar ceanglais iad—
(a) maidir le haon airteagal a bheidh le húsáid ag an obair a dhearadh, a dhéanamh, a thástáil nó a scrúdú,
(b) maidir le faisnéis a sholáthar i dtaobh nithe a bhaineann leis an úsáid ag an obair dár dearadh nó dár tástáladh aon airteagal nó a bhaineann le díchóimeáil nó le diúscairt an airteagail sin ar shlí a bheidh sábháilte agus gan phriacal do shláinte daoine ag an obair;
(7) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur ar dhaoine a dhearann nó a mhonaraíonn airteagail shonraithe lena n-úsáid ag an obair ar ceanglais iad maidir le taighde a dhéanamh i leith na n-airteagal sin d'fhonn priacail ionchasacha a aimsiú nó d'fhonn aon phriacail do shábháilteacht nó do shláinte daoine ag an obair a dhíothú nó a íoslaghdú;
(8) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur ar dhaoine a thógann nó a shuiteálann airteagail shonraithe lena n-úsáid ag an obair ar ceanglais iad maidir le tógáil nó suiteáil aon airteagail den sórt sin le go mbeidh sé sábháilte agus gan phriacail don tsláinte nuair a úsáidtear an t-airteagal sin in áit oibre;
(9) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur ar dhaoine a mhonaraíonn, a allmhairíonn nó a sholáthraíonn aon substaint shonraithe—
(a) i leith aon substaint den sórt sin a úsáid, a thástáil nó a scrúdú, nó
(b) i leith faisnéis a chur ar fáil i dtaobh aon phriacail don tsábháilteacht nó don tsláinte a d'fhéadfadh a bheith ann de dhroim na substainte, i dtaobh torthaí tástálacha ar an tsubstaint nó i dtaobh a húsáide nó a diúscartha ar shlí a bheidh sábháilte agus gan phriacal do shláinte daoine ag an obair;
(10) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur ar dhaoine a mhonaraíonn aon substaintí sonraithe nó, i gcás gur lasmuigh den Stát a ghabhtar an monarú de láimh, a allmhairíonn aon substaintí sonraithe, ar ceanglais iad maidir le taighde a dhéanamh d'fhonn priacail a aimsiú, a dhíothú nó a íoslaghdú is priacail don tsábháilteacht nó don tsláinte a d'fhéadfadh a bheith ann de dhroim na substainte le linn a húsáide;
(11) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur ar dhaoine a dhearann áiteanna oibre sonraithe maidir le dearadh na n-áiteanna sin le go mbeidh siad sábháilte agus gan phriacal do shláinte daoine ag an obair;
(12) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur ar dhaoine a fhoirgníonn áiteanna oibre sonraithe ar ceanglais iad maidir leis na háiteanna sin a fhoirgniú le go mbeidh siad sábháilte agus gan phriacal do shláinte daoine ag an obair;
(13) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur ar fhostóirí i leith ráiteas sábháilteachta;
(14) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur i leith rialáil, toirmeasc, nó rialú ar úsáid aon airteagail shonraithe a bheidh le húsáid ag an obair, lena n-áirítear aon airteagal den sórt sin a fhaire, a shuíomh, a shuiteáil, a choimisiúnú, a chosaint, a scrúdú, a athrú, a choigeartú, a dhíchóimeáil, a thástáil nó a iniúchadh;
(15) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur i leith marcáil aon airteagail shonraithe a bheidh le húsáid ag an obair nó a bheidh ceaptha le húsáid mar chomhpháirt de chuid airteagail den sórt sin;
(16) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur maidir le rialáil, toirmeasc nó rialú ar úsáid aon substainte sonraithe;
(17) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur maidir le haon substaint shonraithe a thástáil, a scrúdú, a aicmiú nó a lipéadú, lena n-áirítear fógra a thabhairt i dtaobh sonraí sonraithe i ndáil le substaint den sórt sin;
(18) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur maidir le toirmeasc nó rialú a chur ar allmhairiú nó soláthar aon airteagail shonraithe lena úsáid ag an obair nó ar allmhairiú nó soláthar aon substainte sonraithe;
(19) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur i leith toirmeasc a chur, nó rialáil a dhéanamh, ar iompar aon airteagail shonraithe lena úsáid ag an obair nó ar iompar aon substainte sonraithe, lena n-áirítear ceanglais maidir le déanamh, tástáil agus marcáil coimeádán agus deiseanna iompair agus maidir le hairteagail nó substaintí den sórt sin a phacáistiú agus a lipéadú lena n-iompar;
(20) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur maidir le húsáid nó dearadh síneacha sábháilteachta sonraithe in áiteanna oibre;
(21) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur maidir le comhshocraíochtaí a dhéanamh i dtaobh faireachais sláinte daoine ag an obair lena n-áirítear scrúduithe leighis, monatóireacht bhitheolaíoch nó suirbhéanna sláinte speisialta;
(22) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur maidir le haon ghníomhaíocht nó ní sonraithe a chlárú i gclár forordaithe;
(23) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur maidir le ceapadh daoine forordaithe nó aicmí daoine forordaithe chun nithe forordaithe a dhéanamh i ndáil le sábháilteacht, sláinte nó leas ag an obair;
(24) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur maidir le rialáil a dhéanamh ar fhostaíocht aicmí daoine forordaithe nó maidir le haicmí daoine forordaithe a thoirmeasc ó aicmí forordaithe fostaíochta;
(25) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur maidir le haon ní a fhearann ar na dálaí ina n-oibríonn daoine, lena n-áirítear nithe mar bhail struchtúrach agus cobhsaíocht áitreabh, bealaí isteach in áitribh agus amach astu, glaineacht, teocht, taisleach, soilsiú, aeráil, róphlódú, torann, creathadh, radaíochtaí ianúcháin agus radaíochtaí eile, deannach agus múch agus risíocht le huisce nó le leachtanna eile;
(26) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur maidir le monatóireacht ar na dálaí atmaisféaracha nó ar na dálaí eile ina n-oibríonn daoine;
(27) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur maidir le saoráidí nó comhshocraíochtaí sonraithe le haghaidh leasa ag an obair (lena n-áirítear soláthar uisce, áiseanna sláintíochta, saoráidí níocháin nó folctha, comhshocraíochtaí otharchairr agus garchabhrach, saoráidí do sheomra cótaí, suíocháin, saoráidí pronnlaigh, saoráidí chun béilí a réiteach nó a chaitheamh, toirmeasc ar chaitheamh béilí nó pronnlach in imthosca sonraithe);
(28) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur chun na nithe seo a theorannú nó a rialú—
(a) aon ghás, gal, deatach, deannach, nó aon substaint shonraithe eile a chruthaítear de dheasca gníomhaíochtaí oibre, a astú isteach in áit oibre,
(b) torann, creathadh, aon radaíochtaí ianúcháin nó radaíochtaí eile a astú isteach sa timpeallacht oibre,
(c) monatóireacht a dhéanamh ar aon astuithe den sórt sin isteach in áit oibre;
(29) cumhacht a thabhairt do chigirí in imthosca sonraithe a cheangal ar dhaoine sonraí a chur isteach i scríbhinn i dtaobh beart a bheartaítear a ghlacadh le go gcomhlíonfar aon fhoráil de na forálacha reachtúla ábhartha;
(30) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur maidir le taifid, lena n-áirítear sonraí de láimh nó sonraí leictreonacha, leabhair, cláir, doiciméid, pleananna agus léarscáileanna a choinneáil agus a chaomhnú;
(31) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur maidir le sábháilteacht, sláinte nó leas daoine i leith bainisteoireachta ainmhithe in áiteanna oibre nó acu;
(32) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur maidir le haon áit oibre i ndáil leo seo—
(a) réamhchúraimí a bheidh le glacadh i gcoinne contúirtí ina gcuirtear nó ina bhféadfadh sé go gcuirfí an áit oibre sin, nó daoine laistigh de, de bhíthin dálaí (lena n-áirítear dálaí aiceanta) i ngaireacht na háite sin,
(b) a áirithiú go bhfágfaidh daoine in áit oibre an áit oibre sin in imthosca sonraithe i gcás priacail dá sábháilteacht nó dá sláinte;
(33) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur maidir le haon ní sonraithe a dhéanamh nó a thoirmeasc i gcás go mbeidh aon tionóisc nó aon teagmhas eile de chineál sonraithe tar éis tarlú;
(34) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur maidir le taighde a dhéanamh i dtaca le críocha an Achta seo;
(35) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur in imthosca forordaithe maidir le réamhchúraimí a ghlacadh i dtaca le priacal dóiteáin;
(36) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur maidir le fógra a thabhairt ar mhodh sonraithe don Údarás nó do ghníomhaireacht fhorfheidhmiúcháin nó do chigire de chuid an Údaráis nó de chuid gníomhaireachta forfheidhmiúcháin nó d'aon duine sonraithe eile i dtaobh nithe sonraithe a bhaineann le sábháilteacht, sláinte nó leas daoine ag an obair, nó sábháilteacht, sláinte nó leas daoine eile is nithe a thig as gníomhaíochtaí oibre (lena n-áirítear faisnéis shonraithe a bhaineann le tionóiscí, galair nó teagmhais chontúirteacha atá sonraithe);
(37) ceanglais a bheidh le forchur maidir le daoine ag an obair do thógáil nó do láimhseáil go sábháilte aon ualaigh is dóigh a bheadh ina thrúig dhíobhála do dhuine a thógfadh nó a láimhseálfadh é.
AN CÚIGIÚ SCEIDEAL
Aisghairm agus Cúlghairm Forálacha Áirithe de na hAchtacháin Láithreacha a Bhaineann le Pionóis
CUID I
Aisghairm Reachtanna
Uimhir agus Bliain | Gearrtheideal | Méid na hAisghairme |
(1) | (2) | (3) |
In alt 40 (14) (arna chur isteach leis an Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980) na focail “agus ar a chiontú ann go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £150 a chur air”. In alt 72 (4) (arna chur isteach leis an Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980) na focail “agus ar a chiontú ann go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £300 a chur air”. In alt 74 (6) (arna chur isteach leis an Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980) na focail “agus dlífear ar é a chiontú ann go hachomair fíneáil nach mó ná £150 a chur air”. In alt 98 (5) (arna chur isteach leis an Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980) na focail “agus ar a chiontú ann go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £300 a chur air nó, de rogha na cúirte, príosúntacht ar feadh téarma nach sia ná trí mhí, nó an fhíneáil sin agus an phríosúntacht sin le chéile”. Alt 101. In alt 102 (arna chur isteach leis an Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980) na focail “agus ar a chiontú ann go hachomair dlífear fíneáil (nach mó san iomlán ná £600) nach mó ná £15 a chur air in aghaidh gach lae a leanfar den neamhchomhlíonadh”. In alt 103 (1) (arna chur isteach leis an Acht um Shábháilteacht i dTionscal, 1980) na focail “agus ar a chiontú ann go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £500 a chur air”. Alt 105. | ||
Alt 32. In alt 33, na focail “agus ar a chiontú ann go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná cúig puint a chur air in aghaidh gach lae a leanfar den neamhchomhlíonadh”. | ||
An tAcht um Mianaigh agus Cairéil. 1965 | Alt 135. Alt 140. |
CUID II
Ionstraimí Reachtúla a Chúlghairm
Uimhir agus Bliain | Teideal | Méid na Cúlghairme |
(1) | (2) | (3) |
I.R. Uimh. 382 de 1979 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí agus Ullmhóidí Contúirteacha) (Margú agus Úsáid), 1979 | I rialachán 9 (1), na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £600 a chur air”. |
I rialachán 9 (2), na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £300 a chur air”. | ||
Rialachán 9 (3). | ||
I.R. Uimh. 383 de 1979 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí Contúirteacha) (Aicmiú, Pacáistiú agus Lipéadú), 1979 | I rialachán 13 (1), na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £600 a chur air”. |
Rialachán 13 (2). | ||
I rialachán 13 (3), na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £300 a chur air”. | ||
I.R. Uimh. 365 de 1980 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Péinteanna etc.) (Aicmiú, Pacáistiú agus Lipéadú), 1980 | I rialachán 7, na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £500 a chur air”. |
I.R. Uimh. 402 de 1980 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Síneacha Sábháilteachta in Áiteanna Oibre), 1980 | I rialachán 6, na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £500 a chur air”. |
I rialachán 7 (2), na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £200 a chur air”. | ||
I.R. Uimh. 61 de 1981 agus I.R. Uimh. 244 de 1986 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Trealamh Leictreachais le hÚsáid in Atmaisféir a d'Fhéadfadh a bheith Pléascach), 1981 agus 1986 | I rialachán 6 (3), de Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach, (Trealamh Leictreachais le hÚsáid in Atmaisféir a d'Fhéadfadh a bheith Pléascach), 1981 (arna leasú le rialachán 5 de Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Trealamh Leictreachais le hÚsáid in Atmaisféir a d'Fhéadfadh a bheith Pléascach) (Leasú), 1986) na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £300 a chur air”. |
I.R. Uimh. 149 de 1981 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí agus Ullmhóidí Contúirteacha) | I rialachán 8 (1), na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £600 a chur air”. |
(Margú agus Úsáid), 1981 | ||
I rialachán 8 (2), na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £100 a chur air”. | ||
I.R. Uimh. 258 de 1982 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí Contúirteacha) (Aicmiú, Pacáistiú, Lipéadú agus Fógairt), 1982 | I rialachán 15 (1), na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £600 a chur air”. |
I rialachán 16 (5), na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £600 a chur air”. | ||
I.R. Uimh. 189 de 1983 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Ullmhóidí Contúirteacha) (Tuaslagóirí) (Aicmiú, Pacáistiú agus Lipéadú), 1983 | I rialachán 9, na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £500 a chur air”. |
I.R. Uimh. 244 de 1985 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí agus Ullmhóidí Contúirteacha) (Margú agus Usáid), 1985 | I rialachán 7 (1), na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £600 a chur air”. |
I rialachán 7 (2), na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £100 a chur air”. | ||
I.R. Uimh. 47 de 1986 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí agus Ullmhóidí Contúirteacha) (Margú agus Usáid), 1986 | I rialachán 7 (1), na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £600 a chur air”. |
I rialachán 7 (2), na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £100 a chur air”. | ||
I.R. Uimh. 204 de 1987 | Rialacháin na gComhphobal Eorpach (Substaintí agus Ullmhóidí Contúirteacha) (Margú agus Usáid), 1987 | I rialachán 14 (1), na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £1,000 a chur air”. |
I rialachán 14 (2), na focail “agus ar é a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £350 a chur air”. |
Number 7 of 1989
SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE AT WORK ACT, 1989
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Preliminary and General
Section | |
General Duties
National Authority for Occupational Safety and Health
Provisions applicable to officers, etc., transferred to the Authority. | |
Regulations and Codes of Practice
Enforcement
Power of officer of customs and excise to detain articles, etc. | |
Obtaining and Disclosure of Information
Special Reports and Inquiries
Offences, Penalties and Legal Proceedings
Miscellaneous
National Authority for Occupational Safety and Health
Existing Enactments
Regulations made under the European Communities Act, 1972, which are Existing Enactments
Associated Statutory Provisions
Regulations
Repeal and Revocation of Certain Provisions of the Existing Enactments Relating to Penalties
Repeal of Statutes
Revocation of Statutory Instruments
Acts Referred to | |
1936, No. 40 | |
1987, No. 6 | |
Boiler Explosions Act, 1882 | 1882, c. 22 |
Boiler Explosions Act, 1890 | 1890, c. 35 |
1963, No. 33 | |
Dangerous Substances Acts, 1972 and 1979 | |
Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1927 to 1988 | |
European Assembly Elections Acts, 1977 and 1984 | |
European Communities Acts, 1972 to 1986 | |
Explosives Act, 1875 | 1875, c. 17 |
1981, No. 30 | |
Gas Acts, 1976 to 1987 | |
1973, No. 25 | |
Merchant Shipping Acts, 1894 to 1987 | |
1965, No. 7 | |
Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts, 1973 and 1984 | |
Notice of Accidents Act, 1894 | 1894, c. 28 |
1971, No. 12 | |
1958, No. 3 | |
Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851 | 1851, c. 93 |
1961, No. 12 | |
Railway Employment (Prevention of Accidents) Act, 1900 | 1900, c. 27 |
Redundancy Payments Acts, 1967 to 1984 | |
Regulation of Railways Act, 1842 | 1842, c. 55 |
Regulation of Railways Act, 1871 | 1871, c. 78 |
Road Traffic Acts, 1961 to 1987 | |
Safety, Health and Welfare (Offshore Installations) Act, 1987 | 1987, No. 18 |
Safety in Industry Acts, 1955 and 1980 | |
1981, No. 1 | |
Superannuation Acts, 1834 to 1963 | |
1977, No. 32 | |
Number 7 of 1989
SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE AT WORK ACT, 1989
PART I
Preliminary and General
Short title and commencement.
1.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989.
(2) This Act shall come into operation on such day or days as may be fixed therefor by order or orders of the Minister either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision, and different days may be so fixed for different purposes and different provisions of this Act and an order under this subsection may provide for the commencement of section 4 (3) upon different days as respects different existing enactments and different provisions of existing enactments.
Interpretation.
2.—(1) In this Act—
“article” includes—
(a) any plant, machinery, apparatus and equipment for use or operation (whether exclusively or not) by persons at work, and
(b) any article designed for use as a component in any such plant, machinery, apparatus or equipment;
“associated statutory provisions” means the provisions of the enactments specified in the third column of the Third Schedule together with the instruments made under them for the time being in force;
“the Authority” means the National Authority for Occupational Safety and Health established by section 15;
“code of practice” includes a standard, a specification, and any other written or illustrated form of practical guidance, instruction or control, issued or approved of in accordance with section 30;
“contract of employment” means a contract of employment or service or of apprenticeship, whether it is expressed or implied and (if it is express) whether it is oral or in writing;
“employee” means a person who has entered into or works (or in the case of a contract which has been terminated, worked) under a contract of employment with an employer;
“employer” in relation to an employee, means the person by whom the employee is employed under a contract of employment; for the purpose of this definition a person holding office under or in the service of the State or of the Government shall be deemed to be employed by the State or the Government (as the case may be) and an officer or servant of a local authority or of a harbour authority, health board or vocational education committee shall be deemed to be employed by the local authority, harbour authority, health board or vocational education committee (as the case may be);
“enforcing agency” means a body prescribed to be an enforcing agency under section 32;
“establishment day” means the day appointed by the Minister under section 14 to be the establishment day;
“existing enactments” means the enactments specified in Part I of the Second Schedule, and any instruments under them, for the time being in force; and the regulations under the European Communities Act, 1972, for the time being in force specified in Part II of the said Second Schedule;
“functions” includes powers and duties;
“improvement notice” means a notice under section 36;
“improvement plan” means a plan under section 35;
“inspector” means an inspector authorised under section 33;
“local authority” includes—
(a) the council of a county,
(b) the corporation of a county borough, or
(c) the Corporation of Dún Laoghaire,
and such local authority shall exercise its functions under this Act within its functional area;
“micro-organism” includes any microscopic biological entity which is capable of replication;
“the Minister” means the Minister for Labour;
“occupational medical adviser” means a person designated under section 34 (4) to be an occupational medical adviser;
“personal injury” includes any disease and any impairment of a person's physical or mental condition;
“place of work” includes any place, land or other location at, in, upon or near which, work is carried on whether occasionally or otherwise and in particular includes—
(a) a premises,
(b) an installation on land and any offshore installation (including any offshore installation to which the Safety, Health and Welfare (Offshore Installations) Act, 1987, applies),
(c) a tent, temporary structure or movable structure, and
(d) a vehicle, vessel or aircraft;
“prescribed” means prescribed by regulations made under this Act by the Minister except in sections 36 (3), 37 (6) (a) and 42 (4) (a) where it means prescribed by regulations made under this Act by the Minister for Justice in consultation with the Minister;
“prohibition notice” means a notice under section 37;
“recognised trade unions and staff associations” means trade unions and staff associations recognised by the Authority for the purposes of negotiations which are concerned with the remuneration, conditions of employment or working conditions of employees;
“relevant statutory provisions” means existing enactments and the provisions of this Act and any instrument made under it for the time being in force;
“safety representative” means a safety representative appointed under section 13;
“safety statement” has the meaning assigned to it by section 12;
“self-employed person” means a person who works for profit or gain otherwise than under a contract of employment, whether or not he himself employs other persons;
“substance” includes any natural or artificial substance, preparation or agent in solid or liquid form or as a gas or vapour or as a micro-organism;
“use” in so far as any article is concerned includes the manufacture, supply, operation, setting, repair, cleaning and maintenance of such articles; and in so far as any substance is concerned, includes any manufacture, process, operation, storage, treatment, mixing, packing, conveyance, supply, handling, filling or emptying, loading and unloading of such substance.
(2) (a) In this Act a reference to a section or a Schedule is to a section of, or a Schedule to, this Act unless it is indicated that reference to some other enactment is intended;
(b) in this Act a reference to a subsection, paragraph or subparagraph is a reference to the subsection, paragraph or subparagraph of the provision in which the reference occurs unless it is indicated that reference to some other provision is intended; and
(c) a reference in this Act to any enactment shall be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended or adapted by any subsequent enactment.
(3) References to an inspector in sections 35, 36 and 37 shall, in any case in which the enforcing agency is a local authority, be construed as a reference to that local authority.
Service of notices, etc.
3.—(1) Any document (including any summons, notice or order) required or authorised to be served, sent or given under the relevant statutory provisions on or to any person may be served or sent in some one of the following ways—
(a) where it is addressed to him by name, by delivering it to such person, or in the case of a partnership by delivery to any of the partners;
(b) by leaving it at the address at which he ordinarily resides;
(c) by sending it by post in a prepaid registered letter addressed to him at the address at which he ordinarily resides, or in a case in which an address for service has been furnished, at that address;
(d) where the address at which such person ordinarily resides cannot be ascertained by reasonable inquiry and notice is required to be served on, or given to, him in respect of any place of work, by delivering it to a person over the age of sixteen years of age resident in or employed at a place of work or by affixing it in a conspicuous position on or near the place of work.
(2) Any document (including any summons, notice or order) required or authorised to be served or sent under the relevant statutory provisions may be served on or sent to a body, whether corporate or unincorporated—
(a) by leaving it at, or sending it by post in a prepaid registered letter to, the registered office (if any) of the body;
(b) by leaving it at, or sending it by post in a prepaid registered letter to, any place at which the body conducts business; or
(c) by sending it by post in a prepaid registered letter to any person who is a director, manager, secretary or other officer of the body or is purporting to act in any such capacity at the place where he ordinarily resides or by leaving it at that place.
Repeals.
4.—(1) The following provisions of the existing enactments are hereby repealed—
(a) section 113 of the Factories Act, 1955, section 42 of the Office Premises Act, 1958, section 149 of the Mines and Quarries Act, 1965, and section 60 of the Dangerous Substances Act, 1972, from the coming into operation of section 3 of this Act;
(b) section 125(1) of the Factories Act, 1955, section 46 of the Office Premises Act, 1958, section 65(1) of the Dangerous Substances Act, 1972, and sections 15(1) and (2) of the Safety, Health and Welfare (Offshore Installations) Act, 1987, from the coming into operation of section 9 of this Act;
(c) section 9 of the Safety in Industry Act, 1980, from the coming into operation of section 10 of this Act;
(d) section 39 of the Safety in Industry Act, 1980, and section 26 of the Safety, Health and Welfare (Offshore Installations) Act, 1987, from the coming into operation of section 12 of this Act;
(e) section 73 of the Factories Act, 1955, sections 35, 36, 37 and 38 of the Safety in Industry Act, 1980, and sections 23, 24 and 25 of the Safety, Health and Welfare (Offshore Installations) Act, 1987, from the coming into operation of section 13 of this Act;
(f) section 127 of the Factories Act, 1955, section 49 of the Safety in Industry Act, 1980, section 24 of the Office Premises Act, 1958, section 151 of the Mines and Quarries Act, 1965, and section 2 of the Dangerous Substances (Amendment) Act, 1979, from the coming into operation of section 17 of this Act;
(g) sections 93 to 95 of the Factories Act, 1955, sections 27 to 29 of the Office Premises Act, 1958, sections 130 and 131 of the Mines and Quarries Act, 1965, sections 39 and 40 of the Dangerous Substances Act, 1972, and section 53 of the Safety in Industry Act, 1980, from the coming into operation of sections 33 and 34 of this Act;
(h) section 11 of the Safety in Industry Act, 1980, and section 132 of the Mines and Quarries Act, 1965, from the coming into operation of section 37 of this Act;
(i) section 78 of the Factories Act, 1955, sections 103 and 104 of the Mines and Quarries Act, 1965, sections 29 and 30 of the Dangerous Substances Act, 1972, and section 31 of the Safety, Health and Welfare (Offshore Installations) Act, 1987, from the coming into operation of sections 46 and 47 of this Act;
(j) section 110 of the Factories Act, 1955, section 55(1) of the Dangerous Substances Act, 1972, section 39 of the Office Premises Act, 1958, section 55 of the Safety in Industry Act, 1980, and section 37(1) of the Safety, Health and Welfare (Offshore Installations) Act, 1987, from the coming into operation of section 51 of this Act;
(k) section 111 of the Factories Act, 1955, and section 40 of the Office Premises Act, 1958, from the coming into operation of section 52 of this Act;
(l) section 112 of the Factories Act, 1955, and section 41 of the Office Premises Act, 1958, from the coming into operation of section 53 of this Act;
(m) section 114 of the Factories Act, 1955, and section 150 of the Mines and Quarries Act, 1965, from the coming into operation of section 54 of this Act.
(2) From the coming into operation of section 49 the existing enactments mentioned in the second column of the Fifth Schedule (relating to penalties) are hereby repealed or revoked as the case may single be to the extent specified in the third column thereof.
(3) The existing enactments (other than those referred to in subsections (1) and (2) and those set out in Part II of the Second Schedule) are hereby repealed.
Expenses.
5.—The expenses incurred by the Minister in the administration of this Act shall, to such extent as may be sanctioned by the Minister for Finance, be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas.
PART II
General Duties
General duties of employers to their employees.
6.—(1) It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare at work of all his employees.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of an employer's duty under subsection (1), the matters to which that duty extends include in particular—
(a) as regards any place of work under the employer's control, the design, the provision and the maintenance of it in a condition that is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risk to health;
(b) so far as is reasonably practicable, as regards any place of work under the employer's control, the design, the provision and the maintenance of safe means of access to and egress from it;
(c) the design, the provision and the maintenance of plant and machinery that are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risk to health;
(d) the provision of systems of work that are planned, organised, performed and maintained so as to be, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risk to health;
(e) the provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety and health at work of his employees;
(f) in circumstances in which it is not reasonably practicable for an employer to control or eliminate hazards in a place of work under his control, or in such circumstances as may be prescribed, the provision and maintenance of such suitable protective clothing or equipment, as appropriate, that are necessary to ensure the safety and health at work of his employees;
(g) the preparation and revision as necessary of adequate plans to be followed in emergencies;
(h) to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, safety and the prevention of risk to health at work in connection with the use of any article or substance;
(i) the provision and the maintenance of facilities and arrangements for the welfare of his employees at work; and
(j) the obtaining, where necessary, of the services of a competent person (whether under a contract of employment or otherwise) for the purpose of ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety and health at work of his employees.
(3) For the purposes of this section, a person who is undergoing training for employment or receiving work experience, other than when pursuing a course of study in a university, school or college, shall be deemed to be an employee of the person whose undertaking (whether carried on by him for profit or not) is for the time being the immediate provider to that person of training or work experience, and employee, employer and cognate words and expressions shall be construed accordingly.
General duties of employers and self-employed to persons other than their employees.
7.—(1) It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not exposed to risks to their safety or health.
(2) It shall be the duty of every self-employed person to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that he and other persons (not being his employees) who may be affected thereby are not exposed to risks to their safety or health.
(3) In such cases as may be prescribed, it shall be the duty of every employer and self-employed person, in the prescribed circumstances, and in the prescribed manner to give to persons (not being his employees) who may be affected by the way in which he conducts his undertaking the prescribed information about such aspects of the way he conducts his undertaking as might affect their safety or health.
General duties of persons concerned with places of work to persons other than their employees.
8.—(1) This section has effect for imposing on persons duties in relation to those who are not their employees but who are either the employees of another person or are self-employed and who for the purposes of carrying out work use a non-domestic place of work made available to them or in which they may for the purposes of carrying out work use any article or substance provided for their use there, and it applies to places of work so made available and other non-domestic places of work used in connection with them.
(2) It shall be the duty of each person who has control, to any extent, of any place of work or any part of any place of work to which this section applies or of the means of access thereto or egress therefrom or of any article or substance in such place of work to take such measures as is reasonable for a person in his position to take to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the place of work, all means of access thereto, or egress therefrom available for use by persons using the place of work, and any article or substance in the place of work or, as the case may be, provided for use therein, is or are safe and without risks to health.
(3) Where a person has, by virtue of any contract or tenancy, an obligation of any extent as to—
(a) the maintenance or repair of any place of work to which this section applies or any means of access thereto or egress therefrom; or
(b) the safety of or the absence of risk to health arising from any article or substance in any such place of work;
that person shall be treated, for the purposes of subsection (2), as being a person who has control of the matters to which his obligation extends.
(4) Any reference in this section to a person having control of any place of work or matter is a reference to a person having control of the place of work or matter in connection with the carrying on by him of a trade, business or other undertaking (whether for profit or not).
General duties of employees.
9.—(1) It shall be the duty of every employee while at work—
(a) to take reasonable care for his own safety, health and welfare and that of any other person who may be affected by his acts or omissions while at work;
(b) to co-operate with his employer and any other person to such extent as will enable his employer or the other person to comply with any of the relevant statutory provisions;
(c) to use in such manner so as to provide the protection intended, any suitable appliance, protective clothing, convenience, equipment or other means or thing provided (whether for his use alone or for use by him in common with others) for securing his safety, health or welfare while at work; and
(d) to report to his employer or his immediate supervisor, without unreasonable delay, any defects in plant, equipment, place of work or system of work, which might endanger safety, health or welfare, of which he becomes aware.
(2) No person shall intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse any appliance, protective clothing, convenience, equipment or other means or thing provided in pursuance of any of the relevant statutory provisions or otherwise, for securing the safety, health or welfare of persons arising out of work activities.
General duties of designers, manufacturers, etc., as regards articles and substances for use at work.
10.—(1) It shall be the duty of any person who designs, manufactures, imports or supplies any article for use at work—
(a) to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the article is designed, constructed, tested and examined so as to be safe and without risk to health when used by a person at a place of work;
(b) to take such steps as are necessary to secure that persons supplied by that person with the article are provided with adequate information about the use for which it is designed or has been tested, and about any conditions relating to the article so as to ensure that, when in use, dismantled or disposed of, it will be safe and without risk to health; and
(c) to take such steps as are necessary to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons so supplied are provided with all such revisions of information provided to them by virtue of paragraph (b) as are necessary by reason of its becoming known that anything relating to the article gives rise to a serious risk to safety or health.
(2) It shall be the duty of any person who undertakes the design or manufacture of any article for use at work to carry out or arrange for the carrying out of any necessary research with a view to the discovery and, so far as is reasonably practicable, the elimination or minimisation of any risks to safety or health to which the design or article may give rise.
(3) It shall be the duty of any person who erects or installs any article for use at a place of work where that article is to be used by persons at work to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that nothing about the way in which the article is erected or installed makes it unsafe, or a risk to health when in use at a place of work.
(4) It shall be the duty of any person who manufactures or imports or supplies any substance—
(a) to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the substance will be safe and without risks to health when it is being used by a person at a place of work;
(b) to carry out or arrange for the carrying out of such testing and examination as may be necessary for the performance of the duty imposed on him by paragraph (a) and whenever requested by an inspector provide or cause to be provided to him evidence, including documentary evidence of such testing and examination;
(c) to take such steps as are necessary to ensure that persons supplied by that person with the substance are provided with adequate information about any risk to safety or health to which the inherent properties of the substance may give rise, about the results of any relevant tests which have been carried out on or in connection with the substance and about any conditions necessary to ensure that the substance will be safe and without risk to health when the substance is being used or being disposed of.
(5) It shall be the duty of any person who undertakes the manufacture of any substance, or in a case where the manufacture was undertaken outside the State it shall be the duty of the importer, to carry out or arrange for the carrying out of any necessary research with a view to the discovery and, so far as is reasonably practicable, the elimination or minimisation of any risks to safety or health to which the substance may give rise when in use.
(6) Nothing in the preceding provisions of this section shall be construed as requiring a person to repeat any testing, examination or research which has been carried out otherwise than by him or at his instance, in so far as it is reasonable for him to rely on the results thereof, for the purposes of those provisions.
(7) Any duty imposed on a person by any of the preceding provisions of this section shall extend only to things done in the course of a trade, business or other undertaking carried on by him (whether for profit or not) and to matters within his control.
(8) Where a person designs, manufactures, imports or supplies an article for use at work and does so for or to another person on the basis of a written undertaking by that other person to take specified steps that are sufficient to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the article shall be safe and without risks to health when it is being used at a place of work, the said undertaking shall have the effect of relieving the first mentioned person from the duty imposed by virtue of paragraph (a) of subsection (1) to such extent as is reasonable having regard to the terms of the said undertaking.
(9) Nothing in subsections (7) or (8) shall relieve any person who imports any article or substance from any duty in respect of anything which—
(a) in the case of an article designed outside the State, was done by and in the course of any trade, profession or other undertaking carried on by, or was within the control of, the person who designed the article; or
(b) in the case of an article or substance manufactured outside the State, was done by and in the course of any trade, profession or other undertaking carried on by, or was within the control of, the person who manufactured the article or substance.
(10) Where a person (hereinafter referred to in this subsection as “the supplier”) supplies, including hires or leases, to another person (hereinafter referred to in this subsection as “the customer”) any article or substance for use at work, under a hire-purchase agreement, a leasing agreement or credit-sale agreement, and the supplier—
(a) carried on the business of financing the acquisition of goods by others by means of such agreements, and
(b) in the course of that business acquired his interest in the article or substance supplied to the customer as a means of financing its acquisition by the customer from a third party (hereinafter referred to in this subsection as “the dealer”),
the dealer and not the supplier, shall be treated for the purposes of this section as supplying the article or substance to the customer, and any duty imposed by this section on suppliers shall, accordingly, fall on the dealer and not on the supplier.
(11) For the purposes of this section an absence of safety or risk to health shall be disregarded in so far as the case is or in relation to which it would arise is shown to be one the occurrence of which could not reasonably be foreseen; and in determining whether any duty imposed by virtue of paragraph (a) of subsections (1) or (4) has been performed regard shall be had to any relevant information or advice which has been provided to any person by the person by whom the article has been designed, manufactured, imported or supplied or, as the case may be, by the person by whom the substance has been manufactured, imported or supplied.
(12) Without prejudice to the generality of this section, the Minister may prescribe specifications or other requirements with which the design, manufacture and construction of any article, which is of a prescribed class or description, shall comply.
(13) Where an article or substance is used at work, and a request is made in that behalf by an inspector, the employer shall give to the inspector the name and address of the person from whom the article or substance was purchased or otherwise obtained.
General duties of persons who design or construct places of work.
11.—(1) It shall be the duty of any person who designs places of work to design them so that they are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risk to health.
(2) It shall be the duty of any person who constructs places of work to construct them so that they are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risk to health.
Safety statement.
12.—(1) Every employer shall, as soon as may be, after the coming into operation of this section prepare or cause to be prepared, a statement in writing to be known and hereinafter referred to as a “safety statement”.
(2) The safety statement shall specify the manner in which the safety, health and welfare of persons employed by an employer shall be secured at work.
(3) The safety statement shall be based on an identification of the hazards and an assessment of the risks to safety and health at the place of work to which the safety statement relates.
(4) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (2), the safety statement shall specify—
(a) the arrangements made and resources provided, for safeguarding the safety, health and welfare of persons employed at a place of work to which the safety statement relates;
(b) the co-operation required from employees as regards safety, health and welfare; and
(c) the names, including the names of authorised deputies and job titles where applicable, of the persons responsible for the performance of tasks assigned to them by the said statement.
(5) Where a safety statement is prepared or revised pursuant to this section and an inspector is satisfied that the statement is inadequate in a material respect he may direct that the statement be revised and the employer shall comply with the direction within thirty days of the direction being given by the inspector.
(6) The report of the directors of a company under section 158 of the Companies Act, 1963, shall contain, in addition to the information specified in that section, an evaluation of the extent to which the policy set out in a safety statement was fulfilled during the period of time covered by the said report.
(7) It shall be the duty of a self-employed person to prepare a safety statement, in so far as is practicable in accordance with this section, so as to ensure his safety, health and welfare at work and that of other persons at the place of work.
(8) It shall be the duty of an employer or a self-employed person to bring the terms of a safety statement to the attention of persons employed by him and to other persons at the place of work who may be affected by the safety statement.
Consultation at place of work and safety representatives.
13.—(1) It shall be the duty of every employer—
(a) to consult his employees for the purpose of the making and maintenance of arrangements which will enable him and his employees to co-operate effectively in promoting and developing measures to ensure their safety, health and welfare at work and in ascertaining the effectiveness of such measures;
(b) as far as is reasonably practicable, to take account of any representations made by his employees.
(2) Employees shall have the right to make representations to and consult their employer on matters of safety, health and welfare in their place of work.
(3) Without prejudice to the generality of subsections (1) and (2), employees may, from time to time, select and appoint from amongst their number at their place of work a representative (in this Act referred to as “the safety representative”) to represent them in consultations pursuant to this section with their employer.
(4) A safety representative shall have the right to such information from his employer as is necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety and health of employees at the place of work.
(5) It shall be the duty of every employer to take such steps as are practicable to inform a safety representative when an inspector enters a place of work for the purpose of making a tour of inspection.
(6) A safety representative may—
(a) make representations to an employer on any aspects of safety, health and welfare at the place of work;
(b) investigate accidents and dangerous occurrences provided that he shall not interfere with or obstruct the performance of any statutory obligation required to be performed by any person under any of the relevant statutory provisions;
(c) make oral or written representations to inspectors on matters of safety, health and welfare at work;
(d) receive advice and information from inspectors on matters of safety, health and welfare at work;
(e) subject to prior notice to the employer and to agreement between the safety representative and the employer as to frequency, carry out inspections and in reaching such agreement, which shall not be unreasonably withheld by the employer, the parties shall consider the nature and extent of the hazards in the place of work in determining the frequency of inspections to be carried out by the safety representative at the place of work concerned;
(f) subject to prior notice to the employer, in circumstances in which it is reasonable to assume that risk of personal injury exists, to investigate potential hazards and complaints made by any employee whom he represents relating to that employee's safety, health and welfare at the place of work; and
(g) on a request being made in that behalf by him, accompany an inspector on any tour of inspection other than a tour of inspection made by the inspector for the purpose of investigating an accident.
(7) An employer shall consider and, if necessary, act upon any representations made to him by a safety representative on any matter affecting the safety, health and welfare at work of any employee whom he represents.
(8) (a) For the purpose of acquiring the knowledge necessary for the discharge of their functions under subsection (1) (a) of this section and to enable them to discharge those functions, an employer shall afford employees who may be involved in arrangements under subsection (1) (a) or under subsection (2) such time off from their duties as may be reasonable having regard to all the circumstances without loss of remuneration;
(b) an employer shall afford a safety representative such time off from his duties as may be reasonable having regard to all the circumstances without loss of remuneration, to enable him to—
(i) acquire the knowledge necessary to discharge his functions as a safety representative, and
(ii) discharge his functions as a safety representative.
(9) Arising from the discharge of his functions under this section, a safety representative shall not be placed at any disadvantage in relation to his employment.
(10) Notwithstanding the generality of subsections (1) to (9), the Minister may prescribe such further requirements, arrangements, modifications or exemptions as he considers necessary, from time to time, in relation to the operation of this section.
PART III
National Authority for Occupational Safety and Health
Establishment day.
14.—The Minister shall by order appoint a day to be the establishment day for the purposes of this Act.
Establishment of the Authority.
15.—(1) On the establishment day there shall stand established a body single to be known in the Irish language as An tÚdarás Náisiúnta um Shábháilteacht agus Sláinte Ceirde and in the English language as the National Authority for Occupational Safety and Health (which body is referred to in this Act as “the Authority”) to perform the functions assigned to it by this Act.
(2) The provisions of the First Schedule to this Act shall have effect with respect to the Authority.
Functions of the Authority.
16.—(1) The principal functions of the Authority shall be—
(a) subject to the provisions of subsection (3) and of section 32, to make adequate arrangements for the enforcement of the relevant statutory provisions;
(b) to promote, encourage and foster the prevention of accidents and injury to health at work in accordance with the provisions of this Act;
(c) to encourage and foster activities and measures which are directed towards the promotion of safety, health and welfare of persons at work;
(d) to make such arrangements as it considers appropriate for providing information and advice on matters related to safety, health and welfare at work; and
(e) to make such arrangements as it considers appropriate to undertake, to promote, to sponsor, to evaluate and to publish the results of research, surveys and studies relating to hazards and risks to the safety and health of persons at work or arising from work activities.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), the Authority may in its enforcement, advisory, promotional and other functions have regard to—
(a) any matters affecting the safety and health of employees and the self-employed; and
(b) the safety or health of other persons who may be affected by risks arising from work activities in so far as is reasonably practicable including the development of land for, or in the area of, a development which will involve the production, processing, treatment, use or storage of a dangerous substance.
(3) The Authority, subject to the approval of the Minister given with the consent of the Minister for Finance, may—
(a) make agreements with any Minister of the Government, or other person for that Minister or person to perform on behalf of the Authority (with or without payment) any of its functions; or
(b) make agreements with any Minister of the Government for the Authority to perform on behalf of that Minister (with or without payment) such functions as may appropriately be performed by it in connection with its functions under this Act.
(4) The Authority shall—
(a) submit in writing to the Minister, when requested to do so by him, details of how it proposes to discharge its functions under this Act;
(b) carry out its functions in accordance with such proposals as referred to in paragraph (a) as may be approved of by the Minister;
(c) give effect to any directions in writing whether general or particular relating to its functions under this Act, given to it by the Minister; and
(d) supply to the Minister any information relating to its functions as he may from time to time require.
Advisory committees.
17.—(1) The Authority may from time to time appoint such and so many advisory committees as it thinks fit to advise it on matters relating to safety, health and welfare at work, for such period and subject to such terms of reference as the Authority may deem appropriate.
(2) Where the Authority has appointed a committee under subsection (1), the Authority shall appoint a chairman of that committee and a vice-chairman who shall act in the absence of the chairman.
(3) The chairman of a committee appointed under subsection (1) shall be paid out of moneys at the disposal of the Authority such fee for attendance at meetings of the committee as the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, may sanction.
(4) Each member of a committee appointed under subsection (1) shall be paid out of moneys at the disposal of the Authority, such allowance for expenses incurred by him as the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, may sanction.
Director General.
18.—(1) There shall be a chief executive officer of the Authority (who shall be known, and is referred to in this Act, as the Director General).
(2) The first Director General shall be appointed, and may be removed from office at any time, by the Minister; each subsequent Director General shall be appointed, and may be removed from office at any time, by the Authority with the consent of the Minister.
(3) The Director General shall carry on and manage and control generally the administration and business of the Authority and shall perform such other functions as may be determined by the Authority.
(4) The Director General shall hold office on and subject to such terms and conditions (including terms and conditions relating to remuneration and superannuation) as may be determined by the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Finance.
(5) The Director General shall be paid by the Authority out of moneys at its disposal such remuneration and such allowances for expenses incurred by him as the Authority, with the consent of the Minister and the Minister for Finance, may determine.
Staff of the Authority.
19.—(1) The Authority may appoint such, and such number of, persons to be members of the staff of the Authority as it may determine with the consent of the Minister and the Minister for Finance.
(2) A member of the staff of the Authority (other than the Director General) shall be paid out of moneys at its disposal such remuneration and allowances for expenses incurred by him as the Authority, with the consent of the Minister and the Minister for Finance, may determine.
(3) A member of the staff of the Authority (other than the Director General) shall hold his office or employment on such other terms and conditions, as the Authority, with the consent of the Minister and the Minister for Finance, may determine.
(4) The grades of the staff of the Authority, and the numbers of staff in each grade, shall be determined by the Authority with the consent of the Minister and the Minister for Finance.
(5) The Authority may perform any of its functions through or by a member of its staff duly authorised by the Authority in that behalf.
Provisions applicable to officers, etc., transferred to the Authority.
20.—(1) Every officer of the Minister who has been designated by the Minister at any time before such day as may be appointed by the Minister by order shall, on the day of such designation, be transferred to, and become a member of the staff of, the Authority.
(2) The Minister shall not make an order under subsection (1) without having notified in writing any recognised trade unions or staff associations concerned and the Authority of his intention to do so and considering any representations made by them or any of them in relation to the matter within such time as may be specified in the notification.
(3) Save in accordance with a collective agreement negotiated with any recognised trade union or staff association concerned, an officer of the Minister designated by the Minister under subsection (1), who is transferred by that subsection to the staff of the Authority shall not, while in the service of the Authority, receive a lesser scale of pay or be made subject to less beneficial terms and conditions of service (other than those relating to tenure of office) than the scale of pay to which he was entitled and the terms and conditions of service (other than those relating to tenure of office) to which he was subject immediately before the day on which he was so transferred.
(4) Until such time as the scales of pay and the terms and conditions of service (other than those relating to tenure of office) of staff so transferred are varied by the Authority, following consultation with any recognised trade unions and staff associations concerned, the scales of pay to which they were entitled and the terms and conditions of service (other than those relating to tenure of office), restrictions, requirements and obligations to which they were subject immediately before their transfer shall continue to apply to them and may be applied or imposed by the Authority or the Director General, as the case may be, while they are in the service of the Authority. No such variation shall operate to worsen the scales of pay or the terms or conditions of service applicable to a member of such staff immediately before the day on which he was transferred by subsection (1) to the staff of the Authority save in accordance with a collective agreement negotiated with any recognised trade union or staff association concerned.
(5) The terms and conditions relating to tenure of office which are granted by the Authority to a member of the staff of the Authority who was designated by the Minister and under subsection (1) transferred by that subsection to its staff shall not, while he is in the service of the Authority, be less favourable to him than those prevailing for the time being in the civil service; any alteration in the conditions in regard to tenure of office of any such member shall not be such as to render those conditions less favourable to him than those prevailing in the civil service at the time of such alteration save in accordance with a collective agreement negotiated with any recognised trade unions or staff associations concerned. If a dispute arises between the Authority and any such member as to conditions prevailing in the civil service, the matter shall be determined by the Minister for Finance after consultation with the Minister.
(6) In relation to staff transferred by subsection (1) to the staff of the Authority, previous service in the civil service shall be reckonable for the purposes of, but subject to any other exceptions or exclusions in, the Redundancy Payments Acts, 1967 to 1984, the Holidays (Employees) Act, 1973, the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts, 1973 and 1984, and the Unfair Dismissals Act, 1977.
Superannuation of staff of the Authority.
21.—(1) The Authority shall, with the consent of the Minister and the Minister for Finance, make a scheme or schemes for the granting of superannuation benefits to or in respect of persons appointed by section 19 or transferred by section 20, to whole-time positions on the staff of the Authority.
(2) A scheme under subsection (1) shall fix the time and conditions of retirement for all persons to or in respect of whom superannuation benefits are payable under the scheme or schemes and different times and conditions may be fixed in respect of different classes of persons.
(3) The Authority may, with the consent of the Minister and the Minister for Finance, make a scheme amending or revoking a scheme under this section including a scheme under this subsection.
(4) A scheme or schemes under subsection (1) shall, as respects a person transferred by section 20 to a whole-time position on the staff of the Authority, provide for the granting to or in respect of him of superannuation benefits upon and subject to terms and conditions that are not less favourable to him than the terms and conditions applied to him immediately before the day on which he was so transferred in relation to the grant of such benefits.
(5) Where, during the period between the establishment day and the coming into operation of a scheme under this section, superannuation benefits would have been granted to or in respect of a person transferred by section 20 to the staff of the Authority in respect of his employment as an officer of the Minister, the superannuation benefits shall be granted and paid to or in respect of the person by the Authority and for that purpose his pensionable service with the Authority shall be aggregated with his previous pensionable service.
(6) A scheme under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling the scheme is passed by either such House within the next 21 days on which that House has sat after the scheme is laid before it, the scheme shall be annulled accordingly, but without prejudice to the validity of anything done thereunder.
(7) Subject to subsection (5) no superannuation benefit shall be granted by the Authority on the resignation, retirement or death of a member of the staff of the Authority otherwise than in accordance with a scheme or schemes under this section.
(8) If any dispute arises as to the claim of any person to, or the amount of, any superannuation benefit payable in pursuance of a scheme or schemes under this section, such dispute shall be submitted to the Minister, who shall refer it to the Minister for Finance, whose decision shall be final.
(9) In this section and in the First Schedule “superannuation benefits” means pensions, gratuities and other allowances payable on resignation, retirement or death.
Grant to the Authority.
22.—(1) In each financial year there may be paid to the Authority out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas a grant of such amount as the Minister, with the concurrence of the Minister for Finance, may sanction towards the expenses of the Authority in the performance of its functions.
(2) The Authority may with the consent of the Minister and the Minister for Finance invest money in such manner as it thinks fit.
(3) The Authority may, with the prior consent of the Minister, and the concurrence of the Minister for Finance, seek and accept funds from such other sources and subject to such conditions as the Minister may approve of, from time to time.
Power of the Authority to borrow.
23.—The Authority may, for the purpose of providing for current or capital expenditure, from time to time, borrow money (whether on the security of the assets of the Authority or otherwise), including money in a currency other than the currency of the State, but shall not do so without the consent of the Minister and the Minister for Finance.
Charges for services.
24.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, the Authority may make such charges as it considers appropriate in consideration of the provision by it of services (other than a service consisting of the provision of advice to the Minister) and the carrying on by it of activities and may sell, for such prices as it considers appropriate, anything produced, published or developed by the Authority and may enter into contracts upon such terms and conditions as it considers appropriate (including terms and conditions relating to payments to the Authority).
(2) The determination of the amounts of charges by the Authority shall be subject to the approval of the Minister and the Minister for Finance.
(3) Charges, prices and payments under subsection (1) in respect of services provided, activities carried on or things sold outside the State, shall not, save with the approval of the Minister, be less than the cost of the provision of the services or the production and development of the thing, as the case may be.
(4) The Authority may recover, as a simple contract debt in any court of competent jurisdiction, from the person by whom it is payable any amount due and owing to it under subsection (1).
Accounts and audits.
25.—(1) The Authority shall keep, in such form as may be approved of by the Minister with the concurrence of the Minister for Finance, all proper and usual accounts of all moneys received or expended by it.
(2) Accounts kept in pursuance of this section shall be submitted annually to the Comptroller and Auditor General for audit at such times as the Minister, with the concurrence of the Minister for Finance, directs and those accounts when so audited, shall (together with the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon), be presented to the Minister, who shall cause copies of the audited accounts and the report to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.
Annual report.
26.—(1) As soon as may be after the end of each financial year of the Authority, but not later than six months thereafter, the Authority shall make a report to the Minister of its activities during that year, and the Minister shall cause copies of the report to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.
(2) Each report under subsection (1) shall include information in such form and regarding such matters as the Minister may direct.
PART IV
Regulations and Codes of Practice
Review of legislation.
27.—(1) It shall be the duty of the Authority—
(a) to keep under review the relevant statutory provisions;
(b) to keep under review the associated statutory provisions;
(c) to submit, from time to time, to the Minister such proposals as it considers appropriate in relation to the relevant statutory provisions or for the making or revoking of any instruments under those provisions; and
(d) to submit, from time to time, to the Minister having responsibility for any of the associated statutory provisions such proposals as it considers appropriate in relation to those provisions or for the making or revoking of any instruments under those provisions.
(2) Before submitting proposals to the Minister in accordance with subsection (1) (c), the Authority shall consult any Minister of the Government or other person or body that appears to the Authority to be appropriate in the circumstances or where the Minister so directs, and, in particular, without prejudice to the generality of the aforesaid, the Authority shall consult the Minister for the Environment in the case of any proposals in relation to controls on the design of or construction of buildings.
(3) The Authority shall consider any proposals for legislative change concerning occupational safety or health and related matters referred to it by the Minister or any other Minister of the Government responsible for any of the relevant statutory provisions or any of the associated statutory provisions as the case may be.
Regulations.
28.—(1) The Minister may make regulations for or in relation to any of the matters set out in the Fourth Schedule to this Act and any other matter necessary to give effect to this Act.
(2) Regulations made under this Act may apply to all work activities or to particular work activities and may relate to one or more chemical, physical or biological agents.
(3) Before the Minister makes any regulations in exercise of any power conferred on him by this Act (other than as a result of a proposal made by the Authority under section 27) he shall consult the Authority.
(4) Where the Minister proposes to make regulations so as to give effect with modifications to any proposal made by the Authority under section 27, he shall before making the regulations consult the Authority.
(5) Every regulation made by the Minister under this Act shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and if a resolution annulling the regulation is passed by either such House within the next twenty-one days on which that House has sat after the regulation is laid before it, the regulation shall be annulled accordingly, but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under it.
(6) The Minister may, by regulations made under this section, exempt from all or any of the provisions of the relevant statutory provisions any specified class of activity or any specified class of person or place of work on such conditions as may be prescribed, where he is satisfied that the application of such provisions is unnecessary or impracticable.
Miscellaneous adaptations.
29.—(1) References to the Minister (other than in respect of making rules, regulations, bye-laws, orders, exemptions or exceptions) contained immediately before the establishment day in any existing enactment shall, insofar as they relate to functions exercisable by the Authority under this Act, be construed as references to the Authority.
(2) Where immediately before the establishment day any legal proceedings are pending to which the Minister is a party and the proceedings have reference to a function exercisable by the Authority, the name of the Authority shall be substituted in the proceedings for that of the Minister and the proceedings shall not abate by reason of such substitution.
(3) Anything commenced before the establishment day by or under the authority of the Minister may, so far as it relates to functions exercisable by the Authority, be carried on and completed on or after such establishment day by the Authority.
(4) Every instrument made or issued under an existing enactment which was in force immediately before the repeal of that enactment by section 4 shall continue in force as if made or issued under this Act.
Codes of practice.
30.—(1) The Authority may draw up and issue codes of practice.
(2) The Authority may, as it thinks fit, approve of any code of practice or any part of any code of practice drawn up by any other body.
(3) Codes of practice issued or approved of under this section shall be for the purpose of providing practical guidance with respect to the requirements or prohibitions of any of the relevant statutory provisions.
(4) The Authority shall obtain the consent of the Minister before issuing or approving of a code of practice.
(5) The Authority shall, before seeking the consent of the Minister for the issue or approval of a code of practice, consult any Minister of the Government or other person or body that appears to the Authority to be appropriate or where the Minister so directs.
(6) Where the Authority issues or approves of a code of practice it shall publish a statement in the Iris Oifigiúil of its issue or approval of that code, identifying the code in question, specifying for which provisions of the relevant statutory provisions the code is issued or approved and the date from which the said code shall have effect.
(7) The Authority may, with the consent of the Minister and following consultation with any other Minister of the Government or any other person or body that appears to the Authority to be appropriate—
(a) revise the whole or part of any code of practice prepared by it,
(b) withdraw its approval for any code of practice or part of any code of practice.
(8) Where the Authority revises, withdraws or ceases to approve of a code of practice it shall publish notice to that effect in the Iris Oifigiúil.
Use of codes of practice in criminal proceedings.
31.—(1) A failure on the part of any person to observe any provision of a code of practice shall not of itself render him liable to any civil or criminal proceedings; but where in any criminal proceedings a party is alleged to have committed an offence by reason of a contravention of any requirement or prohibition imposed by or under any of the relevant statutory provisions being a provision for which there was a code of practice at the time of the alleged contravention, subsection (2) shall have effect with respect to that code in relation to those proceedings.
(2) Any provision of the code of practice which appears to the court to give practical guidance as to the observance of the requirement or prohibition alleged to have been contravened shall be admissible in evidence; and if it is proved that any act or omission of the defendant alleged to constitute the contravention is a failure to observe such provision of the code, or if it is proved that any act or omission of the defendant is a compliance with such provision of the code, then such failure or compliance shall be admissible in evidence.
PART V
Enforcement
Enforcing agencies.
32.—(1) Subject to section 16 (1) (a) and (3), the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, and after consultation with any Minister of the Government as the Minister considers appropriate, may prescribe persons (including local authorities) to be enforcing agencies (which said person shall be referred to in this Act as “an enforcing agency”) in lieu of the Authority for the enforcement of such provisions of the relevant statutory provisions to such extent as may be prescribed.
(2) It shall be the duty of an enforcing agency to make adequate arrangements for the enforcement of the relevant statutory provisions to the extent that it is by regulations under subsection (1) made responsible for their enforcement and to perform that duty and any other functions conferred on it by any of the relevant statutory provisions in accordance with such guidance as the Authority may give it.
(3) It shall be the duty of every enforcing agency to furnish any reports and information relating to its functions and activities under this Act to the Authority as the Authority may, from time to time, require.
Authorisation of inspectors.
33.—(1) The Authority or an enforcing agency may authorise persons to be inspectors for the purposes of the enforcement of the relevant statutory provisions within its area of responsibility in accordance with section 16 or 32, as the case may be, and may revoke such authorisations.
(2) An inspector shall be furnished with a certificate of authorisation and shall, if so required, when exercising or seeking to exercise any power conferred on him by any of the relevant statutory provisions, produce his certificate of authorisation or a copy of it duly authenticated by the Authority or the enforcing agency and a form of personal identification.
Powers of inspectors.
34.—(1) An inspector shall have power—
(a) to enter, inspect, examine and search at all times, any place which he has reasonable cause to believe is used as a place of work;
(b) to take with him a member of the Garda Síochána if he has reasonable cause to apprehend any serious obstruction in the execution of his duty;
(c) to take with him any other person authorised by the Authority or the relevant enforcing agency or equipment or materials required for any purpose for which the power of entry is being exercised;
(d) where he has reasonable cause to believe that at or in any place of work an offence under this Act has been or is being committed, to use reasonable force where necessary in order to enter the place of work, provided he is so authorised by a warrant of a Justice of the District Court (which such Justice is hereby authorised to issue upon reasonable grounds being given on oath);
(e) to make such examination and inquiry as may be necessary to ascertain whether the relevant statutory provisions are being complied with;
(f) to require the production of any books, registers, records (whether kept in manual form or otherwise), certificates, notices, documents, maps and plans, required to be kept pursuant to any of the relevant statutory provisions, or any other documents which it is necessary for him to see for the purposes of any examination or inquiry under this Act and to inspect, examine and copy them or require that a copy of them or of any entry therein be provided to him;
(g) to require any person whom he has reasonable cause to believe to be able to give information relevant to any examination or inquiry under this Act, to answer either alone or in the presence of any other person, as he thinks fit, such questions with respect to matters under this Act as he thinks fit to ask and sign a declaration of the truth of the answers given, provided that no one shall be required to answer any question or to give any evidence tending to incriminate himself;
(h) to direct that any place of work or part thereof and anything therein shall be left undisturbed for so long as it is reasonably necessary for the purpose of any examination or inquiry under this Act;
(i) as regards any article or substance he finds at or in a place of work, require the employer or any person he finds at the place of work or any person who appears to him to be in possession of the article or substance, to supply without payment, for test, examination or analysis sufficient samples thereof;
(j) to cause any article or substance found at or in any place of work which appears to him to have caused or to be likely to cause danger to safety or health, to be dismantled or subjected to any process or test (but not so as to damage or destroy it unless this is in the circumstances necessary for the purposes of this Act) and where an inspector proposes to exercise the power conferred by this subsection in the case of an article or substance found at or in any place of work, he shall, if so requested by a person who at the time is present at or in and has responsibilities in relation to that place of work, cause anything which is to be done by virtue of that power to be done in the presence of that person;
(k) in relation to any article or substance found at a place of work in accordance with paragraph (j) to take possession of it and detain it for so long as is necessary for all or any of the following purposes, namely—
(i) to examine or arrange for the examination of it and do to it anything which he has power to do under paragraph (j);
(ii) to ensure that it is not tampered with before the examination of it is completed;
(iii) to ensure that it is available for use as evidence in any proceedings;
(l) to take samples of the atmosphere in any place of work;
(m) to take any measurements or photographs or make any tape, electrical or other recordings which he considers necessary for the purposes of any inspection, examination or inquiry made by him under this Act;
(n) to require any person to afford him such facilities and assistance within his control or responsibilities as are reasonably necessary to enable him to exercise any of the powers conferred on him under this Act; and
(o) to exercise such other powers as may be necessary for carrying out his functions.
(2) Before exercising the power conferred by subsection (1) (j) in the case of any article or substance, an inspector shall, in so far as it is reasonably practicable to do so, consult such persons as appear to him to be appropriate for the purpose of ascertaining what dangers, if any, there may be in doing anything which he proposes to do under that power.
(3) Where under the power conferred by subsection (1) (k) an inspector takes possession of any article or substance found at or in any place of work, he shall if it is practicable for him to do so, take a sample thereof and give to a responsible person at the place of work a portion of the sample marked in a manner sufficient to identify it.
(4) (a) The Authority may designate in writing any inspector who is a registered medical practitioner as an occupational medical adviser.
(b) It shall be the duty of an occupational medical adviser, on behalf of the Authority, to receive any notice, report or certificate required by any of the relevant statutory provisions to be sent to the Authority by a registered medical practitioner.
(c) An occupational medical adviser may—
(i) invite any person who, in his opinion, either has been or may be exposed in the course of his work to any risk of bodily injury or other danger to his health; and
(ii) for the purpose of comparing with that of other persons the state of health of persons employed in different places of work or specified places of work or in different places in the same place of work, invite any person
to provide biological samples or to be examined medically, or both, at such place as he shall designate, either by him or on his behalf or by or on behalf of such other registered medical practitioner as he shall specify.
Improvement directions and plans.
35.—(1) This section applies to any activities which are being or are likely to be carried on by or under the control of any person, being activities to or in relation to which any of the relevant statutory provisions apply or will, if the activities are so carried on, apply.
(2) If, as regards any activities to which this section applies, an inspector is of the opinion that, as carried on or likely to be carried on by or under the control of the person in question, such activities involve, or are likely to involve a risk to the safety or health of persons, the inspector may serve a direction in writing on that person requesting the submission to him, within a time specified in the direction, for his approval, of an improvement plan specifying the remedial action proposed to be taken to rectify the matters set down in the direction.
(3) Where an improvement plan is submitted in accordance with subsection (2) and an inspector is not satisfied that the plan is adequate he may direct that the plan be revised and resubmitted to him within a time specified in the direction.
Improvement notice.
36.—(1) If an inspector is of the opinion that a person is contravening or has contravened any of the relevant statutory provisions, or has failed on a direction being made to him under section 35 in that behalf to submit or implement an appropriate improvement plan, the inspector may serve on that person a notice in writing signed by him (in this Act referred to as an “improvement notice”) stating that he is of that opinion and the improvement notice shall—
(a) specify the provision or provisions as to which he is of that opinion;
(b) give particulars of the reasons why he is of that opinion;
(c) where applicable, state that the person has failed to submit or implement an improvement plan; and
(d) direct that person to remedy the alleged contraventions by a date specified in the notice, which should not be earlier than the period within which an appeal can be brought under subsection (3).
(2) An improvement notice may include directions as to the measures to be taken to remedy the alleged contraventions set out in the notice.
(3) A person who is aggrieved by an improvement notice may, within the period of fourteen days beginning on the day on which the notice is served on him, appeal to a Justice of the District Court in the District Court District in which the notice was served in the prescribed manner against the notice and in determining the appeal the Justice may—
(a) if he is satisfied that in the circumstances of the case it is reasonable to do so, confirm the notice, with or without modification, or
(b) cancel the notice.
(4) A person who appeals against an improvement notice shall at the same time notify the Authority or the enforcing agency, as appropriate, of the appeal and the grounds for appeal and the Authority or the enforcing agency, as appropriate, shall be entitled to appear, be heard and adduce evidence on the hearing of the appeal.
(5) Where an appeal against an improvement notice is taken, the notice shall take effect on the day next following the day on which the notice is confirmed on appeal or the appeal is withdrawn or the day specified in the notice as that on which it is to come into effect whichever is the later.
(6) Where no appeal is taken against an improvement notice, the notice shall take effect, on the expiration of the period during which such an appeal may be taken or the day specified in the notice as that on which it is to come into effect, whichever is the later.
(7) An inspector may withdraw an improvement notice at any time before the date specified in it under subsection (1) (d) and he may extend or further extend that date at any time when an appeal against the notice is not pending.
Prohibition notice.
37.—(1) This section applies to any activities which are being or are likely to be carried on by or under the control of any person, being activities to or in relation to which any of the relevant statutory provisions apply or will, if the activities are so carried on, apply.
(2) If, as regards any activities to which this section applies, an inspector is of the opinion that, as carried on or are likely to be carried on by or under the control of the person in question, the activities involve or, as the case may be, are likely to involve, a risk of serious personal injury to persons at any place of work, the inspector may serve on that person a notice signed by him (in this Act referred to as “a prohibition notice”).
(3) A prohibition notice shall—
(a) state that the inspector is of the said opinion;
(b) specify the matters which in his opinion give or, as the case may be, are likely to give rise to the said risk;
(c) where in his opinion any of those matters involves or, as the case may be, will involve a contravention of any of the relevant statutory provisions, state that he is of that opinion, specify the provision or provisions as to which he is of that opinion, and give particulars of the reasons why he is of that opinion; and
(d) direct that the activities to which the notice relates shall be carried on neither by or under the control of the person on whom the notice is served nor by or under the control of any other person unless the matters specified in the notice in pursuance of paragraph (b) and any associated contravention of provisions so specified in pursuance of paragraph (c) have been remedied.
(4) A prohibition notice shall take effect—
(a) if the notice so declares immediately the notice is received by the person on whom it is served;
(b) in any other case—
(i) if no appeal is taken against the notice, on the expiration of the period during which such an appeal may be taken or the day specified in the notice as that on which it is to come into effect, whichever is the later; or
(ii) in case such an appeal is taken, on the day next following the day on which the notice is confirmed on appeal or the appeal is withdrawn or the day specified in the notice as that on which it is to come into effect, whichever is the later.
(5) The bringing of an appeal against a prohibition notice which is to take effect in accordance with subsection (4) (a) shall not have the effect of suspending the operation of the notice; provided, however, that the appellant may apply to the Court to have the operation of the notice suspended until the appeal is disposed of and, on such application, the Court may, if it thinks proper to do so, direct that the operation of the notice be suspended until the appeal is disposed of.
(6) (a) A person who is aggrieved by a prohibition notice may, within the period of seven days beginning on the day on which the notice is served on him, appeal to a Justice of the District Court in the District Court District in which the notice was served in the prescribed manner against the notice and in determining the appeal the said Justice may—
(i) if he is satisfied that in the circumstances of the case it is reasonable to do so, confirm the notice, with or without modification; or
(ii) cancel the notice.
(b) Where on the hearing of an appeal under this section a prohibition notice is confirmed, notwithstanding subsection (4) the District Justice by whom the appeal is heard may, on the application of the appellant, suspend the operation of the notice for such period as in the circumstances of the case he considers appropriate.
(7) A person who appeals against a prohibition notice or who applies for a direction suspending the application of the notice under subsection (5) shall at the same time notify the Authority or the enforcing agency, as appropriate, of the appeal or the application and the grounds for the appeal or the application and the Authority or the enforcing agency, as appropriate, shall be entitled to appear, be heard and adduce evidence on the hearing of the appeal or the application.
(8) An inspector may revoke a prohibition notice.
(9) (a) Where a prohibition notice has been served and activities are carried on in contravention of the notice, the High Court may, on the application of an inspector, by order prohibit the continuance of the activities.
(b) An application to the High Court for an order under this subsection shall be by motion and the Court when considering the matter, may make such interim or interlocutory order (if any) as it considers appropriate and the order by which an application under this subsection is determined may contain such terms and conditions (if any) as to the payment of costs as the Court considers appropriate.
Power of officer of customs and excise to detain articles, etc.
38.—For the purpose of facilitating the exercise or performance by the Authority of any of the powers or duties exercisable by it under any of the relevant statutory provisions, an officer of customs and excise, when authorised to do so by the Revenue Commissioners at the request in writing in that behalf by the Authority, may detain any article or substance being imported for so long as is reasonably necessary for an inspector to examine it, but in any event for not any longer than 48 hours from the time when the article or substance in question is detained.
Order of High Court as to use of place of work.
39.—(1) Where the Authority or an enforcing agency considers that the risk to the safety and health of persons is so serious that the use of a place of work or part thereof should be restricted or should be immediately prohibited until specified measures have been taken to reduce the risk to a reasonable level, the Authority or an enforcing agency may apply, ex parte, to the High Court for an order restricting or prohibiting the use of the place of work or part thereof accordingly.
(2) The Court may make such interim or interlocutory order as it considers appropriate.
(3) Any such order shall have effect notwithstanding the terms of any permission given under any other enactment for the use of the place of work or part thereof.
(4) On any application for the revocation or variation of an order under subsection (1), the Authority or an enforcing agency, as appropriate, shall be entitled to be heard.
Indemnification of inspectors, etc.
40.—Where the Authority or an enforcing agency is satisfied that an inspector authorised by it, or any other member of the staff of the Authority, has discharged his duties in relation to the enforcement of the relevant statutory provisions in a bona fide manner, it shall indemnify the inspector, or such member of the staff of the Authority, against all actions or claims howsoever arising in respect of the discharge by him of his duties.
Inquiry into enforcing agency.
41.—(1) If the Authority alleges that any enforcing agency has failed to fulfil any of its functions under any of the relevant statutory provisions, the Authority may, with the consent of the Minister (which said consent shall be given only after consultation with the Minister of the Government who has responsibility for an enforcing agency which allegedly has failed to perform its functions) direct that an investigation be held into the alleged failure to act.
(2) The Authority shall appoint a competent person or persons to hold the investigation and to prepare and submit to it a report stating conclusions on the alleged failure of the enforcing agency to perform its functions.
(3) The Authority may, with the consent of the Minister, cause the whole or any part of a report made by virtue of subsection (2)—
(a) to be made available to the enforcing agency in question,
(b) to be made public at such time and in such manner as it considers appropriate.
(4) It shall be the duty of an enforcing agency to co-operate with a person carrying out an inquiry under this section.
PART VI
Obtaining and Disclosure of Information
Obtaining of information by the Authority.
42.—(1) The Authority may, for the purpose of obtaining information which the Authority or an enforcing agency requires for the discharge of its functions, by a notice in writing (in this section referred to as “a notice requiring information”) served on any person, require such person to furnish to the Authority within a period specified in the notice and in such form, if any, as may be specified in the notice, information about any matters specified in the notice.
(2) The Authority shall not serve a notice requiring information unless, having regard to all the circumstances of the particular case, the information is reasonably required in connection with the protection of the safety, health or welfare of persons under any of the relevant statutory provisions.
(3) A person shall provide the information requested in a notice requiring information—
(a) where no appeal is taken against the notice—
(i) on the expiration of the period during which such an appeal may be taken; or
(ii) within the period of time specified in the notice for the purpose of the furnishing of the information; or
(iii) on such subsequent day as the Authority may agree to in writing,
whichever is the later;
(b) where an appeal is taken and the notice is confirmed on appeal or the appeal is withdrawn—
(i) on the day following the day on which the notice is so confirmed or the appeal is withdrawn; or
(ii) within the period of time specified in the notice for the purpose of the furnishing of the information; or
(iii) in case the operation of the notice has been suspended in accordance with subsection (4) (b), on the expiration of the period that the Justice of the District Court considered appropriate for the purpose of that subsection,
whichever is the later.
(4) (a) Where a person is aggrieved by a notice requiring information served on him, he may, within the period of seven days beginning on the day on which the notice is so served, appeal to a Justice of the District Court in the District Court District in which the notice is served in the prescribed manner against the notice and, in determining the appeal, the Justice may—
(i) if he is satisfied that in the circumstances of the case it is reasonable to do so, confirm the notice, with or without modification; or
(ii) cancel the notice;
(b) where on the hearing of an appeal under this subsection a notice requiring information is confirmed, the Justice by whom the appeal is heard may, on the application of the appellant, suspend the operation of the notice for such period as in the circumstances of the case he considers appropriate;
(c) the Justice determining an appeal under this subsection may make such order as to the payment of costs in respect of the appeal as he considers appropriate.
(5) Where any opinion of the Authority to which subsection (2) relates purports to be contained in any document which—
(a) purports to have been made by or at the direction of the Authority; and
(b) is produced in evidence by an officer of the Authority in any proceedings,
such document shall be admissible in evidence and shall be evidence of any such opinion in such proceedings without further proof.
Information communicated by the Revenue Commissioners.
43.—If they see fit to do so for the purpose of facilitating the exercise or performance by the Authority or an enforcing agency or an inspector of the Authority or of an enforcing agency of any of the powers or duties exercised by them under any of the relevant statutory provisions, the Revenue Commissioners may authorise the disclosure to the Authority or to an enforcing agency or an inspector of the Authority or of an enforcing agency of any information obtained by the Revenue Commissioners for the purposes of the exercise by them of their functions in relation to articles or substances imported into the State.
Access to information.
44.—The Minister for Health and the Minister for Social Welfare may give to the Authority such information in relation to personal injury to persons at work as may be necessary for ensuring the safety, health or welfare of persons at work.
Restrictions on the disclosure of information.
45.—(1) In this section—
“relevant information” means information obtained by a person or furnished to any person pursuant to section 42 or section 43 or pursuant to a requirement imposed by any of the relevant statutory provisions;
“relevant consent” means, in the case of information furnished in pursuance of a requirement imposed by section 34, the consent of the person who furnished it, and, in any other case, the consent of a person having control of the activity or the place of work where the information was obtained;
“the recipient”, in relation to any relevant information, means the person by whom that information was so obtained or to whom that information was so furnished, as the case may be.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), no relevant information shall be disclosed without the relevant consent.
(3) Subsection (2) shall not apply to—
(a) disclosure of information to the Authority, an enforcing agency or a Minister of the Government;
(b) without prejudice to paragraph (a), disclosure by the recipient of information to any person for the purposes of any function conferred on the recipient by or under any of the relevant statutory provisions;
(c) without prejudice to paragraph (a), disclosure by the recipient of information to an officer of a public body who is authorised by that body to receive it;
(d) disclosure by the recipient of information in a form calculated to prevent it from being identified as relating to a particular person or case; or
(e) disclosure of information for the purpose of any legal proceedings or any investigation or inquiry held by virtue of the provisions of this Act or for the purposes of a report of any such proceedings or inquiry or of a special report made by virtue of the provisions of this Act.
(4) In subsection (3), any reference to the Authority, enforcing agency or a Minister of the Government includes respectively a reference to an officer of those bodies and also, in the case of a reference to the Authority, includes a reference to—
(a) a person performing any function of the Authority;
(b) an officer of a body which is so performing any such functions.
(5) A person to whom information is disclosed pursuant to subsection (3) shall not use the information for a purpose other than—
(a) in a case falling within paragraph (a) of that subsection, a purpose of the Authority, enforcing agency or a Minister of the Government in connection with the relevant statutory provisions; or
(b) in the case of information given to an officer of a public body the purpose of such body in connection with their duties under the relevant statutory provisions or other statutory provisions relating to the protection of public safety, health or the environment.
(6) A person shall not disclose any information obtained by him as a result of the exercise of any power conferred by the provisions of section 34, 46 or 47 (including, in particular, any information with respect to any trade secret obtained by him in any place of work entered by him by virtue of any such power) except—
(a) for the purpose of his statutory functions; or
(b) for the purpose of any legal proceedings or any investigation or inquiry held by virtue of the provisions of section 47 or for the purposes of a report of any such proceedings or inquiry or of a special report made by virtue of the provisions of section 46; or
(c) with the relevant consent.
(7) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (6) an inspector shall, in circumstances in which it is necessary to do so for the purpose of assisting in keeping persons (or the representatives of persons) employed at any place of work adequately informed about matters affecting their safety, health or welfare, give to such persons or their representatives the following information, that is to say—
(a) factual information obtained by him as mentioned in subsection (6) which relates to that place of work or anything which was or is therein or was or is being done therein provided that such information does not reveal any trade secrets; and
(b) information with respect to any action which he has taken or proposes to take in or in connection with that place of work in the performance of his functions;
and, where an inspector does as aforesaid he shall give the like information to the employer of the first-mentioned persons.
(8) Where for the purpose of evaluating information obtained under section 42 the Authority discloses that information to some other person, that other person shall not use that information for any purpose except for a purpose of the Authority and, before disclosing that information, the Authority shall inform that other person of his obligations under this section.
PART VII
Special Reports and Inquiries
Investigations and special reports.
46.—(1) (a) The Authority may at any time direct any of its staff or any other competent person as it considers appropriate to investigate the circumstances surrounding any accident, disease, occurrence, situation or any other matter related to the general purposes of this Act and make a report to it, to be known and in this section referred to as “a special report”, on such matter.
(b) A person who is not an inspector undertaking an investigation under this section shall, for the purposes of such investigation, have all the powers of an inspector under this Act.
(2) In the case of an investigation and special report made under subsection (1), (otherwise than by a member of the staff of the Authority) the Authority may pay to the person making it such fees and expenses as the Minister may, with the approval of the Minister for Finance, determine.
(3) The Authority may, to such extent as the Minister may determine, defray the costs, other than those incurred under subsection (2), if any, incurred in the preparation of a special report.
(4) The Authority may cause a special report, or part of such special report, to be made public within a reasonable time and in such manner as it thinks fit.
(5) In the case of an air or rail accident or an accident at sea the Authority shall not conduct an investigation into such accidents save with the consent of the Minister given with the concurrence of any other Minister of the Government he considers appropriate.
Power to direct an inquiry.
47.—(1) The Authority may, where it considers it necessary to do so and with the consent of the Minister, direct an inquiry to be held into any accident, disease, occurrence, situation or any other matter related to the general purposes of this Act.
(2) The following provisions shall have effect in relation to an inquiry under this section—
(a) the Authority shall appoint a competent person to hold the inquiry, and may appoint any person possessing legal or special knowledge to act as assessor to assist in the inquiry;
(b) the person or persons appointed (hereinafter referred to as “the tribunal”) shall hold the inquiry in such manner and under such conditions as the tribunal may think appropriate for enabling it to conduct the inquiry, and for enabling the tribunal to make its report;
(c) the tribunal shall have for the purposes of the inquiry all the powers of a Justice of the District Court when hearing a prosecution for an offence under this Act, and all the powers of an inspector under this Act, and in addition, power—
(i) to enter and inspect any place or building, the entry or inspection whereof appears to the tribunal requisite for the said purposes;
(ii) by summons signed by the tribunal to require the attendance of all such persons as it thinks fit to call before it and examine for the said purposes, and to require answers or returns to such inquiries as it thinks fit to make;
(iii) to require the production in legible form of all records, whether kept in manual form or otherwise, books, papers and documents which it considers necessary for the said purposes;
(iv) to administer an oath and require any person examined to make and sign a declaration of the truth of the statements made by him in his examination.
(3) Persons attending as witnesses before the tribunal shall be allowed such expenses as would be allowed to witnesses attending before a court of record and, in case of dispute as to the amount to be allowed, the dispute shall be referred by the tribunal to a taxing master of the High Court, who, on request, signed by the tribunal, shall ascertain and certify the proper amount of the expenses.
(4) The tribunal shall make a report to the Authority stating the causes and circumstances of the subject of the inquiry and adding any observations which the tribunal thinks right to make.
(5) The Authority may cause the report of a tribunal made under this section to be made public at such time and in such manner as it thinks fit.
(6) In the case of an inquiry and report under this section, the Authority may pay to the person or persons undertaking it such fees and expenses as the Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, determine.
(7) The Authority may, to such extent as the Minister may determine, defray the other costs, if any, of such inquiry and report.
(8) The tribunal may require the fees and expenses incurred in and about an inquiry under this section (including the fees of any persons appointed to act as assessors) to be paid in whole or in part by any person summoned before it who appears to the tribunal to be, by reason of any act or default on his part or on the part of any servant or agent of his, responsible in any degree for the subject of the inquiry but any such expenses not required to be paid shall be deemed to be part of the expenses of the Authority in the administration of this Act.
(9) The Authority shall give notice of intention to conduct an inquiry under this section by a notice published in the Iris Oifigiúil and at least one daily newspaper circulating in the State setting out the terms of reference of the inquiry.
(10) The Authority shall not have power to direct an inquiry into an air or rail accident or an accident at sea save with the consent of the Minister given with the concurrence of any other Minister of the Government he considers appropriate.
PART VIII
Offences, Penalties and Legal Proceedings
Offences.
48.—(1) It shall be an offence for a person—
(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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Sections 2 and 4.
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 | |
No. 7 of 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
Sections 2 and 27.
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 | ||
No. 12 of 1961 | Sections 14 and 15 | |
Road Traffic Acts, 1961 to 1987 | The whole Acts | |
No. 12 of 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 | Chapter 5 of Part II | |
No. 30 of 1981 | ||
No. 6 of 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
Section 4 (2).
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 | ||
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 | ||
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”. |