Safety in Industry Act, 1980

Safety statements.

39.—(1) (a) The occupier of a premises to which this section applies shall, as soon as may be, prepare or cause to be prepared a statement in writing specifying the manner in which the safety and health of persons employed in the premises will be secured, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the statement shall specify the arrangements for safeguarding the safety and health of such persons, the co-operation required from such persons as regards safety and health, the duties of safety officers (if any), any safety training facilities which are available and the measures to be taken in relation to dangers so specified arising in relation to the premises or in relation to risks of such danger, and the statement shall also include any information required by regulations under this section which are for the time being in force.

(b) A statement prepared in pursuance of paragraph (a) of this subsection shall if necessary be revised from time to time.

(2) The Minister may by regulations require that information regarding matters specified in the regulations shall be included in statements prepared pursuant to subsection (1) of this section.

(3) As soon as may be after a statement is prepared or revised by him pursuant to this section the occupier concerned shall give a copy of the statement or revision, or cause it to be given, to—

(a) in case there is a safety representative for the premises concerned, that person,

(b) in case there is a safety committee for such premises, that committee,

(c) in case there is neither such a representative nor such a committee, to every person employed in the premises.

(4) (a) Where a statement is prepared pursuant to this section and the Minister is not satisfied that the statement is adequate for the purposes of this section (and whether or not the statement has been revised), the Minister may direct that the statement he revised in a manner specified in the direction, and in case the Minister gives a direction under this subsection he shall as soon as may be cause a copy thereof to be served on the occupier of the premises to which the direction relates, and the occupier shall comply with the direction not later than one month after the date of the direction or such later date as may be specified in the direction.

(b) The Minister may, if he thinks fit, cancel a direction given by him under this subsection.

(5) Where a statement is prepared or revised pursuant to this section, then the occupier concerned shall ensure that a copy of the statement or revision is attached to the general register of the premises concerned, and a copy of the statement (as revised, where this is appropriate) shall be given to an inspector on a request being made by him in that behalf.

(6) (a) This section applies to any premises in which ten or more persons are employed for the time being, and which is a premises to which section 26 of this Act applies.

(b) Where the Minister is satisfied that any manufacture, plant or process is of such a nature as is likely to cause risk of bodily injury to persons employed, he may by regulations apply this section to any factory or other premises in which the manufacture, plant or process is used and which apart from the regulations would not be a premises to which this section applies.

(7) The Minister may by regulations exempt from the provisions of this section factories or other premises of a prescribed class or description and such exemption may be absolute or subject to conditions.