Safety, Health and Welfare (Offshore Installations) Act, 1987

PART III

Safety

Safety, health and welfare regulations.

22.—(1) Subject to compliance with the requirements of section 5 (1) of this Act regarding consultation with the Minister for Energy, the Minister for Health or the Minister for the Environment, or obtaining the concurrence of the Minister for Communications, the Minister for the Marine and the Minister for Tourism and Transport, the Minister may make regulations for—

(a) the safety, health and welfare of persons employed—

(i) on or in offshore installations to which this Act applies, or

(ii) in the neighbourhood of such an installation and in relation to the exploration or exploitation as regards which the installation is, or is to be, used, and

(b) the safety of such installations and the prevention of accidents on or near them.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of this section, regulations under this section may—

(a) provide for or in relation to any of the matters mentioned in the Schedule to this Act,

(b) have effect in relation to hovercraft, helicopters or other aircraft, or vessels, on or in the neighbourhood of an offshore installation and used or intended to be used in relation to exploration or exploitation,

(c) regulate any activity, operation, process or work, whether on, in or in the neighbourhood of an offshore installation, or in the water, or on or below the surface of the shore or the bed of the sea,

(d) have effect in relation to any pipeline works.

(3) The inclusion in this Act of a provision in respect of any matter shall not operate to preclude the making under this section of regulations (consistent with that provision) in respect of that matter.

(4) (a) Regulations under this section may impose duties on concession owners, offshore installation owners, installation managers and contractors.

(b) In addition to the foregoing, regulations under this section may impose duties on persons who are of a prescribed class or description and who are employed on, in or in the neighbourhood of an offshore installation to which this Act applies.

(5) The manager of an offshore installation shall notify the owner thereof as soon as practicable of any event which occurs on, in or in the neighbourhood of the installation and of the occurrence of which the said owner is under regulations under this section required to notify the Minister.