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

Offshore installation and equipment to comply with certain requirements.

10.—(1) An installation manager shall ensure that the offshore installation with which he is concerned is not used for exploration or exploitation in waters to which this Act applies unless it and its fittings or other equipment are suitable for the purpose and are of sound construction and adequate strength, are properly maintained and comply with the requirements of any regulations under this section which are for the time being in force and apply to them.

(2) (a) The Minister may, after consultation with the Minister for Energy, by regulations require that before—

(i) an offshore installation is used in waters to which this Act applies,

(ii) any prescribed fitting or other part of an offshore installation to which this Act applies is put into use,

there shall be in relation to the installation, fitting or other part, as may be appropriate, a prescribed certification procedure, provided that, in so far as the regulations relate to fire safety measures, they shall be made only after consultation also with the Minister for the Environment.

(b) A person by whom a certificate is given for the purposes of this subsection may specify in the certificate conditions for securing the safe working of any fitting or other part to which it relates.

(3) For the purpose of giving effect to subsection (1) of this section,the Minister may, after consultation with the Minister for Energy, make regulations—

(a) requiring offshore installations to which this Act applies and their equipment to be maintained in a prescribed manner,

(b) providing for the survey, testing and inspection of such installations or equipment;

provided that, in so far as the regulations relate to fire safety, they shall be made only after consultation also with the Minister for the Environment.

(4) (a) Where the Minister makes a requirement pursuant to regulations under subsection (2) of this section in relation to an offshore installation, the owner of the offshore installation concerned shall ensure that the requirement is complied with and after the relevant certificate has been obtained the installation manager shall produce the certificate or a copy thereof to an inspector on a request being made by the inspector in that behalf at any reasonable time.

(b) Where in a certificate given for the purposes of regulations under subsection (2) of this section there are specified conditions for safe working, any fitting or other part to which the conditions relate shall not be used except in accordance with those conditions.

(5) It shall be the duty of an installation manager to ensure that every workplace on, in or in the neighbourhood of the offshore installation with which he is concerned is, so far as is reasonably practicable, made and kept safe.

(6) Where employees of different employers are employed on, in or in the neighbourhood of an offshore installation to which this Act applies, the employers concerned shall co-operate with each other so as to protect the employees from danger.