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Review of the Docks (Safety, Health and Welfare) Regulations 1960 (S.I. No. 279 of 1960) |
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The Health and Safety Authority is reviewing the Docks (Safety, Health and Welfare) Regulations 1960 (S.I. No. 279 of 1960) to determine the future approach to legislation and guidance material relating to safety, health and welfare in dock work. The primary objective of this review is to ensure an up-to-date and comprehensive legislative basis for applying necessary safety, health and welfare at work requirements in the docking industry. Many of the provisions of the Docks Regulations have been identified as obsolete and, therefore, offer limited protection to workers in the context of modern docks activity. The case for revoking these obsolete provisions is considered, where this will not represent a diminution in the protection of the safety, health and welfare of those working in the docking industry. There are other provisions in the Docks Regulations which remain relevant to modern docks activity and which it is considered should retain a regulatory status. This review will examine if such provisions are adequately covered by more recent regulatory instruments within the domain of the Authority (or other agencies or departments), or if it is necessary to draft new Docks Regulations. An associated objective of this review is to reduce the regulatory burden on business by revoking obsolete requirements and ensuring that remaining or updated legislation is rationalised and coherent. This is in line with both the Government’s objectives of reducing the regulatory burden and promoting better regulation and the European Commission’s objective of simplifying the legislative framework and reducing the administrative burden on companies (Community Strategy 2007-2012 on Health and Safety at Work). To this end, it is proposed that those elements of the Factories Act that are referenced in the Docks (Safety, Health and Welfare) Regulations 1960 which are no longer considered relevant, will also be revoked. The Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) has been prepared as part of the review. The RIA examines the available options and their potential impacts on key stakeholders. The preferred option identified in the RIA is that of revoking the Docks Regulations 1960 and relevant elements of the Safety in Industry Acts 1955 and 1980 and publishing a guidance document or a Code of Practice to address specific docking hazards which are within the Health and Safety Authority’s administration and enforcement remit.
The text of the RIA can be downloaded as a PDF document . The Health and Safety Authority invites comments and observations on the RIA and the proposals presented therein |
