The Safety, Health & Welfare Construction Regulations 2013 – Part 1

The Safety, Health & Welfare Construction Regulations 2013 – Part 1

Construction Regulations 2013

  • The 2013 Safety, Health and Welfare Construction Regulations directly affect the design and build stage of a project
  • Ireland was in breach of the Temporary and Mobile Sites Directive 92/57 EC
  • The Directive establishes the minimum Standard required for health and safety in construction throughout the European Union
  • The regulations came into operation on the 1st of August 2013 and they apply to all projects.
  • Designed to consolidate, strengthen and simplify
  • The Regulations contain 14 Parts and 7 Schedules
  • Supporting documentation available on HSA website
  • The main  aim of Part 2 of the Regulations is to integrate  safety and health  into the design and  management of the project from the beginning up until completion
  • Simply stated, Safety and Health needs to be an integral part of the management process and not just a “tick the box”. The focus throughout should be on planning and management and proportional to the risks involved in the project

 

The purpose of these Regulations is to prescribe the main requirements for the protection of the safety, health and welfare of persons working on construction sites and to give further effect to Council Directive 92/57/EEC on the minimum safety and health requirements at temporary or mobile construction sites.

The Regulations were made under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the provisions of the 2005 Act and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Applications) Regulations 2007, apply to all construction projects. A range of other Regulations also apply to construction projects, including Regulations relating to chemical agents, asbestos, lifting equipment, noise, vibration, optical radiation, electricity, manual handling, work equipment, and workplace conditions.

These Regulations are designed to clarify and strengthen the general duties of all parties as regards securing occupational safety, health and welfare in construction work, including those of Clients, Project Supervisors, Designers, Contractors and Employees.

These Regulations apply to all construction projects including the alteration, decoration, maintenance and repair of buildings and the installation, maintenance and removal of mechanical and other systems fixed within or to structures. They place obligations on clients and designers to ensure that safety and health is taken into account before any construction work begins.

These Regulations replace and revoke the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2006 ( S.I. No. 504 of 2006 ), the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 ( S.I. No. 130 of 2008 ), the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2008 ( S.I. No. 423 of 2008 ), the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 ( S.I. No. 523 of 2010 ), the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 ( S.I. No. 461 of 2012 ), the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2012 ( S.I. No. 481 of 2012 ) and Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 ( S.I. No. 182 of 2013 ).

14 Parts

Part 1 – Interpretation and General

Part 2 – Design and Management. 

Part 3 – GENERAL DUTIES OF CONTRACTORS AND OTHERS. 

Part 4 – GENERAL SAFETY PROVISIONS

Part 5 – EXCAVATIONS, SHAFTS, EARTHWORKS, UNDERGROUND WORKS AND TUNNELS

Part 6 – COFFERDAMS AND CAISSONS

Part 7 – COMPRESSED AIR

Part 8 – EXPLOSIVES

Part  9 – GENERAL HEALTH HAZARDS 

Part 10 – CONSTRUCTION WORK ON OR ADJACENT TO WATER

Part 11 – TRANSPORT, EARTHMOVING AND MATERIALS-HANDLING, MACHINERY AND LOCOMOTIVES

Part 12 – DEMOLITION

Part 13 – ROADS, ETC

Part 14  – CONSTRUCTION SITE WELFARE FACILITIES

Download the Safety, Health & Welfare Construction Regulations 2013 here

 

Part 1 – Introduction – Interpretation & General

  • Citation and Commencement.
  • Interpretation
  • Keeping records.
  • Application.
  • Revocations and savings.

 

Terminology:

PSDS: Project Supervisor Design Stage

PSDP: Project Supervisor Design Process

PSCS: Project Supervisor at Construction Stage

CSCS: Construction Skills Certification Schemes

The Client: The person for whom the project is carrying out

The Contractor: An employer who’s employees undertake the job, and carry out and manage the construction project, for a fixed sum

Design: The preparation of drawings, particulars, specifications, calculations,  bills of quantities, bills of materials

The Designer: The person engaged in work related to the design of the project

The Design Process: The preparing of the design project

The Project Supervisor: An individual or a corporate body under regulations 6.1 responsible for carrying out the appropriate duties specified in these regulations

Safety & Health Plan: A plan in writing, prepared and developed in accordance with the regulations 12 and 16.

A Safety File: Is prepared in accordance with regulations 13 and 21