Vol. 524 No. 1
32 Mr. Penrose asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the plans she has to ensure that all farms have an appropriate safety statement; the further plans she has to facilitate the preparation of safety statements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17784/00]
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989, is the principal legislation dealing with workplace health and safety. Under the 1989 Act, the Health and Safety Authority is the State body charged with overall responsibility for the administration, enforcement and promotion of workplace health and safety legislation.
The provisions of the 1989 Act apply to all employers, including the self-employed, and cover all places of work. Under section 12 of the Act every employer must prepare a safety statement. The concept of a safety statement is as applicable to a farm as it is to any other place of work.
To assist farmers to achieve greater compliance with this legal requirement, the authority has undertaken to produce guidelines for the preparation of safety statements specifically for the farming sector. The authority is committed to having these guidelines issued and circulated to the sector by 1 March 2001.
