S.I. No. 304/1977:

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT (MANUFACTURE OF SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS INDUSTRY) (EXCLUSION) REGULATIONS, 1977.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT (MANUFACTURE OF SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS INDUSTRY) (EXCLUSION) REGULATIONS, 1977.

I, GENE FITZGERALD, Minister for Labour, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 29 and 52 of the Conditions of Employment Act, 1936 (No. 2 of 1936), and the Labour (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order, 1966 ( S.I. No. 164 of 1966 ), and after consultation with representatives of employers interested in the form of industrial work specified in these regulations and with representatives of workers so interested, hereby make the following regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Conditions of Employment (Manufacture of Surgical Instruments Industry) (Exclusion) Regulations, 1977.

2. The Interpretation Act, 1937 (No. 38 of 1937), applies to these Regulations.

3. The following form of industrial work, namely, the manufacture of surgical instruments as carried on at the premises of Becton, Dickinson & Company Limited at Pottery Road, Dun Laoghaire, in the county of Dublin is hereby declared to be excluded industrial work for the purpose of section 33 of the Conditions of Employment Act, 1936 (No. 2 of 1936).

4. The following provisions shall have effect in relation to the hours of work worked by workers employed to do the industrial work specified in these Regulations:

( a ) no shift shall be longer than 12 hours in duration;

( b ) no worker shall work on two consecutive shifts;

( c ) no worker shall work on any shift unless at least twelve hours have elapsed since he last worked a shift;

( d ) no worker shall work for so many hours in any week that the average number of hours per week worked by him in any four consecutive weeks would exceed forty-eight;

( e ) every worker shall be allowed in each shift--

(i) at least fifteen minutes' rest which shall commence not less than three nor more than four hours after the commencement of such shift, and

(ii) at least fifteen minutes' rest which shall commence not less than seven nor more than eight hours after the commencement of such shift.

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 23rd day of September, 1977.

GENE FITZGERALD,

Minister for Labour.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

The Conditions of Employment Act, 1936 , prohibits the working of shifts of longer than nine hours duration on industrial work. These Regulations permit the employment of male adult workers on twelve-hour shifts in the manufacture of surgical instruments as carried on at the premises of Becton Dickinson & Co., Ltd., Pottery Road, Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin.