S.I. No. 35/1979:

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT (MANUFACTURE OF GASES) (EXCLUSION) REGULATIONS, 1979.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT (MANUFACTURE OF GASES) (EXCLUSION) REGULATIONS, 1979.

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 Gases) (Exclusion) Regulations, 1979.

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

3. The following form of industrial work, namely, the process of air separation in the manufacture of gases as carried on at the premises of Irish Industrial Gases Limited, Little Island, in the county of Cork, is hereby declared to be excluded industrial work for the purposes of section 33 of the Conditions of Employment Act, 1936 (No. 2 of 1936).

4. The following provisions shall have effect in respect of the work to which these Regulations relate:

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

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

( c ) no worker shall be employed to do such work unless at least twelve hours have elapsed since he last worked a shift;

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

( e ) each worker shall be allowed in each shift at least--

(i) one twenty minute break to be taken after 2 hours work,

(ii) one thirty minute break to be taken after 6 hours work,

(iii) one twenty minute break to be taken during the last four hours of work.

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 7th day of February, 1979.

GENE FITZGERALD,

Minister for Labour.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

The Conditions of Employment Act, 1936 provides that no shift shall be longer than nine hours in duration. These Regulations permit, subject to certain conditions, the employment of adult workers on 12 hour shifts on the process of air separation in the manufacture of gases as carried on at the premises of Irish Industrial Gases Ltd., Little Island, Cork.