S.I. No. 34/1987:

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT (PLASTICS MANUFACTURING) (EXCLUSION) REGULATIONS, 1987.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT (PLASTICS MANUFACTURING) (EXCLUSION) REGULATIONS, 1987.

I, BERTIE AHERN, 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 (Plastics Manufacturing) (Exclusion) Regulations, 1987.

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

3. The following form of industrial work, namely, the manufacture of plastic bottles, is hereby declared to be excluded industrial work for the purposes of section 34 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 work on any shift unless at least twelve hours have elapsed since he last worked on a shift;

(d) no worker shall for so many hours that the total number of hours worked in any period of eight consecutive weeks would exceed 336 hours;

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

(i) one twenty minute break to be taken during the first four hours of work, and

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

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 19th day of March, 1987.

BERTIE AHERN,

Minister for Labour.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

Section 34 of the Conditions of Employment Act, 1936 provides that no shift shall be longer than nine hours duration. The effect of these Regulations is to permit the employment of adult workers on 12 hour shifts on the manufacture of plastic bottles.