Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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206. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she has had communications with the Health and Safety Authority on updating the Electricity Regulations 2007 on portable appliance testing, in particular section 81(II) (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18877/18]

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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I have not had any communication with the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) in relation to updating the Regulations on potable electrical appliance testing.

Regulation 81(c) of the 2007 Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations (S.I. No. 299 of 2007) includes the issue of portable electrical appliance testing within its scope.

This Regulation states:

“portable equipment which is—

(i) exposed to conditions causing deterioration liable to result in danger, and

(ii) supplied at a voltage exceeding 125 volts alternating current,

is—

(I) visually checked by the user before use, and

(II) periodically inspected by a competent person, appropriate to the nature location and use of the equipment”

Part of the remit of the HSA, under section 57 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, is the continuous review of all occupational safety and health legislation on the statute books and to make appropriate representations to the Minister when replacement, amendment or revocation is considered necessary. No such representations have been made, to date, from the HSA in relation to the Regulation 81(c) of the 2007 Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations (S.I. No. 299 of 2007)

I have been informed by the HSA that, given the wide variation in the types of workplaces and the conditions therein, the current wording in the Regulation is suitable and is the most appropriate approach to cover the range of issues involved. The wording in the existing Regulation is also consistent with the general approach to occupational safety legislation that requires that safety provisions be determined by risk assessments relevant to the specific workplace.

The HSA provides extensive guidance on the application of this Regulation on its website through free to download material.

I would advise the Deputy that in any instances where persons may have concerns that the necessary testing is not being carried out in a particular workplace or industry, they can bring this matter to the notice of the HSA through its Workplace Contact Unit (wcu@hsa.ie).