The purpose of these Regulations is to prescribe the main requirements for the protection of the safety, health and welfare of persons working on construction sites and to give further effect to Council Directive 92/57/EEC on the minimum safety and health requirements at temporary or mobile construction sites.
These Regulations are designed to clarify and strengthen the general duties of all parties as regards securing occupational safety, health and welfare in construction work, including those of Clients, Project Supervisors, Designers, Contractors and Employees.
These Regulations apply to all construction projects including the alteration, decoration, maintenance and repair of buildings and the installation, maintenance and removal of mechanical and other systems fixed within or to structures. They place obligations on clients and designers to ensure that safety and health is taken into account before any construction work begins.
These Regulations replace and revoke the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2006 ( S.I. No. 504 of 2006 ), the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 ( S.I. No. 130 of 2008 ), the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2008 ( S.I. No. 423 of 2008 ), the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 ( S.I. No. 523 of 2010 ), the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 ( S.I. No. 461 of 2012 ), the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2012 ( S.I. No. 481 of 2012 ) and Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 ( S.I. No. 182 of 2013 ).
These Regulations came into operation on 1 August 2013.