Council Directive of 30 November 1989 concerning the minimum safety and health requirements for the workplace (first individual directive within the meaning of Article 16 (1) of Directive 89/391/EEC) (89/654/EEC)

SECTION IU.K.GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1U.K.Subject

1.This Directive, which is the first individual directive within the meaning of Article 16 (1) of Directive 89/391/EEC, lays down minimum requirements for safety and health at the workplace, as defined in Article 2.

2.This Directive shall not apply to:

(a)means of transport used outside the undertaking and / or the establishment, or workplaces inside means of transport;

(b)temporary or mobile work sites;

(c)extractive industries;

(d)fishing boats;

(e)fields, woods and other land forming part of an agricultural or forestry undertaking but situated away from the undertaking's buildings.

3.The provisions of Directive 89/391 /EEC are fully applicable to the whole scope referred to in paragraph 1, without prejudice to more [X1stringent] and/or specific provisions contained in this Directive.

Editorial Information

Article 2U.K.Definition

For the purposes of this Directive, ‘workplace’ means the place intended to house workstations on the premises of the undertaking and/or establishment and any other place within the area of the undertaking and/or establishment to which the worker has access in the course of his employment.

SECTION IIU.K.EMPLOYERS' OBLIGATIONS

Article 3U.K.Workplaces used for the first time

Workplaces used for the first time after 31 December 1992 must satisfy the minimum safety and health requirements laid down in Annex I.

Article 4U.K.Workplaces already in use

Workplaces already in use before 1 January 1993 must satisfy the minimum safety and health requirements laid down in Annex II at the latest three years after that date.

However, as regards the Portuguese Republic, workplaces used before 1 January 1993 must satisfy, at the latest four years after that date, the minimum safety and health requirements appearing in Annex II.

Article 5U.K.Modifications to workplaces

When workplaces undergo modifications, extensions and/or conversions after 31 December 1992, the employer shall take the measures necessary to ensure that those modifications, extensions and/or conversions are in compliance with the corresponding minimum requirements laid down in Annex I.

Article 6U.K.General requirements

To safeguard the safety and health of workers, the employer shall see to it that:

  • traffic routes to emergency exits and the exits themselves are kept clear at all times,

  • technical maintenance of the workplace and of the equipment and devices, and in particular those referred to in Annexes I and II, is carried out and any faults found which are liable to affect the safety and health of workers are rectified as quickly as possible,

  • the workplace and the equipment and devices, and in particular those referred to in Annex I, point 6, and Annex II, point 6, are regularly cleaned to an adequate level of hygiene,

  • safety equipment and devices intended to prevent or eliminate hazards, and in particular those referred to in Annexes I and II, are regularly maintained and checked.

Article 7U.K.Information of workers

Without prejudice to Article 10 of Directive 89/391/EEC, workers and/or their representatives shall be informed of all measures to be taken concerning safety and health at the workplace.

Article 8U.K.Consultation of workers and workers' participation

Consultation and participation of workers and/or of their representatives shall take place in accordance with Article 11 of Directive 89/391/EEC on the matters covered by this Directive, including the Annexes thereto.

SECTION IIIU.K.MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

[F1Article 9 U.K. Amendments to the Annexes

The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 9a to make strictly technical amendments to the Annexes, in order to take account of technical harmonisation and standardisation of the design, manufacture or construction of parts of workplaces, technical progress, changes in international regulations or specifications and knowledge with regard to workplaces.

Where, in duly justified and exceptional cases involving imminent, direct and serious risks to workers’ and other persons’ physical health and safety, imperative grounds of urgency require action in a very short timeframe, the procedure provided for in Article 9b shall apply to delegated acts adopted pursuant to this Article.]

Textual Amendments

[F2Article 9a U.K. Exercise of the delegation

1. The power to adopt delegated acts is conferred on the Commission subject to the conditions laid down in this Article.

2. The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Article 9 shall be conferred on the Commission for a period of five years from 26 July 2019 . The Commission shall draw up a report in respect of the delegation of power not later than nine months before the end of the five-year period. The delegation of power shall be tacitly extended for periods of an identical duration, unless the European Parliament or the Council opposes such extension not later than three months before the end of each period.

3. The delegation of power referred to in Article 9 may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force.

4. Before adopting a delegated act, the Commission shall consult experts designated by each Member State in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making (1) .

5. As soon as it adopts a delegated act, the Commission shall notify it simultaneously to the European Parliament and to the Council.

6. A delegated act adopted pursuant to Article 9 shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the European Parliament or the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or of the Council.

Textual Amendments

Article 9b U.K. Urgency procedure

1. Delegated acts adopted under this Article shall enter into force without delay and shall apply as long as no objection is expressed in accordance with paragraph 2. The notification of a delegated act to the European Parliament and the Council shall state the reasons for the use of the urgency procedure.

2. Either the European Parliament or the Council may object to a delegated act in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 9a(6). In such a case, the Commission shall repeal the act immediately following the notification of the decision to object by the European Parliament or by the Council.]

Textual Amendments

Article 10U.K.Final provisions

1.Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by 31 December 1992. They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof.

However, the date applicable for the Hellenic Republic shall be 31 December 1994.

2.Member States shall communicate to the Commission the texts of the provisions of national law which they have already adopted or adopt in the field governed by this Directive.

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Textual Amendments

Article 11U.K.

This Directive is addressed to the Member States.