The Children (Protection at Work) Regulations 1998

Amendments to the 1933 Act

2.—(1) Section 18(1) (restrictions on employment of children) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1)—

(a) in paragraph (a), for “thirteen years” substitute “fourteen years”;

(b) after paragraph (a), insert the following new paragraph—

“(aa) to do any work other than light work; or”;

(c) paragraph (f) is omitted; and

(d) at the end insert—

“(g) for more than eight hours or, if he is under the age of fifteen years, for more than five hours in any day—

(i) on which he is not required to attend school, and

(ii) which is not a Sunday; or

(h) for more than thirty-five hours or, if he is under the age of fifteen years, for more than twenty-five hours in any week in which he is not required to attend school; or

(i) for more than four hours in any day without a rest break of one hour; or

(j) at any time in a year unless at that time he has had, or could still have, during a period in the year in which he is not required to attend school, at least two consecutive weeks without employment.”.

(3) In subsection (2), in paragraph (a)—

(a) in sub-paragraph (i), after “employment” insert “on an occasional basis” and for “thirteen years” substitute “fourteen years”; and

(b) after sub-paragraph (i), insert the following new sub-paragraph—

“(ia) the employment of children aged thirteen years (notwithstanding anything in paragraph (a) of the last foregoing subsection) in categories of light work specified in the byelaw.”.

(4) After subsection (2), insert the following new subsection—

“(2A) In this section—

• “light work” means work which, on account of the inherent nature of the tasks which it involves and the particular conditions under which they are performed—

  (a)

  is not likely to be harmful to the safety, health or development of children; and

  (b)

  is not subh as to be harmful to their attendance at school or to their participation in work experience in accordance with section 560 of the Education Act 1996(2), or their capacity to benefit from the instruction received or, as the case may be, the experience gained;

• “week” means any period of seven consecutive days; and

• “year”, except in expressions of age, means a period of twelve months beginning with 1st January.”.

(5) In subsection (3)—

(a) for “taking part in a performance” substitute “doing anything”, and

(b) in paragraph (b), for “take part in the performance” substitute “do it”.

(1)

Section 18 was amended by the 1963 Act, sections 34 and 64(1) and Schedule 3, paragraph 4 and by the Children Act 1972, section 1(2). It was also amended by the Employment of Children Act 1973 but that Act has been brought into force.

(2)

1996 c. 56.