Offshore Safety (Repeals and Modifications) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations contain repeals and modifications of specified provisions of the Mineral Workings (Offshore Installations) Act 1971 (the 1971 Act), the Petroleum and Submarine Pipe-lines Act 1975 (the 1975 Act), the Petroleum Act 1987 (the 1987 Act) and certain instruments made thereunder. In consequence of the coming into operation of Article 3 of the Offshore, and Pipelines, Safety (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 (the 1992 Order) certain provisions of those Acts and instruments are to have effect as “existing statutory provisions” within the meaning of Part II of the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 (the 1978 Order). Accordingly those provisions are superseded or affected by provisions of Part II of the 1978 Order.

The Regulations—

(a) repeal the powers conferred upon the Secretary of State to appoint inspectors under the 1971 Act and to make regulations under that Act in relation to offshore installations, the making of special reports and the holding of public inquiries;

(b) amend various references to the Secretary of State in the 1971 Act, the 1975 Act and the 1987 Act, and instruments made thereunder, to, or to include, the Department of Economic Development and modify certain references in relation to an inspector appointed under the 1971 Act and the 1975 Act. By virtue of Article 20 of the 1978 Order the Department is the enforcing authority for the provisions which have effect as “existing statutory provisions” by virtue of the 1992 Order;

(c) insert a provision into the 1987 Act requiring the Department of Economic Development to submit from time to time to the Secretary of State such proposals as it considers appropriate for the making of orders (relating to the establishment of safety zones around installations) under section 21 or 22 of that Act (regulations 3 to 5).

The Regulations also contain certain saving provisions (regulation 6).