1Protection of employees against risks of poisoning
(1)Provision shall be made by regulations under this Act for the purpose of protecting workers against risks of poisoning by substances to which this Act applies arising from their working—
(a)in connection with the use in agriculture of such substances, or
(b)on land on which such substances are being or have been used in agriculture.
(2)Regulations under this Act (which may be either regulations applying to Great Britain and made by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Secretary of State jointly, or applying to England and Wales only and made by the said Minister, or applying to Scotland only and made by the Secretary of State) may make any such provision for the purpose mentioned in the preceding subsection as appears to them or him to be reasonably practicable and to meet the necessity of the case, and may impose obligations on employers of workers employed to work as mentioned in the preceding subsection, on such workers themselves, and on others.
(3)Without prejudice to the generality of the last preceding subsection, regulations under this Act may provide for—
(a)imposing restrictions or conditions as to the purposes for which, the circumstances in which, or the methods or means by which, a substance may be used (including, in the case of a substance as to which it appears to the authority making the regulations necessary so to provide, restrictions or conditions involving a general prevention of the use thereof in agriculture);
(b)requiring the provision, and keeping available and in good order, of protective clothing and equipment, of facilities for washing and cleaning, and of other things needed for protecting persons, clothing, equipment and appliances from contamination or for removing sources of contamination therefrom;
(c)requiring the observance of precautions against poisoning, including the use of things provided in pursuance of the regulations, and including abstention from eating, drinking and smoking in circumstances involving risk of poisoning;
(d)securing intervals between, or limitation of, periods of exposure to risk of poisoning;
(e)requiring the observance of special precautions in the case of persons who, by reason of their state of health, age or other circumstances, are subject to particular risk of poisoning or of injury therefrom, or imposing in the case of persons so subject prohibitions (whether temporary or permanent), or restrictions, on employment for working as mentioned in subsection (1) of this section;
(f)measures for detecting and investigating cases in which poisoning has occurred, and cases falling within the preceding paragraph, including medical examinations, making of blood tests, and notification of absences from work in circumstances involving suspicion of poisoning;
(g)requiring the provision, and keeping available and in good order, and the use, of facilities for preventive and first aid treatment;
(h)requiring the provision of, and submission to, instruction and training in the use of things provided in pursuance of the regulations and in the observance of precautions;
(i)the keeping and inspection of records and the furnishing of returns and information.
(4)Regulations under this Act may make different provision to meet different circumstances and, in particular, differences in the composition of the substances dealt with and in their effect under different conditions of use and on different classes of persons.
(5)Regulations under this Act may provide for empowering an inspector appointed under this Act to exempt particular cases or particular persons from the operation of provisions of the regulations,
(6)When the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Secretary of State, or either of them, propose or proposes to make regulations under this Act, they or he shall before making the regulations consult with such organisations as appear to them or him to represent the interests concerned.
(7)The power of making regulations under this Act shall be exercisable by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.