Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Biological Agents) Regulations 2013.
Statutory Instruments
Source: Statutory Instruments

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paragraphs: These Regulations may be cited as the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Biological Agents) Regulations 2013.
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paragraphs: In these Regulations, save where the context otherwise requires—
(a) a “group 1 biological agent” means one that is unlikely to cause human disease to employees;
(b) a “group 2 biological agent” means one that can cause human disease and might be a hazard to employees, although it is unlikely to spread to the community and in respect of which there is usually effective prophylaxis or treatment available;
(c) a “group 3 biological agent” means one that can cause severe human disease and presents a serious hazard to employees and that may present a risk of spreading to the community, though there is usually effective prophylaxis or treatment available;
(d) a “group 4 biological agent” means one that causes severe human disease and is a serious hazard to employees and that may present a high risk of spreading to the community and in respect of which there is usually no effective prophylaxis or treatment available;
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paragraphs: (1) Subject to paragraph (2), these Regulations, and any relevant code of practice, apply to activities in a place of work where existing or potential, whether deliberate or incidental, exposure to a biological agent has occurred or may occur.
(2) Where the results of a risk assessment under Regulation 7 show that there is exposure or potential exposure (or both) to a group 1 biological agent, including attenuated vaccines, with no identifiable health risks to employees, Regulations 5(b)(ii) to (iv) and (vi) to (xiv), 6, 7(1)(c) and (f), 7(2)(a) and (b), 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14(1)(b) to (f), 14(2) to (4), 15, 16 and 17 shall not apply in relation to such exposure, but the principles of good occupational safety and hygiene shall be observed.
(3) Obligations and duties arising under these Regulations are in addition to obligations and duties arising under any other enactment.
(4) In this Regulation, “enactment” means—
(a) an Act of the Oireachtas,
(b) a statute that was in force in SaorstÃ¡t Ãireann immediately before the date of the coming into operation of the Constitution and that continues in force by virtue of Article 50 of the Constitution, or
(c) an instrument made under—
(i) an Act of the Oireachtas, or
(ii) a statute referred to in subparagraph (b).
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paragraphs: The Authority, on receipt of a notification referred to in Regulation 14(1)(e), may prohibit the use of the biological agent or agents referred to in the notification or require the application of additional controls to safeguard the safety, health and welfare of employees from exposure to the said notified agent or agents.
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paragraphs: Where an employee is, or is likely to be, exposed to biological agents as a result of his or her work activities, his or her employer shall—
(a) apply these Regulations and any relevant code of practice,
(b) without prejudice to paragraph (a)—
(i) complete a risk assessment as required under Regulation 7 and apply, if appropriate, the special measures specified in Regulations 16 and 17,
(ii) avoid the use of a harmful biological agent, if the nature of the activity so permits, by replacing it with a biological agent which, under its conditions of use and in the present state of knowledge, is not dangerous or is less dangerous, as the case may be, to the health of employees,
(iii) prevent the exposure of employees to a biological agent at a place of work where the results of the risk assessment under Regulation 7 reveal a risk to employees health and safety,