A Summary of the New Regulations on Noise
Introduction
L.N. 185 of 2004 introduced a framework for controlling exposure to workplace noise. These Regulations have now been replaced with and revoked by L.N. 158 of 2006, ensuring compliance with EC Directive 2003/10/EC, dealing with minimum requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents. With effect from July 2006, duties are imposed on both employers and the self-employed to protect employees who may be at risk and other people at work who may be affected.
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The Information and Consultation / National Works Councils Regulations
Following the publication of the European Works Councils Regulations of 2004,
we still await the publication of the National Works Councils Regulations that
should be with us shortly.
In relation to Information and Consultation requirements of those workplaces
that don't form part of a European wide undertaking, one should in fact refer to
Directive 2002/14/EC that establishes a general framework for informing and
consulting employees in the European Community. This Directive establishes that
companies which fall under the threshold (to be decided by the Dep. Of
Employment and Industrial Relations) are to consult their employees on a number
of issues (including collective redundancies and transfer of business), even if
a union isn't recognised by the employer in question.
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Social Security
Amendments to the Social Security Benefits received in Malta.
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OHS Guidelines and Legislation in the pipeline
During the past few months, the OHSA have published for consultation a number
of draft laws and guidelines for the public to comment upon. These guidelines
can be found on the OHSA website or by following the links below:
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New OHS Regulations on Protection of Workers from Risks arising from Vibration
Following the coming into force of The European Physical Agents (Vibration)
Directive (Directive 2002/44) which deals with the control of diseases caused by
vibration at work from equipment, vehicles and machines, the OHSA considered it
essential to draw up more specific legislation pertaining to the exposure to
mechanical vibration, which can lead to musculo-skeletal, neurological and
vascular disorders. To this end, the scope of these regulations is to protect
workers from the risks arising from the exposure to mechanical vibration.
These regulations set out the exposure limit values and action limit values
for hand-arm and whole-body vibration.
For hand-arm vibration in fact, the daily exposure limit value standardised
to an eight-hour reference period shall be 5 m/s and the daily exposure action
value standardised to an eight-hour reference period shall be 2.5 m/s. For
whole-body vibration, the daily exposure limit value standardised to an
eight-hour reference period shall be 1.15 m/s and the daily exposure action
value standardised to an eight-hour reference period shall be 0.5 m/s. The
regulations also specify the technical specifications on the basis of which
exposure to vibration is assessed and measured.
Apart from abiding by these vibration limits, employers will also need to
carry out ad hoc risk assessments and health assessments apart from training
employees when and if necessary.
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