20.—(1) Every employer shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, a written statement (to be known and referred to in this Act as a “safety statement”), based on the identification of the hazards and the risk assessment carried out under section 19, specifying the manner in which the safety, health and welfare at work of his or her employees shall be secured and managed.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), every employer shall ensure that the safety statement specifies—

(a) the hazards identified and the risks assessed,

(b) the protective and preventive measures taken and the resources provided for protecting safety, health and welfare at the place of work to which the safety statement relates,

(c) the plans and procedures to be followed and the measures to be taken in the event of an emergency or serious and imminent danger, in compliance with sections 8 and 11,

(d) the duties of his or her employees regarding safety, health and welfare at work, including co-operation with the employer and any persons who have responsibility under the relevant statutory provisions in matters relating to safety, health and welfare at work,

(e) the names and, where applicable, the job title or position held of each person responsible for performing tasks assigned to him or her pursuant to the safety statement, and

(f) the arrangements made regarding the appointment of safety representatives and consultation with, and participation by, employees and safety representatives, in compliance with sections 25 and 26, including the names of the safety representative and the members of the safety committee, if appointed.

(3) Every employer shall bring the safety statement, in a form, manner and, as appropriate, language that is reasonably likely to be understood, to the attention of—

(a) his or her employees, at least annually and, at any other time, following its amendment in accordance with this section,

(b) newly-recruited employees upon commencement of employment, and

(c) other persons at the place of work who may be exposed to any specific risk to which the safety statement applies.

(4) Where there are specific tasks being performed at the place of work that pose a serious risk to safety, health or welfare, an employer shall bring to the attention of those affected by that risk relevant extracts of the safety statement setting out—

(a) the risk identified,

(b) the risk assessment, and

(c) the protective and preventive measures taken in accordance with the relevant statutory provisions in relation to that risk.

(5) Every employer shall, taking into account the risk assessment carried out under section 19, review the safety statement where—

(a) there has been a significant change in the matters to which it refers,

(b) there is another reason to believe that the safety statement is no longer valid, or

(c) an inspector in the course of an inspection, investigation, examination, inquiry under section 64 or otherwise directs that the safety statement be amended within 30 days of the giving of that direction,

and, following the review, the employer shall amend the safety statement as appropriate.

(6) Every employer who is conducting activities, as may be prescribed in accordance with this subsection, who contracts with another employer for that employer to provide services to him or her shall require that that employer is in possession of an up-to-date safety statement as required under this section.

(7) A copy of a safety statement, or relevant extract of it, shall be kept available for inspection at or near every place of work to which it relates while work is being carried out there.

(8) It shall be sufficient compliance with this section by an employer employing 3 or less employees to observe the terms of a code of practice, if any, relating to safety statements which applies to the class of employment covering the type of work activity carried on by the employer.

(9) Every person to whom section 12 or 15 applies shall prepare a safety statement in accordance with this section to the extent that his or her duties under those sections may apply to persons other than his or her employees.