# The Agriculture (Metrication) Regulations 1981 S.I. 1981/1414 · made 1 October 1981 These Regulations amend:— PDFs: Printed copy https://openlegislation.uk/agriculture-metrication-regulations-1981/pdf/uksi_19811414_en.pdf ## Introductory text HEALTH AND SAFETY Made 1st October 1981 Laid before Parliament 13th October 1981 Coming into Operation 13th November 1981 The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 49(1), (2) and (4) and 82(3)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (“the 1974 Act”) and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf and for the purpose of giving effect without modifications to proposals submitted to him by the Health and Safety Commission under section 11(2)(d) of the 1974 Act after the carrying out by the said Commission of consultations in accordance with section 50(3) of that Act, hereby makes the following Regulations:— ## 1 Citation, commencement and interpretation (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Agriculture (Metrication) Regulations 1981 and shall come into operation on 13th November 1981. (2) In these Regulations, “the principal Regulations” mean — the Agriculture (First Aid) Regulations 1957, the Agriculture (Ladders) Regulations 1957, the Agriculture (Power Take-Off) Regulations 1957, the Agriculture (Circular Saws) Regulations 1959, the Agriculture (Safeguarding of Workplaces) Regulations 1959, the Agriculture (Stationary Machinery) Regulations 1959, the Agriculture (Threshers and Balers) Regulations 1960, the Agriculture (Field Machinery) Regulations 1962, the Agriculture (Tractor Cabs) Regulations 1974. ## 2 Amendments to Regulations to substitute metric measurements for imperial measurements (1) The provisions of the Regulations specified in the Schedule to these Regulations in Column 1 shall be amended by substituting for the measurements set out opposite thereto in column 3 the measurements set out in the corresponding entry in Column 4. (2) Where under this Regulation a measurement is required to be substituted in any provision for a measurement which occurs more than once in that provision the substitution shall be made in each place where it occurs. ## 3 Application to existing premises, plant and articles or premises and plant under construction Where any premises, plant or articles in existence or premises or plant under construction immediately before the coming into operation of these Regulations complied with the requirements of the principal Regulations as then in force, then those premises or that plant or article shall be deemed to comply with the principal Regulations as amended by these Regulations. ## Signature Signed by order of the Secretary of State. David Waddington Joint Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Department of Employment 1st October 1981 ## AMENDMENTS TO REGULATIONS 1 2 3 4 Provisions to be amended Subject matter of measurement Present measurement Substituted measurement The Agriculture (First Aid) Regulations 1957 Schedule Part I, Paragraph 2 and Part II, Paragraph 2 (a) minimum length of base of triangular bandage (a) 51 inches (a) 1.3 metres (b) minimum length of sides of triangular bandage (b) 36 inches (b) 920 millimetres Part I, Paragraph 3 and Part II, Paragraph 3 (a) and (b) measurements of waterproof adhesive dressings (a) 1½ inches × 2 inches (a) 38 millimetres × 50 millimetres (b) 2 inches × 3 inches (b) 50 millimetres × 75 millimetres Part I, Paragraph 4 and Part II, Paragraph 4 weight of cotton wool packets half-ounce 15 grams The Agriculture (Ladders) Regulations 1957 Regulation 3(2)(c) (a) maximum distances of tie rod from each end of certain ladders 2 feet 610 millimetres (b) maximum distance between tie rods 8 feet 2.44 metres Regulation 3(2)(e) maximum distance between adjacent rungs of non-trestle ladders 12 inches 305 millimetres The Agriculture (Power Take-Off) Regulations 1957 Regulation 3(2) minimum weight which the shield and cover for take-off is capable of supporting 250 pounds 120 kilograms Regulation 4(1)(b) maximum height from the ground of a power take-off shaft which may be fitted with a `U' guard two feet 600 millimetres Regulation 4(2) minimum depth of guard of power take-off shaft below lowest point of circumference two inches 50 millimetres The Agriculture (Circular Saw) Regulations 1959 Regulation 2(1) interpretation of “circular saw” twelve inches 300 millimetres First Schedule Part I Paragraph 4(a) maximum distance of riving knife from saw blade half an inch 12 millimetres Paragraph 5(1)(a) minimum width of top guard one inch 25 millimetres Paragraph 6(2) (a) maximum distance between bottom guards (a) six inches (a) 150 millimetres (b) minimum extension of bottom guard from edge of saw blade (b) two inches (b) 50 millimetres Paragraph 7(2)(a) minimum width of top guard one inch 25 millimetres Paragraph 7(5) (a) maximum distance between bottom guards (a) six inches (a) 150 millimetres (b) minimum extension of bottom guards from edge of saw blade (b) two inches (b) 50 millimetres The Agriculture (Safeguarding of Workplaces) Regulations 1959 Schedule Part II Paragraph 3(4)(a) maximum height of stairway not requiring handrail 3 feet 920 millimetres Paragraph 4(2) minimum height above highest point of getting on or off steep stairway that hand-hold should extend 3 feet 920 millimetres Paragraph 5(1) maximum depth below aperture in floor before guard rails are required 5 feet 1.5 metres Paragraph 5(1)(b) minimum height of fence for aperture in floor 3 feet 920 millimetres Paragraph 5(1)(c) (a) minimum height of guard rail for aperture in floor (a) 3 feet (a) 920 millimetres (b) maximum height of guard rail for aperture in floor (b) 3 feet 6 inches (b) 1.05 metres Paragraph 5(2) maximum fall before guard rails are required on edge of floor 5 feet 1.5 metres Paragraph 5(2)(a) minimum height of door or fence for edge of floor 3 feet 920 millimetres Paragraph 5(2)(b) (a) minimum height of guard rail for edge of floor (a) 3 feet (a) 920 millimetres (b) maximum height of guard rail for edge of floor (b) 3 feet 6 inches (b) 1.05 metres Paragraph 5(3) maximum fall from aperture in wall before guard rails are required 5 feet 1.5 metres Paragraph 5(3)(a) minimum height of door or fence for aperture in wall 3 feet 920 millimetres Paragraph 5(3)(b) (a) minimum height of guard rail for aperture in wall (a) 3 feet (a) 920 millimetres (b) maximum height of guard rail for aperture in wall (b) 3 feet 6 inches (b) 1.05 metres Paragraph 5(3)(b)(i) maximum height of aperture in wall which may be unguarded 4 feet 1.2 metres Paragraph 5(3)(b)(ii) minimum distance above floor of aperture in wall which may be unguarded 2 feet 600 millimetres Paragraph 5(5) (a) maximum distance of guard rail outside line plumb with the edge of the aperture or floor (a) 10 inches (a) 250 millimetres (b) minimum distance of intermediate rail above floor level (b) 1 foot 6 inches (b) 460 millimetres (c) maximum distance of intermediate rail above floor level (c) 1 foot 9 inches (c) 530 millimetres Paragraph 6(1) maximum fall before guard rails are required on grain pits, stokeholds and furnace pits 5 feet 1.5 metres Paragraph 6(1)(b) minimum height of fence for grain pits, stokeholds and furnace pits 3 feet 920 millimetres Paragraph 6(1)(c) (a) minimum height of guard rail for grain pits, stokeholds and furnace pits (a) 3 feet (a) 920 millimetres (b) maximum height of guard rail for grain pits, stokeholds and furnace pits (b) 3 feet 6 inches (b) 1.05 metres The Agriculture (Stationary Machinery) Regulations 1957 Schedule Part II Paragraph 2(2) minimum distance from workplace of unguarded component 6 feet 6 inches 2 metres Paragraph 2(4) maximum speed of unguarded moving chain or belt 30 feet per minute 0.15 metres per second Paragraph 3(2) minimum distance from workplace of run-on points 6 feet 6 inches 2 metres Paragraph 5(2)(a) minimum distance from workplace of prime mover not provided with stopping device on or near it 6 feet 6 inches 2 metres The Agriculture (Threshers and Balers) Regulations 1960 Schedule Part II Paragraph 4(1) maximum fall before guards required on decks 5 feet 1.5 metres Paragraph 4(1)(b) maximum width of access gap in guard 2 feet 600 millimetres Paragraph 4(2)(b) (a) minimum height above deck for guard (a) 3 feet (a) 920 millimetres (b) maximum height above deck for guard (b) 4 feet (b) 1.2 metres Paragraph 4(2)(c) maximum distance between upright supports of guard 8 feet 2.4 metres Paragraph 8(2) minimum distance from workplace of unguarded component 6 feet 6 inches 2 metres The Agriculture (Field Machinery) Regulations 1962 Schedule I Part II Paragraph 3(4) minimum distance from periphery of guard for rotating parts 1 foot 300 millimetres Paragraph 4(1) (a) minimum horizontal distance of reel from guard for potato spinner (a) 1 foot (a) 300 millimetres (b) minimum distance from ground of guard for potato spinner (b) 2 feet (b) 600 millimetres (c) maximum distance from ground of guard for potato spinner (c) 3 feet (c) 920 millimetres Paragraph 4(2) minimum length of chain saw guard 9 inches 230 millimetres Paragraph 4(5)(b) (a) minimum distance from ground of guard rail for pick-up (a) 18 inches (a) 460 millimetres (b) maximum distance from ground of guard rail for pick-up (b) 3 feet 6 inches (b) 1.05 metres Paragraph 4(5)(c) minimum distance of guard rail from front of pick-up 12 inches 300 millimetres Paragraph 5(1) minimum distance by which reel of cutter bar extends in front of fingers 1 foot 300 millimetres Paragraph 9(4)(a) minimum unladen weight of two-wheel trailer requiring a drawbar jack 10 hundredweight 500 kilograms Paragraph 9(4)(b) minimum downward force exerted by drawbar of unladen two-wheel field machine requiring a drawbar jack 56 pounds 250 newtons Paragraph 9(5) distance from ground of drawbar for calculation of downward force exerted 16 inches 410 millimetres Paragraph 11(2)(a) (a) maximum distance outside platform of toeboards (a) 2 inches (a) 50 millimetres (b) minimum distance above platform of toeboards (b) 3 inches (b) 75 millimetres Paragraph 11(2)(b) (a) minimum distance above platform of guard rail (a) 3 feet (a) 920 millimetres (b) maximum distance above platform of guard rail (b) 3 feet 6 inches (b) 1.05 metres Paragraph 11(2)(b)(i)(c) maximum distance from ground of platform which may be left unguarded if worker could fall clear 2 feet 600 millimetres Paragraph 11(4)(a) minimum height of toeboard at the leading edge of trailer 4 inches 100 millimetres Paragraph 13(2) minimum distance from ground of working position requiring mounting device 21 inches 550 millimetres Paragraph 13(3) maximum distance from ground of mounting step 21 inches 550 millimetres The Agriculture (Tractor Cabs) Regulations 1974 Regulation 2(1) interpretation of “tractor” 11 cwt 560 kilograms ## Explanatory note These Regulations amend:— the Agriculture (First Aid) Regulations 1957, the Agriculture (Ladders) Regulations 1957, the Agriculture (Power Take-Off) Regulations 1957, the Agriculture (Circular Saws) Regulations 1959, the Agriculture (Safeguarding of Workplaces) Regulations 1959, the Agriculture (Stationary Machinery) Regulations 1959, the Agriculture (Threshers and Balers) Regulations 1960, the Agriculture (Field Machinery) Regulations 1962, the Agriculture (Tractor Cabs) Regulations 1974, by substituting amounts or quantities expressed in metric units for amounts or quantities not so expressed. The substituted amounts preserve the effect of the original provisions except to the extent necessary to obtain amounts expressed in convenient and suitable terms. Regulation 3 provides that the amendments do not relate to premises, plant or articles in existence or to premises or plant under construction immediately before the coming into operation of these Regulations if those premises or that plant or article complied with the then existing Regulations. --- Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1981/1414 (the official version) Page: https://openlegislation.uk/agriculture-metrication-regulations-1981 Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.