Public Health (Rodent Control) Regulations 1951

Title 11 Laws of Bermuda Item 1(d) 1989 Revision 1 BERMUDA STATUTORY INSTRUMENT SR&O 42/1951 PUBLIC HEALTH (RODENT CONTROL) REGULATIONS 1951 [made on 7 July 1951 under section 50 of the Public Health Act 1949 [title 11 item 1] and brought into operation on 10 July 1951] ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS 1 Citation 2 Interpretation [omitted] 3 Premises to be kept free of rats 4 Food premises; infestation must be reported 5 Offences 6 Punishment Citation 1 These Regulations may be cited as the Public Health (Rodent Control) Regulations 1951. Interpretation 2 [omitted] Premises to be kept free of rats 3 (1) Every person who is the owner or occupier of any premises shall take, or cause to be taken, all reasonable steps to ensure that the premises are maintained free of rats. (2) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1), the owner or occupier of any premises— (a) shall ensure that the premises are— (i) except as authorized by a Public Health Officer, kept free of accumulations of trash, garbage (otherwise than garbage in covered containers) and other decaying matter; Title 11 Laws of Bermuda Item 1(d) 1989 Revision 2 (ii) kept free of accumulations of debris (including waste, timber, rubbish and rubble) likely to harbour rats; (b) shall ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to rat proof buildings on the premises and to make such buildings inaccessible to rats; (c) shall ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to ensure that any stocks of foodstuffs on the premises (whether such foodstuffs are for human or animal consumption) are stored in such a manner as not to be accessible to rats; (d) shall ensure that all reasonable steps are taken by way of trapping, poisoning or otherwise, to exterminate rats on the premises and to maintain the premises free of rats. Food premises; infestation must be reported 4 (1) Where a person who operates a business involving the storage of food or forage in any premises has reasonable cause to believe that— (a) any food or forage; or (b) any commodity stored together with food or forage; or (c) any container or vehicle in which food or forage is stored; or (d) the premises on which food or forage is stored, is infested with rats, he shall forthwith inform a Public Health Officer in writing of the infestation, and shall, while he continues to store food or forage in those premises, inform a Public Health Officer in writing at intervals not exceeding ninety days, of the state of infestation of the articles or premises mentioned in sub-paragraphs (a) to (d) inclusive, unless a Public Health Officer authorizes him in writing to discontinue such information. (2) In this regulation— Title 11 Laws of Bermuda Item 1(d) 1989 Revision 3 (a) [omitted] (b) "forage" includes all feeding stuffs (Whether natural, artificial, dried or undried) for animals, including birds; (c) "containers" includes sacks, casks, cases and other articles and materials used or intended to be used for containing or packing food or forage; (d) "infested with rats" means habitually visited in substantial numbers by rats or used by rats as a breeding place. Offences 5 Any person who contravenes any of the provisions of these Regulations commits an offence against these Regulations. Punishment 6 Where a person commits an offence against these Regulations: Punishment on summary conviction: a fine of $336 in respect of each offence; and Punishment on summary conviction in the case of a second or subsequent conviction: a fine of $840; and where any such offence as aforesaid is a continuing offence, the person guilty of the offence shall, in addition to any punishment provided in this section, be liable in respect of each day during which the offence continues to a fine of $84.