Legislation statutory interpretation

Macey, J. (1986), Promoting public-regarding legislation through statutory interpretation An interest-group model, Columbia Law Review 86, 223-68. 

The following sections include the relevant sections of the complete Act and indicate those parts of the legislation within the different plant categories to which the inspections provided by the independent engineering inspection companies will conform. It should, however, be appreciated that while the inspections provided will fulfill the statutory requirements for inspection, the actual responsibilities under the various Acts to conform remains the responsibility of the plant owner/user. It must be appreciated that the interpretation of any Act is a matter for the local Health and Safety Inspectorate, who should be consulted at all times if doubt exists as to whether any item of machinery and plant requires inspection to comply with a statutory provision. 

TSCA contains no definition of substantial, nor does its legislative history. And the legislative history does not in any other respect lend any specific support to CMA s position. In these circumstances. Congress is deemed to have implicitly delegated to the EPA the power to define or interpret substantial, and we will sustain the agency s interpretation as long as it is rational and consistent with the statutory scheme and legislative history. ... 

Such interpretations affect the scope of the legislation, and of a civil action for breach of statutory duty. Breach of statutory duty and the tort of negligence are the two most frequent grounds for civil claims following accidents at work. 

Where a statute is not clear on the meaning of words and expressions as set out in specific legislation, and where statutory guides are not available, the common law established through the cases which have come before the courts provides the judge with some rules to follow to enable proper interpretation. 

---