Part IE+W+S Health (General Provisions)

[F11 Cleanliness.E+W+S

(1)Every factory shall be kept in a clean state and free from effluvia arising from any drain, sanitary convenience or nuisance.

(2)Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of this section,—

(a)accumulations of dirt and refuse shall be removed daily by a suitable method from the floors and benches of workrooms, and from the staircases and passages;

(b)the floor of every workroom shall be cleaned at least once every week by washing or, if it is effective and suitable, by sweeping or other method.

(3)Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of this section but subject to subsection (4) thereof, the following provisions shall apply as respects all inside walls and partitions and all ceilings or tops of rooms, and all walls, sides and tops of passages and staircases, that is to say,—

(a)where they have a smooth impervious surface, they shall at least once in every period of fourteen months be washed with hot water and soap or other suitable detergent or cleaned by such other method as may be approved by the inspector for the district;

(b)where they are kept painted in a prescribed manner or varnished, they shall be repainted in a prescribed manner or revarnished at such intervals of not more than seven years as may be prescribed, and shall at least once in every period of fourteen months be washed with hot water and soap or other suitable detergent or cleaned by such other method as may be approved by the inspector for the district;

(c)in any other case they shall be kept whitewashed or colourwashed and the whitewashing or colourwashing shall be repeated at least once in every period of fourteen months.

(4)Except in a case where the inspector for the district otherwise requires, the provisions of subsection (3) of this section shall not apply to any factory where mechanical power is not used and less than ten persons are employed.

(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2]

[F32 Overcrowding.E+W+S

(1)A factory shall not, while work is carried on, be so overcrowded as to cause risk of injury to the health of the persons employed in it.

(2)Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of this section but subject to subsection (3) thereof, the number of persons employed at a time in any workroom shall not be such that the amount of cubic space allowed for each is less than [F411 cubic metres]].

(3)If the chief inspector is satisfied that, owing to the special conditions under which the work is carried on in any workroom in which explosive materials are manufactured or handled, the application of subsection (2) of this section to that workroom would be inappropriate or unnecessary, he may by certificate except the workroom from that subsection subject to any conditions specified in the certificate.

(4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F5

(5)In calculating for the purposes of this section the amount of cubic space in any room no space more than [F44.2 metres] from the floor shall be taken into account and, where a room contains a gallery, the gallery shall be treated for the purposes of this section as if it were partitioned off from the remainder of the room and formed a separate room.

(6)Unless the inspector for the district otherwise allows, there shall be posted in the workroom a notice specifying the number of persons who, having regard to the provisions of this section, may be employed in that room.

[F63 Temperature.E+W+S

(1)Effective provision shall be made for securing and maintaining a reasonable temperature in each workroom, but no method shall be employed which results in the escape into the air of any workroom of any fume of such a character and to such extent as to be likely to be injurious or offensive to persons employed therein.

(2)In every workroom in which a substantial proportion of the work is done sitting and does not involve serious physical effort a temperature of less than [F716 degrees Celsius]] shall not be deemed, after the first hour, to be a reasonable temperature while work is going on, and at least one thermometer shall be provided and maintained in a suitable position in every such workroom.

(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F8

[F94 Ventilation.E+W+S

(1)Effective and suitable provision shall be made for securing and maintaining by the circulation of fresh air in each workroom the adequate ventilation of the room . . . F10.

(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F11]

[F125 Lighting.E+W+S

(1)Effective provision shall be made for securing and maintaining sufficient and suitable lighting, whether natural or artificial, in every part of a factory in which persons are working or passing.

(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F13

(3)Nothing in the foregoing provisions of this section or in any regulations made thereunder shall be construed as enabling directions to be prescribed or otherwise given as to whether any artificial lighting is to be produced by any particular illuminant.

(4)All glazed windows and skylights used for the lighting of workrooms shall, so far as practicable, be kept clean on both the inner and outer surfaces and free from obstruction; but this subsection shall not affect the whitewashing or shading of windows and skylights for the purpose of mitigating heat or glare.]

[F146 Drainage of floors.E+W+S

Where any process is carried on which renders the floor liable to be wet to such an extent that the wet is capable of being removed by drainage, effective means shall be provided and maintained for draining off the wet.]

[F157 Sanitary Conveniences.E+W+S

(1)Sufficient and suitable sanitary conveniences for the persons employed in the factory shall be provided, maintained and kept clean, and effective provision shall be made for lighting them and, where persons of both sexes are or are intended to be employed (except in the case of factories where the only persons employed are members of the same family dwelling there) the conveniences shall afford proper separate accommodation for persons of each sex.

(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F16]

8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F17E+W+S

9, 10.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F18E+W+S

[F1910A

(1)If an employment medical adviser is of opinion that there ought, on grounds mentioned in subsection (2) below, to be a medical examination of a person or persons employed in a factory, he may serve on the occupier of the factory a written notice stating that he is of that opinion and requiring that the occupier shall permit a medical examination in accordance with this section of the person or persons in question, and the examination shall be permitted accordingly.

(2)The grounds on which a medical examination of a person may be required by an employment medical adviser’s notice under subsection (1) above are that (in the adviser’s opinion) the person’s health has been or is being injured, or it is possible that it has been, is being or will be injured, by reason of the nature of the work he is or has been called upon to do or may (to the adviser’s knowledge) be called upon to do; and a notice under that subsection may be given with respect to one or more named persons or to persons of a class or description specified in the notice.

(3)A notice under subsection (1) above shall name the place where the medical examination is to be conducted and, if it is a place other than the factory, the day on which and the time at which it is to be begun; and—

(a)every person to whom the notice relates shall be informed, as soon as practicable after service thereof, of the contents thereof and of the fact that he is free to attend for the purpose of submitting to the examination; and

(b)if the notice states that the examination is to be conducted at the factory, suitable accommodation thereat shall be provided for the conduct of the examination.

(4)A medical examination conducted in pursuance of a notice under subsection (1) above shall be begun within seven days after the day on which the notice is served, and shall be conducted by, or in accordance with arrangements made by, an employment medical adviser, and take place at a reasonable time during working hours.

(5)An employment medical adviser may, by written notice served on the occupier of a factory, cancel a notice served on the occupier under subsection (1) above; and a notice which relates to two or more named persons may be cancelled either in relation to them all or in relation to any one or more of them.

(6)In this section, “medical examination” includes pathological, physiological and radiological tests and similar investigations.]

[F2011 Power to require medical supervision.E+W+S

(1)Where it appears to the Minister—

(a)that in any factory or class or description of factory—

(i)cases of illness have occurred which he has reason to believe may be due to the nature of a process or other conditions of work; or

(ii)by reason of changes in any process or in the substances used in any process, or by reason of the introduction of any new process or new substance for use in a process, there may be risk of injury to the health of persons employed in that process; or

(iii). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F21

(b)that there may be risk of injury to the health of persons employed in a factory—

(i)from any substance or material brought to the factory to be used or handled therein; or

(ii)from any change in the conditions of work or other conditions in the factory;

he may make special regulations requiring such reasonable arrangements to be made for the medical supervision (not including medical treatment other than first-aid treatment and medical treatment of a preventive character) of the persons, or any class of the persons, employed at that factory or class or description of factory as may be specified in the regulations.

(2)Where the Minister proposes to exercise his powers under this section in relation to a particular factory and for a limited period, he may exercise those powers by order instead of by special regulations, and any such order shall, subject to subsection (3) of this section, cease to have effect at the expiration of such period not exceeding six months from the date when it comes into operation as may be specified in the order.

(3)The Minister may by subsequent order or orders extend the said period, but if the occupier of the factory by notice in writing to him objects to any such extension, the original order shall cease to have effect as from one month after the service of the notice, without prejudice to the making of special regulations in relation to the factory.]

Part IIE+W+S Safety (General Provisions)

[F2212 Prime movers.E+W+S

(1)Every flywheel directly connected to any prime mover and every moving part of any prime mover, except such prime movers as are mentioned in subsection (3) of this section, shall be securely fenced, whether the flywheel or prime mover is situated in an engine-house or not.

(2)The head and tail race of every water wheel and of every water turbine shall be securely fenced.

(3)Every part of electric generators, motors and rotary converters, and every flywheel directly connected thereto, shall be securely fenced unless it is in such a position or of such construction as to be as safe to every person employed or working on the premises as it would be if securely fenced.]

[F2313 Transmission machinery.E+W+S

(1)Every part of the transmission machinery shall be securely fenced unless it is in such a position or of such construction as to be as safe to every person employed or working on the premises as it would be if securely fenced.

(2)Efficient devices or appliances shall be provided and maintained in every room or place where work is carried on by which the power can promptly be cut off from the transmission machinery in that room or place.

(3)No driving belt when not in use shall be allowed to rest or ride upon a revolving shaft which forms part of the transmission machinery.

(4)Suitable striking gear or other efficient mechanical appliances shall be provided and maintained and used to move driving belts to and from fast and loose pulleys which form part of the transmission machinery, and any such gear or appliances shall be so constructed, placed and maintained as to prevent the driving belt from creeping back on to the fast pulley.

[F24(5)Where the Minister is satisfied that owing to special circumstances the fulfilment of any of the requirements of subsections (2) to (4) of this section is unnecessary or impracticable, he may by order direct that that requirement shall not apply in those circumstances.]]

[F2514 Other machinery.E+W+S

(1)Every dangerous part of any machinery, other than prime movers and transmission machinery, shall be securely fenced unless it is in such a position or of such construction as to be as safe to every person employed or working on the premises as it would be if securely fenced.

(2)In so far as the safety of a dangerous part of any machinery cannot by reason of the nature of the operation be secured by means of a fixed guard, the requirements of subsection (1) of this section shall be deemed to have been complied with if a device is provided which automatically prevents the operator from coming into contact with that part.

(3), (4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F26

(5)Any part of a stock-bar which projects beyond the headstock of a lathe shall be securely fenced unless it is in such a position as to be as safe to every person employed or working on the premises as it would be if securely fenced.

(6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F26]

[F2715 Provisions as to unfenced machinery.E+W+S

(1)In determining, for the purposes of the foregoing provisions of this Part of this Act, whether any part of machinery is in such a position or of such construction as to be as safe to every person employed or working on the premises as it would be if securely fenced, the following paragraphs shall apply in a case where this section applies, that is to say—

(a)no account shall be taken of any person carrying out, while the part of machinery is in motion, an examination thereof or any lubrication or adjustment shown by the examination to be immediately necessary, if the examination, lubrication or adjustment can only be carried out while the part of machinery is in motion; and

(b)in the case of any part of transmission machinery used in any such process as may be specified in regulations made by the Minister, being a process where owing to the continuous nature thereof the stopping of that part would seriously interfere with the carrying on of the process, no account shall be taken of any person carrying out, by such methods and in such circumstances as may be specified in the regulations, any lubrication or any mounting or shipping of belts.

(2)This section only applies where the examination, lubrication or other operation is carried out by such . . . F28 persons who have attained the age of eighteen as may be specified in regulations made by the Minister, and all such other conditions as may be so specified are complied with.]

[F2916 Construction and maintenance of fencing.E+W+S

All fencing or other safeguards provided in pursuance of the foregoing provisions of this Part of this Act shall be of substantial construction, and constantly maintained and kept in position while the parts required to be fenced or safeguarded are in motion or use, except when any such parts are necessarily exposed for examination and for any lubrication or adjustment shown by the examination to be immediately necessary, and all such conditions as may be specified in regulations made by the Minister are complied with.]

[F3017 Construction and sale of machinery.E+W+S

(1)In the case of any machine in a factory which is a machine intended to be driven by mechanical power—

(a)every set-screw, bolt or key on any revolving shaft, spindle, wheel or pinion shall be so sunk, encased or otherwise effectively guarded as to prevent danger; and

(b)all spur and other toothed or friction gearing, which does not require frequent adjustment while in motion, shall be completely encased unless it is so situated as to be as safe as it would be if completely encased.

(2)Any person who sells or lets on hire, or as agent of the seller or hirer causes or procures to be sold or let on hire, for use in a factory in the United Kingdom any machine intended to be driven by mechanical power which does not comply with the requirements of this section shall be guilty of an offence . . . F31.

(3)—(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F32

(6)Nothing in this section applies to any machine constructed before the thirtieth day of July, nineteen hundred and thirty-seven, and regulations under subsection (3) of this section shall not apply to any machinery or plant constructed before the making of the regulations.]

[F3318 Dangerous substances.E+W+S

(1)Every fixed vessel, structure, sump or pit of which the edge is less than [F34920 millimetres]] above the highest ground or platform from which a person might fall into it shall, if it contains any scalding, corrosive or poisonous liquid, either be securely covered or be securely fenced to at least [F34920 millimetres] above that ground or platform, or where by reason of the nature of the work neither secure covering nor secure fencing to that height is practicable, all practicable steps shall be taken by covering, fencing or other means to prevent any person from falling into the vessel, structure, sump or pit.

(2)Where any fixed vessel, structure, sump or pit contains any scalding, corrosive or poisonous liquid but is not securely covered, no ladder, stair or gangway shall be placed above, across or inside it which is not—

(a)at least [F34460 millimetres] wide, and

(b)securely fenced on both sides to a height of at least [F34920 millimetres] and securely fixed.

(3)Where any such vessels, structures, sump or pits as are mentioned in subsection (2) of this section adjoin, and the space between them, clear of any surrounding brick or other work, is less than [F34460 millimetres] in width or is not securely fenced on both sides to a height of at least [F34920 millimetres], secure barriers shall be so placed as to prevent passage between them.

(4)For the purposes of this section a ladder, stair or gangway shall not be deemed to be securely fenced unless it is provided either with sheet fencing or with an upper and a lower rail and toe boards.

(5), (6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F35

[F3619 Self-acting machines.E+W+S

(1)In any factory or part of a factory to which this subsection applies no traversing part of any self-acting machine and no material carried theron shall, if the space over which it runs is a space over which any person is liable to pass, whether in the course of his employment or otherwise, be allowed on its outward or inward traverse to run within a distance of [F37500 millimetres]] from any fixed structure which is not part of the machine; but nothing in this subsection shall prevent any portion of the traversing carriage of any self-acting spinning mule being allowed to run to a point [F38310 millimetres] distant from any part of the head stock of another such machine.

(2)Subsection (1) of this section applies—

(a)to any factory erected after the thirty-first day of December, eighteen hundred and ninety-five; and

(b)to any factory or part of a factory reconstructed after the thirtieth day of July, nineteen hundred and thirty-seven; and

(c)to any extension of or addition to a factory made after the said thirtieth day of July.

(3)All practicable steps shall be taken by instructions to the person in charge of the machine and otherwise to ensure that no person employed shall be in the space between any traversing part of a self-acting spinning mule and any fixed part of the machine towards which the traversing part moves on the inward run, except when the machine is stopped with the traversing part on the outward run.

20 Cleaning of machinery by young persons.E+W+S

A . . . F39 young person shall not clean any part of a prime mover or of any transmission machinery while the prime mover or transmission machinery is in motion, and shall not clean any part of any machine if the cleaning thereof would expose the . . . F39 young person to risk of injury from any moving part either of that machine or of any adjacent machinery.

21 Training and supervision of young persons working at dangerous machines.E+W+S

(1)No young person shall work at any machine to which this section applies, unless he has been fully instructed as to the dangers arising in connection with it and the precautions to be observed, and—

(a)has received a sufficient training in work at the machine; or

(b)is under adequate supervision by a person who has a thorough knowledge and experience of the machine.

(2)This section applies to such machines as may be prescribed by the Minister, being machines which in his opinion are of such a dangerous character that young persons ought not to work at them unless the foregoing requirements are complied with.

22 Hoists and lifts—general.E+W+S

(1)Every hoist or lift shall be of good mechanical construction, sound material and adequate strength, and shall be properly maintained.

[F40(2)Every hoist or lift shall be thoroughly examined by a competent person at least once in every period of six months and a record of every such thorough examination and of the results thereof, containing the particulars required by the Lifting Plant and Equipment (Records of Test and Examination etc.) Regulations 1992, shall be made within twenty-eight days, and any such record shall be kept and the particulars in it shall be available for inspection as if it formed part of the general register.]

[F41(3)Where the thorough examination shows that the hoist or lift cannot continue to be used with safety unless certain repairs are carried out immediately or within a specified time, the person who authenticates the record shall within twenty-eight days of the completion of the thorough examination send a copy of the particulars contained in the record to an inspector appointed by the Health and Safety Executive under section 19 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 who is authorised for the purposes of this provision.]

(4)Every hoistway or liftway shall be efficiently protected by a substantial enclosure fitted with gates, and the enclosure shall be such as to prevent, when the gates are shut, any person falling down the way or coming into contact with any moving part of the hoist or lift.

(5)Any such gate shall, subject to subsection (6) of this section and to section twenty-five of this Act, be fitted with efficient interlocking or other devices to secure that the gate cannot be opened except when the cage or platform is at the landing and that the cage or platform cannot be moved away from the landing until the gate is closed.

(6)If in the case of a hoist or lift constructed or reconstructed before the thirtieth day of July, nineteen hundred and thirty-seven, it is not reasonably practicable to fit it with such devices as are mentioned in subsection (5) of this section, it shall be sufficient if the gate—

(a)is provided with such arrangements as will secure the objects of that subsection so far as is reasonably practicable, and

(b)is kept closed and fastened except when the cage or platform is at rest at the landing.

(7)Every hoist or lift and every such enclosure as is mentioned in subsection (4) of this section shall be so constructed as to prevent any part of any person or any goods carried in the hoist or lift from being trapped between any part of the hoist or lift and any fixed structure or between the counterbalance weight and any other moving part of the hoist or lift.

(8)There shall be marked conspicuously on every hoist or lift the maximum working load which it can safely carry, and no load greater than that load shall be carried on any hoist or lift.

23 Hoists and lifts used for carrying persons.E+W+S

(1)The following additional requirements shall apply to hoists and lifts used for carrying persons, whether together with goods or otherwise:—

(a)efficient automatic devices shall be provided and maintained to prevent the cage or platform overrunning;

(b)every cage shall on each side from which access is afforded to a landing be fitted with a gate, and in connection with every such gate efficient devices shall be provided to secure that, when persons or goods are in the cage, the cage cannot be raised or lowered unless the gate is closed, and will come to rest when the gate is opened.

(2)In the case of a hoist or lift constructed or reconstructed before the thirtieth day of July, nineteen hundred and thirty-seven, in connection with which it is not reasonably practicable to provide such devices as are mentioned in paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section it shall be sufficient if—

(a)such arrangements are provided as will secure the objects of that paragraph so far as is reasonably practicable; and

(b)the gate is kept closed and fastened except when the cage is at rest or empty.

(3)In the case of a hoist or lift used as mentioned in subsection (1) of this section which was constructed or reconstructed after the twenty-ninth day of July, nineteen hundred and thirty-seven, where the platform or cage is suspended by rope or chain, there shall be at least two ropes or chains separately connected with the platform or cage, each rope or chain and its attachments being capable of carrying the whole weight of the platform or cage and its maximum working load, and efficient devices shall be provided and maintained which will support the platform or cage with its maximum working load in the event of a breakage of the ropes or chains or any of their attachments.

24 Teagle openings and similar doorways.E+W+S

(1)Every teagle opening or similar doorway used for hoisting or lowering goods or materials, whether by mechanical power or otherwise, shall be securely fenced and shall be provided with a secure hand-hold on each side.

(2)The fencing shall be properly maintained and shall, except when the hoisting or lowering of goods or materials is being carried on at the opening or doorway, be kept in position.

25 Exceptions and provisions supplementary to ss. 22–24.E+W+S

(1)For the purposes of sections twenty-two and twenty-three of this Act, no lifting machine or appliance shall be deemed to be a hoist or lift unless it has a platform or cage the direction of movement of which is restricted by a guide or guides.

(2)Subsections (3) to (8) of section twenty-two and section twenty-three of this Act shall not apply in the case of a continuous hoist or lift, and in such a case subsection (2) of the said section twenty-two shall have effect as if for the reference to six months there were substituted a reference to twelve months.

(3)Subsections (5) and (6) of the said section twenty-two and the said section twenty-three shall not apply in the case of a hoist or lift not connected with mechanical power; and in such a case—

(a)subsection (2) of the said section twenty-two shall have effect as if for the reference to six months there were substituted a reference to twelve months; and

(b)any gates to be fitted under subsection (4) of the said section twenty-two shall be kept closed and fastened except when the cage or platform is at rest at the landing.

(4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F42

26 Chains, ropes and lifting tackle.E+W+S

(1)The following provisions shall be complied with as respects every chain, rope or lifting tackle used for the purpose of raising or lowering persons, goods or materials:—

(a)no chain, rope or lifting tackle shall be used unless it is of good construction, sound material, adequate strength and free from patent defect;

(b)subject to subsection (2) of this section, a table showing the safe working loads of every kind and size of chain, rope or lifting tackle in use, and, in the case of a multiple sling, the safe working load at different angles of the legs, shall be posted in the store in which the chains, ropes or lifting tackle are kept, and in prominent positions on the premises, and no chain, rope or lifting tackle not shown in the table shall be used;

(c)no chain, rope or lifting tackle shall be used for any load exceeding its safe working load as shown by the table mentioned in paragraph (b) of this subsection or marked as mentioned in subsection (2) of this section;

(d)all chains, ropes and lifting tackle in use shall be thoroughly examined by a competent person at least once in every period of six months or at such greater intervals as the Minister may prescribe;

[F43(e)no chain, rope or lifting tackle, except a fibre rope or a fibre rope sling, shall be taken into use in any factory for the first time in that factory, unless it has been tested and thoroughly examined by a competent person and a record of the test and thorough examination and of the results thereof, containing the particulars required by the Lifting Plant and Equipment (Records of Test and Examination etc.) Regulations 1992, has been obtained and the particulars in that record are kept available for inspection;]

(f)every chain and lifting tackle except a rope sling shall, unless of a class or description exempted by certificate of the chief inspector upon the ground that it is made of such material or so constructed that it cannot be subjected to heat treatment without risk of damage or that it has been subjected to some form of heat treatment (other than annealing) approved by him, be annealed at least once in every fourteen months or, in the case of chains or slings of [F4413 millimetres] bar or smaller, or chains used in connection with molten metal or molten slag, in every six months, except that chains and lifting tackle not in regular use need be annealed only when necessary;

[F45(g)a record containing the particulars required by the Lifting Plant and Equipment (Records of Test and Examination etc.) Regulations 1992, shall be kept in respect of all such chains, ropes or lifting tackle, except fibre rope slings.]

(2)Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section shall not apply in relation to any lifting tackle if its safe working load or, in the case of a multiple sling, the safe working load at different angles of the legs is plainly marked upon it.

(3)In this section “lifting tackle” means chain slings, rope slings, rings, hooks, shackles and swivels.

27 Cranes and other lifting machines.E+W+S

(1)All parts and working gear, whether fixed or moveable, including the anchoring and fixing appliances, of every lifting machine shall be of good construction, sound material, adequate strength and free from patent defect, and shall be properly maintained.

[F46(2)All such parts and gear shall be thoroughly examined by a competent person at least once in every period of fourteen months and a record shall be kept of every such thorough examination and of the results thereof, containing the particulars required by the Lifting Plant and Equipment (Records of Test and Examination etc.) Regulations 1992, and where the thorough examination shows that the lifting machine can not continue to be used with safety unless certain repairs are carried out immediately or within a specified time, the person who authenticates the record shall within twenty-eight days of the completion of the thorough examination send a copy of the particulars in the record to an inspector appointed by the Health and Safety Executive under section 19 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 who is authorised for the purposes of this provision.]

(3)All rails on which a travelling crane moves and every track on which the carriage of a transporter or runway moves shall be of proper size and adequate strength and have an even running surface; and any such rails or track shall be properly laid, adequately supported or suspended and properly maintained.

(4)There shall be plainly marked on every lifting machine its safe working load or loads, except that in the case of a jib crane so constructed that the safe working load may be varied by the raising or lowering of the jib, there shall be attached thereto either an automatic indicator of safe working loads or a table indicating the safe working loads at corresponding inclinations of the jib or corresponding radii of the load.

(5)No lifting machine shall, except for the purpose of a test, be loaded beyond the safe working load as marked or indicated under subsection (4) of this section.

(6)No lifting machine shall be taken into use in any factory for the first time in that factory unless it has been tested and all such parts and working gear of the machine as are specified in subsection (1) of this section have been thoroughly examined by a competent person and a [F47record of the test and thorough examination and of the results thereof, containing the particulars required by the Lifting Plant and Equipment (Records of Test and Examination etc.) Regulations 1992, has been obtained and the particulars in that record are kept available for inspection.]

(7)If any person is employed or working on or near the wheel-track of an overhead travelling crane in any place where he would be liable to be struck by the crane, effective measures shall be taken by warning the driver of the crane or otherwise to ensure that the crane does not approach within [F486 metres] of that place.

(8)If any person is employed or working otherwise than mentioned in subsection (7) of this section but in a place above floor level where he would be liable to be struck by an overhead travelling crane, or by any load carried by such a crane, effective measures shall be taken to warn him of the approach of the crane, unless his work is so connected with or dependent on the movements of the crane as to make a warning unnecessary.

(9)In this section “lifting machine” means a crane, crab, winch, teagle, pulley block, gin wheel, transporter or runway.

[F4928 Floors, passages and stairs.E+W+S

(1)All floors, steps, stairs, passages and gangways shall be of sound construction and properly maintained and shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, be kept free from any obstruction and from any substance likely to cause persons to slip.

(2)For every staircase in a building or affording a means of exit from a building, a substantial hand-rail shall be provided and maintained, which, if the staircase has an open side, shall be on that side, and in the case of a staircase having two open sides or of a staircase which, owing to the nature of its construction or the condition of the surface of the steps or other special circumstances, is specially liable to cause accidents, such a hand-rail shall be provided and maintained on both sides.

(3)Any open side of a staircase shall also be guarded by the provision and maintenance of a lower rail or other effective means.

(4)All openings in floors shall be securely fenced, except in so far as the nature of the work renders such fencing impracticable.

(5)All ladders shall be soundly constructed and properly maintained.]

[F5029 Safe means of access and safe place of employment.E+W+S

(1)There shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, be provided and maintained safe means of access to every place at which any person has at any time to work, and every such place shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, be made and kept safe for any person working there.

(2)Where any person has to work at a place from which he will be liable to fall a distance more than [F512 metres]], then, unless the place is one which affords secure foothold and, where necessary, secure hand-hold, means shall be provided, so far as is reasonably practicable, by fencing or otherwise, for ensuring his safety.

30 Dangerous fumes and lack of oxygen.E+W+S

(1)The provisions of subsections (2) to (8) of this section shall have effect where work in any factory has to be done inside any chamber, tank, vat, pit, pipe, flue or similar confined space, in which dangerous fumes are liable to be present to such an extent as to involve risk of persons being overcome thereby.

(2)The confined space shall, unless there is other adequate means of egress, be provided with a manhole, which may be rectangular, oval or circular in shape, and shall be not less than [F52460 millimetres] long and [F52410 millimetres] wide or (if circular) not less than [F52460 millimetres] in diameter, or in the case of tank wagons and other mobile plant, not less than [F52410 millimetres] long and [F52360 millimetres] wide or (if circular) not less than [F52410 millimetres] in diameter.

(3)Subject to subsection (4) of this section, no person shall enter or remain in the confined space for any purpose unless he is wearing a suitable breathing apparatus and has been authorised to enter by a responsible person, and, where practicable, he is wearing a belt with a rope securely attached and a person keeping watch outside and capable of pulling him out is holding the free end of the rope.

(4)Where the confined space has been certified by a responsible person as being, for a specified period, safe for entry without breathing apparatus and the period so specified has not expired, subsection (3) of this section shall not apply, but no person shall enter or remain in the space unless he has been warned when that period will expire.

(5)A confined space shall not be certified under subsection (4) of this section unless—

(a)effective steps have been taken to prevent any ingress of dangerous fumes; and

(b)any sludge or other deposit liable to give off dangerous fumes has been removed and the space contains no other material liable to give off dangerous fumes; and

(c)the space has been adequately ventilated and tested for dangerous fumes and has a supply of air adequate for respiration;

but no account shall be taken for the purposes of paragraph (b) of this subsection of any deposit or other material liable to give off dangerous fumes in insignificant quantities only.

(6)There shall be provided and kept readily available a sufficient supply of [F53suitable breathing apparatus], of belts and ropes, and of suitable reviving apparatus and oxygen, and the apparatus, belts and ropes shall be maintained and shall be thoroughly examined, at least once a month or at such other intervals as may be prescribed, by a competent person; and a report on every such examination, signed by the person making the examination and containing the prescribed particulars, shall be kept available for inspection.

(7)A sufficient number of the persons employed shall be trained and practised in the use of the apparatus mentioned in subsection (6) of this section and in a method of restoring respiration.

(8)The chief inspector may by certificate grant, subject to any conditions specified in the certificate, exemption from compliance with any of the requirements of the foregoing provisions of this section in any case where he is satisfied that compliance with those requirements is unnecessary or impracticable.

(9)No person shall enter or remain in any confined space in which the proportion of oxygen in the air is liable to have been substantially reduced unless either—

(a)he is wearing a suitable breathing apparatus; or

(b)the space has been and remains adequately ventilated and a responsible person has tested and certified it as safe for entry without breathing apparatus.

(10)No work shall be permitted in any boiler-furnace or boiler-flue until it has been sufficiently cooled by ventilation or otherwise to make work safe for the persons employed.

31 Precautions with respect to explosive or inflammable dust, gas, vapour or substance.E+W+S

(1)Where, in connection with any grinding, sieving, or other process giving rise to dust, there may escape dust of such a character and to such an extent as to be liable to explode on ignition, all practicable steps shall be taken to prevent such an explosion by enclosure of the plant used in the process, and by removal or prevention of accumulation of any dust that may escape in spite of the enclosure, and by exclusion or effective enclosure of possible sources of ignition.

(2)Where there is present in any plant used in any such process as aforesaid dust of such a character and to such an extent as to be liable to explode on ignition, then, unless the plant is so constructed as to withstand the pressure likely to be produced by any such explosion, all practicable steps shall be taken to restrict the spread and effects of such an explosion by the provision, in connection with the plant, of chokes, baffles and vents, or other equally effective appliances.

(3)Where any part of a plant contains any explosive or inflammable gas or vapour under pressure greater than atmospheric pressure, that part shall not be opened, except in accordance with the following provisions:—

(a)before the fastening of any joint of any pipe connected with the part of the plant or the fastening of the cover of any opening into the part is loosened, any flow of the gas or vapour into the part or into any such pipe shall be effectively stopped by a stop-valve or otherwise;

(b)before any such fastening is removed, all practicable steps shall be taken to reduce the pressure of the gas or vapour in the pipe or part of the plant to atmospheric pressure;

and if any such fastening has been loosened or removed, no explosive or inflammable gas or vapour shall be allowed to enter the pipe or part of the plant until the fastening has been secured or, as the case may be, securely replaced; but nothing in this subsection applies to a plant installed in the open air.

(4)No plant, tank or vessel which contains or has contained any explosive or inflammable substance shall be subjected—

(a)to any welding, brazing or soldering operation;

(b)to any cutting operation which involves the application of heat; or

(c)to any operation involving the application of heat for the purpose of taking apart or removing the plant, tank or vessel or any part of it;

until all practicable steps have been taken to remove the substance and any fumes arising from it, or to render them non-explosive or non-inflammable; and if any plant, tank or vessel has been subjected to any such operation, no explosive or inflammable substance shall be allowed to enter the plant, tank or vessel until the metal has cooled sufficiently to prevent any risk of igniting the substance.

(5)The chief inspector may by certificate grant, subject to any conditions specified in the certificate, exemption from compliance with any of the requirements of subsections (3) and (4) of this section in any case where he is satisfied that compliance with the requirement is unnecessary or impracticable.

[F5432 Steam boilers—attachments and construction.E+W+S

(1)Subject to subsection (3) of this section, every steam boiler, whether separate or one of a range,—

(a)shall have attached to it the devices mentioned in subsection (2) of this section;

(b)shall be provided with means for attaching a test pressure gauge; and

(c)shall, unless externally fired, be provided with a suitable fusible plug or an efficient low-water alarm device.

(2)The devices referred to in subsection (1) of this section are—

(a)a suitable safety valve, separate from any stop-valve, which shall be so adjusted as to prevent the boiler being worked at a pressure greater than the maximum permissible working pressure and shall be fixed directly to, or as close as practicable to, the boiler;

(b)a suitable stop-valve connecting the boiler to the steam pipe;

(c)a correct steam pressure gauge connected to the steam space and easily visible by the boilder attendant, which shall indicate the pressure of steam in the boiler . . . F55, and have marked on it in a distinctive colour the maximum permissible working pressure;

(d)at least one water gauge of transparent material or other type approved by the chief inspector to show the water level in the boiler, together, if the gauge is of the glass tubular type and the working pressure of the boiler normally exceeds [F562·75 bars,] with an efficient guard provided so as not to obstruct the reading of the gauge;

(e)where the boiler is one of two or more boilers, a plate bearing a distinctive number which shall be easily visible.

(3)Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of this section shall not apply with respect to economisers, and paragraphs (c), (d) and (e) of that subsection and paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (1) of this section shall not apply with respect to either economisers or superheaters

(4)For the purposes of the foregoing provisions of this section, a lever-valve shall not be deemed a suitable safety valve unless the weight is secured on the lever in the correct position.

(5)Every part of every steam boiler shall be of good construction, sound material and adequate strength, and free from patent defect.]

[F5733 Steam boilers—maintenance, examination and use.E+W+S

(1)Every steam boiler and all its fittings and attachments shall be properly maintained.

(2)A steam boiler shall not be used in any factory unless it has been examined, together with its fittings and attachments, in such manner as the Minister may by [F58regulations] prescribe and no greater period than may be so prescribed has elapsed since the examination, but the regulations may provide for extending in special circumstances the time during which a boiler which has been examined as required by the regulations may be used in a factory without being again so examined.

(3)The Minister may by special regulations prescribe the manner in which a steam boiler, together with its fittings and attachments, is to be examined after any such repairs as may be specified in the regulations; and where such repairs are carried out to a steam boiler after it has been examined under subsection (2) of this section, then, notwithstanding that the period prescribed under that subsection has not expired, the steam boiler shall not be used in any factory until the examination prescribed under this subsection has been made.

(4)A report of the result of every examination under this section in the prescribed form and containing the prescribed particulars (including the maximum permissible working pressure) shall as soon as practicable and in any case within twenty-eight days, or such other period as the Minister may by special regulations prescribe, after the completion of the examination, be entered in or attached to the general register, and the report shall be signed by the person making the examination, and if that person is an inspector of a boiler-inspecting company or association, countersigned by the chief engineer of the company or association or by such other responsible officer of the company or association as may be authorised in writing in that behalf by the chief engineer.

(5)No new steam boiler shall be taken into use unless there has been obtained from the manufacturer of the boiler, or from a boiler-inspecting company or association, a certificate specifying its maximum permissible working pressure, and stating the nature of the tests to which the boiler and fittings have been submitted, and the certificate is kept available for inspection, and the boiler is so marked as to enable it to be identified as the boiler to which the certificate relates.

(6)Where the report of any examination under this section specifies conditions for securing the safe working of a steam boiler, the boiler shall not be used except in accordance with those conditions.

(7)The person making the report of an examination under this section or, in the case of a boiler-inspecting company or association, the chief engineer thereof, shall within twenty-eight days, or such other period as the Minister may by special regulations prescribe, after the completion of the examination send to the inspector for the district a copy of the report in every case where the maximum permissible working pressure is reduced, or the examination shows that the boiler cannot continue to be used with safety unless certain repairs are carried out immediately or within a specified time.

(8)If the person employed to make any such examination fails to make a thorough examination as required by this section or makes a report which is false or deficient in any material particular, or if the chief engineer of any boiler-inspecting company or association permits any such report to be made, he shall be guilty of an offence . . . F59, and if any such person or chief engineer fails to send to the inspector for the district a copy of any report as required by subsection (7) of this section, he shall be guilty of an offence.

(9)If the chief inspector is not satisfied as to the competency of the person employed to make the examination or as to the thoroughness of the examination, he may require the boiler to be re-examined by a person nominated by him, and the occupier shall give the necessary facilities for the re-examination.

(10)If as a result of the re-examination it appears that the report of the examination was inadequate or inaccurate in any material particular, the cost of the re-examination shall be recoverable from the occupier, and the report of the re-examination purporting to be signed by the person making it shall be admissible in evidence of the facts stated therein.

(11)Any sum recoverable under subsection (10) of this section shall, in England and Wales, be recoverable summarily as a civil debt.]

34 Steam boilers—restrictions on entry.E+W+S

No person shall enter or be in any steam boiler which is one of a range of two or more steam boilers unless—

(a)all inlets through which steam or hot water might otherwise enter the boiler from any other part of the range are disconnected from that part; or

(b)all valves or taps controlling the entry of steam or hot water are closed and securely locked, and, where the boiler has a blow-off pipe in common with one or more other boilers or delivering into a common blow-off vessel or sump, the blow-off valve or tap on each such boiler is so constructed that it can only be opened by a key which cannot be removed until the valve or tap is closed and is the only key in use for that set of blow-off valves or taps.

[F6035 Steam receivers and steam containers.E+W+S

(1)Every steam receiver, not so constructed and maintained as to withstand with safety the maximum permissible working pressure of the boiler or the maximum pressure which can be obtained in the pipe connecting the receiver with any other source of supply, shall be fitted with—

(a)a suitable reducing valve or other suitable automatic appliance to prevent the safe working pressure being exceeded; and

(b)a suitable safety valve so adjusted as to permit the steam to escape as soon as the safe working pressure is exceeded, or a suitable appliance for cutting off automatically the supply of steam as soon as the safe working pressure is exceeded; and

(c)a correct steam pressure gauge, which must indicate the pressure of steam in the receiver . . . F61; and

(d)a suitable stop valve; and

(e)except where only one steam receiver is in use, a plate bearing a distinctive number which shall be easily visible.

(2)The safety valve and pressure gauge shall be fitted either on the steam receiver or on the supply pipe between the receiver and the reducing valve or other appliance to prevent the safe working pressure being exceeded.

(3)Where any set of receivers is supplied with steam through a single pipe and the reducing valve or other appliance required by paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section is fitted on that pipe, the set shall be treated as one receiver for the purposes of paragraphs (a) to (c) of subsection (1) and for the purposes of subsection (2) of this section, and if the set forms part of a single machine, also for the purposes of paragraph (d) of the said subsection (1).

(4)Every part of every steam receiver shall be of good construction, sound material, adequate strength and free from patent defect.

(5)Every steam receiver and its fittings shall be properly maintained, and shall be throughly examined by a competent person, so far as the construction of the receiver permits, at least once in every period of twenty-six months.

(6)A report of the result of every such examination containing the prescribed particulars (including particulars of the safe working pressure) shall be entered in or attached to the general register.

(7)Every steam container shall be so maintained as to secure that the outlet is at all times kept open and free from obstruction.

(8)In this section—

• “safe working pressure” means, in the case of a new steam receiver, that specified by the maker, and in the case of a steam receiver which has been examined in accordance with the provisions of this section, that specified in the report of the last examination;

• “steam receiver” means any vessel or apparatus (other than a steam boiler, steam container, a steam pipe or coil, or a part of a prime mover) used for containing steam under pressure greater than atmospheric pressure;

• “steam container” means any vessel (other than a steam pipe or coil) constructed with a permanent outlet into the atmosphere or into a space where the pressure does not exceed atmospheric pressure, and through which steam is passed at atmospheric pressure or at approximately that pressure for the purpose of heating, boiling, drying, evaporating or other similar purpose.]

[F6236 Air receivers.E+W+S

(1)Every air receiver—

(a)shall have marked on it so as to be plainly visible the safe working pressure; and

(b)if it is connected with an air compressing plant, shall either be so constructed as to withstand with safety the maximum pressure that can be obtained in the compressor, or be fitted with a suitable reducing valve or other suitable appliance to prevent the safe working pressure of the receiver being exceeded; and

(c)shall be fitted with a suitable safety valve so adjusted as to permit the air to escape as soon as the safe working pressure is exceeded; and

(d)shall be fitted with a correct pressure gauge indicating the pressure in the receiver . . . F63; and

(e)shall be fitted with a suitable appliance for draining the receiver; and

(f)shall be provided with a suitable manhole, handhole, or other means which will allow the interior to be thoroughly cleaned; and

(g)in a case where more than one receiver is in use in the factory, shall bear a distinguishing mark which shall be easily visible.

(2)For the purposes of the provisions of subsection (1) of this section relating to safety valves and pressure gauges, any set of air receivers supplied with air through a single pipe may be treated as one receiver but, where a suitable reducing valve or other suitable appliance to prevent the safe working pressure being exceeded is required to be fitted, only if the valve or appliance is fitted on that pipe.

(3)Every air receiver and its fittings shall be of sound construction and properly maintained.

(4)Every air receiver shall be thoroughly cleaned and examined at least once in every period of twenty-six months, except that in the case of a receiver of solid drawn construction—

(a)the person making any such examination may specify in writing a period exceeding twenty-six months but not exceeding four years within which the next examination is to be made; and

(b)if it is so constructed that the internal surface cannot be thoroughly examined, a suitable hydraulic test of the receiver shall be carried out in lieu of internal examination.

(5)Every such examination and test shall be carried out by a competent person, and a report of the result of every such examination and test, containing the prescribed particulars (including particulars of the safe working pressure) shall be entered in or attached to the general register.

(6)In this section “air receiver” means—

(a)any vessel (other than a pipe or coil, or an accessory, fitting or part of a compressor) for containing compressed air and connected with an air compressing plant; or

(b)any fixed vessel for containing compressed air or compressed exhaust gases and used for the purpose of starting an internal combustion engine; or

(c)any fixed or portable vessel (not being part of a spraying pistol) used for the purpose of spraying by means of compressed air any paint, varnish, lacquer or similar material; or

(d)any vessel in which oil is stored and from which it is forced by compressed air;

but paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to any such vessel as is mentioned in paragraph (c) or paragraph (d) of this subsection.]

37 Exceptions as to steam boilers, steam receivers and containers, and air receivers.E+W+S

(1)[F64Sections thirty-two to thirty-four][F64section thirty-four] of this Act do not apply to any boiler belonging to or exclusively used in the service of Her Majesty or belonging to and used by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, or to the boiler of any ship or of any locomotive which belongs to and is used by any railway company.

(2)The chief inspector may by certificate except from any of the provisions of sections [F65thirty-two to thirty-six][F65section thirty-four] of this Act any class or type of steam boiler, [F66steam receiver, steam container or air receiver] to which he is satisfied that the provision cannot reasonably be applied.

(3)Any such exception may be unqualified or may be subject to such conditions as may be contained in the certificate.

38 Steam boilers—supplementary provisions.E+W+S

In this Part of this Act “steam boiler” means any closed vessel in which for any purpose steam is generated under pressure greater than atmospheric pressure, and includes any economiser used to heat water being fed to any such vessel, and any superheater used for heating steam; [F67and “ maximum permissible working pressure” in relation to any steam boiler, means (except in subsections (4) and (5) of section thirty-three) that specified in the report of the last examination under that section].

39 Precautions as respects water-sealed gasholders.E+W+S

(1)Every gasholder shall be of sound construction and shall be properly maintained.

(2)Every gasholder shall be thoroughly examined externally by a competent person at least once in every period of two years, and a record containing the prescribed particulars of every such examination shall be entered in or attached to the general register.

(3)In the case of a gasholder of which any lift has been in use for more than twenty years, the internal state of the sheeting shall at least once in every period of ten years, be examined by a competent person by cutting samples from the crown and sides of the holder or by other sufficient means and all samples so cut and a report on every such examination signed by the person making it shall be kept available for inspection.

(4)A record signed by the occupier of the factory or by a responsible official authorised in that behalf showing the date of the construction, as nearly as it can be ascertained, of the oldest lift of every gasholder in the factory shall be kept available for inspection.

(5)Where there is more than one gasholder in the factory, every gasholder shall be marked in a conspicuous position with a distinguishing number or letter.

(6)No gasholder shall be repaired or demolished except under the direct supervision of a person who, by his training and experience and his knowledge of the necessary precautions against risks of explosion and of persons being overcome by gas, is competent to supervise such work.

(7)In this section “gas holder” means a water-sealed gasholder which has a storage capacity of not less than [F68140 cubic metres].

40—52.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F69E+W+S

53—55.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F70E+W+S

56 Application of Part II to Scotland.E+W+S

In the application of this Part of this Act to Scotland, for any reference to a magistrates’ court there shall be substituted a reference to the sheriff, for any reference to a complaint a reference to a summary application, . . . F71

Part IIIE+W+S Welfare (General Provisions)

[F7257 Supply of drinking water.E+W+S

(1)There shall be provided and maintained at suitable points conveniently accessible to all persons employed an adequate supply of wholesome drinking water from a public main or from some other source approved in writing by the district council.

(2)A supply of drinking water which is not laid on shall be contained in suitable vessels, and shall be renewed at least daily, and all practicable steps shall be taken to preserve the water and vessels from contamination; and a drinking water supply (whether laid on or not) shall, in such cases as the inspector for the district may direct, be clearly marked “Drinking Water".

(3)Except where the water is delivered in an upward jet from which employed persons can conveniently drink, one or more suitable cups or drinking vessels shall be provided at each point of supply with facilities for rinsing them in drinking water.

(4)The approval required under subsection (1) of this section shall not be withheld except on the ground that the water is not wholesome.]

[F7358 Washing facilities.E+W+S

(1)There shall be provided and maintained for the use of employed persons adequate and suitable facilities for washing which shall include a supply of clean running hot and cold or warm water and, in addition, soap and clean towels or other suitable means of cleaning or drying; and the facilities shall be conveniently accessible and shall be kept in a clean and orderly condition.

(2)—(4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F74]

[F7559 Accommodation for clothing.E+W+S

(1)There shall be provided and maintained for the use of employed persons adequate and suitable accommodation for clothing not worn during working hours; and such arrangements as are reasonably practicable or, when a standard is prescribed, such arrangements as are laid down thereby shall be made for drying such clothing.

(2), (3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F76]

[F7760 Sitting facilities.E+W+S

(1)Where any employed persons have in the course of their employment reasonable opportunities for sitting without detriment to their work, there shall be provided and maintained for their use suitable facilities for sitting sufficient to enable them to take advantage of those opportunities.

(2)Where a substantial proportion of any work can properly be done sitting—

(a)there shall be provided and maintained for any employed person doing that work a seat of a design, construction and dimensions suitable for him and the work, together with a foot-rest on which he can readily and comfortably support his feet if he cannot do so without a foot-rest, and

(b)the arrangements shall be such that the seat is adequately and properly supported while in use for the purpose for which it is provided.

(3)For the purposes of subsection (2) of this section the dimensions of a seat which is adjustable shall be taken to be its dimensions as for the time being adjusted.]

61. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F78E+W+S

62. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F79E+W+S

Part IVU.K. Health, Safety and Welfare (Special Provisions and Regulations)

Special provisionsU.K.

63, 64.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F80E+W+S

F8165. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E+W+S

66. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F82E+W+S

67. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F83E+W+S

68 Humid factories.E+W+S

(1)The occupier of every humid factory shall, on or before the first occasion on which artificial humidity is produced at that factory, give notice thereof in writing to the inspector for the district.

(2)The following provisions of this section shall have effect with respect to every humid factory with respect to which regulations under this Act concerning humidity are not for the time being in force.

[F84(2A)In this section, unless the context otherwise requires—

• “dry bulb temperature" means the temperature measured by an accurate and properly maintained thermometer (which may form part of the hygrometer) and any reference in this section to a dry bulb thermometer, or without qualification to a thermometer, shall be taken to be a reference to such a thermometer and a reference without qualification to temperature shall be taken to be a reference to the dry bulb temperature;

  “hygrometer" means an accurate and properly maintained and calibrated instru ment for the measurement of the relative humidity in the work-place;

  “wet bulb temperature" means either—

  (a)

  the temperature indicated by the wet bulb of a static hygrometer which relies on natural circulation of air around the thermometers; or

  (b)

  the temperature calculated from the dry bulb temperature and relative humidity by the method approved for the time being by the Health and Safety Executive,

• and any reference in this section to the reading of the wet bulb thermometer shall be taken to be a reference to the wet bulb temperature.]

(3)There shall be provided and maintained in every room in which artificial humidity is produced two hygrometers [F85and a thermometer close to each hygrometer]. . ., and—

(a)one of the hygrometers shall be [F86placed] in the centre and the other at the side of the room, or in such other position as may be directed or sanctioned by an inspector, so as to be plainly visible to the persons employed;

F87(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(c)the occupier or other person authorised for the purpose shall read the hygrometers [F88and the thermometers] between ten and eleven o’clock in the morning on every day on which any persons are employed in the room in the morning and between three and four o’clock in the afternoon on every day on which any persons are employed in the room in the afternoon, and when persons are employed before six o’clock in the morning or after eight o’clock in the evening, at such other times as may be directed by the inspector for the district, and shall enter the readings on a record F89. . .;

[F90(d)the records of the wet bulb temperature or temperature and hygrometer readings shall be kept by the occupier for at least two years from when they were made and the occupier shall give his employees immediate access to those records on request together with such information as is necessary for their interpretation.]

(4)There shall be no artificial humidification in any room at any time when the reading of the wet bulb thermometer exceeds [F9122.5 degrees Celsius], or, in the case of a room in which the spinning of cotton or the spinning of merino or cashmere by the French or dry process or the spinning or combing of wool by that process is carried on, [F9126.5 degrees Celsius] .

(5)There shall be no artificial humidification in any room at any time when the difference between the readings of the dry and wet bulb thermometers is less than that indicated [F92in Schedule 1 to this Act.]

(6)No water which is liable to cause injury to the health of the persons employed, or to yield effluvia, shall be used for artificial humidification, and for the purposes of this subsection any water which absorbs from acid solution of permanganate of potash in four hours at [F9316 degrees Celsius] more than [F937 milligrams] of oxygen [F93per litre of water] shall be deemed to be liable to cause injury to the health of the persons employed.

(7)The chief inspector may direct in writing, in the case of any factory or any room in a factory, that only one hygrometer, [F94and one thermometer close to it placed] in such position as may be directed by an inspector, need be provided instead of two hygrometers [F94and thermometers placed] as mentioned in paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of this section.

(8)Where in respect of any room notice has been given in the prescribed manner to the inspector for the district that it is intended that the humidity of the atmosphere should never be greater than will maintain a difference of at least [F912 degrees Celsius] between the readings of the dry and wet bulb thermometers, the provisions of paragraphs (c) and (d) of subsection (3) of this section shall not apply as respects that room so long as at least that difference is maintained F95. . ..

[F9669 Underground rooms.E+W+S

(1)The inspector for the district may certify any underground room as unsuitable for work other than work involved in the use of the room for the purpose of storage or such other purpose as the Minister may by order specify, and where such a certificate is in force with respect to any room no work for which it is certified as unsuitable shall be carried on in it.

(2)Where the inspector certifies as unsuitable any room which is in actual use, he shall suspend the operation of the certificate for such period as he considers reasonable with a view to enabling the occupier to render the room suitable or to obtain other premises.

(3)Except in the case of a room which on the first day of July, nineteen hundred and thirty-eight was part of a factory (within the meaning of the M1Factories Act 1937, as originally enacted) and was used for work for which it may be certified as unsuitable under this section, the occupier of an underground room—

(a)shall, before the room is used for work for which it may be certified as unsuitable under this section, give notice in the prescribed form and containing the prescribed particulars to the inspector for the district; and

(b)shall not use the room for any such process as may be prescribed, being a process of a hot, wet or dusty nature or which is liable to give off any fume, without the consent in writing of the inspector for the district.

(4)If the occupier is aggrieved by any decision of an inspector under this section, he may, within twenty-one days of the date of issue of the certificate or the refusal of the consent, as the case may be, appeal to a magistrates’ court, or, in Scotland, the sheriff, and, pending the final determination of an appeal against a decision under subsection (1) of this section in the case of a room in actual use, no offence shall be deemed to be committed under that subsection in respect of the room to which the appeal relates.

(5)In this section—

• “underground room” means any room which, or any part of which, is so situate that at least half its height, measured from the floor to the ceiling, is below the surface of the footway of the adjoining street or of the ground adjoining or nearest to the room; and

• “unsuitable” means unsuitable as regards construction, height, light or ventilation, or on any hygienic ground, or on the ground that adequate means of escape in case of fire are not provided.

(6)Any certificate issued under this section may be withdrawn by the inspector for the district if such alterations are made as in his opinion to render the room suitable.]

70, 71.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F97E+W+S

F9872. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E+W+S

73

(1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F99

(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F100

74 Prohibition of employment of women and young persons in certain processes connected with lead manufacture.E+W+S

A woman or young person shall not be employed in any factory in any of the following operations:—

(a)work at a furnace where the reduction or treatment of zinc or lead ores is carried on;

(b)the manipulation, treatment or reduction of ashes containing lead, the desilverising of lead, or the melting of scrap lead or zinc;

(c)the manufacture of solder or alloys containing more than ten per cent. of lead;

(d)the manufacture of any oxide, carbonate, sulphate, chromate, acetate, nitrate, or silicate of lead;

(e)mixing or pasting in connection with the manufacture or repair of electric accumulators;

(f)the cleaning of workrooms where any of the processes aforesaid are carried on.

75. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F101E+W+S

76. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F102E+W+S

Supplementary provisionsU.K.

77, 78.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F103U.K.

F10479. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E+W+S

Part VE+W+S Notification and Investigation of Accidents and Industrial Diseases

80. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F105E+W+S

81. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F106E+W+S

82. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F107E+W+S

83. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F108E+W+S

84. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F109E+W+S

85. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F110E+W+S

Part VIE+W+S Employment of Women and Young Persons

86—94.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F111E+W+S

95. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F112E+W+S

96—109.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F113E+W+S

110—111.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F114E+W+S

112—116.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F115E+W+S

Exemptions in interest of efficiency of industry or transportE+W+S

117 Exemptions from provisions regulating hours of employment.E+W+S

(1)Where the Minister is satisfied, on an application made to him in that behalf, that it is desirable in the public interest to do so for the purpose of maintaining or increasing the efficiency of industry . . . F116, he may, after such consultations as he may think appropriate or as may be required under subsection (5) of this section, exempt the employment of persons [F117(other than children)] from . . . F116,—

(a). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F118

(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F119

.0 . .F119the M2Hours of Employment (Conventions) Act 1936.

(2)An exemption granted under this section may extend to the employment of persons generally, of a class of persons or of particular persons, and to employment generally, or any class of employment or particular employment, and may be granted to such extent and on such conditions as may be specified in the instrument by which it is granted and, subject to subsection (4) of this section, either indefinitely or for such period as may be so specified.

(3)An exemption under this section extending only to particular persons or a particular employment or to a class of persons or employment defined by reference to particular premises or to work supervised from particular premises, and any exemption under this section for a particular day or particular days only, shall be granted by order, to be known as a special exemption order, and any other exemption under this section shall be granted by [F120regulations,] to be known as general exemption regulations.

(4)An exemption granted by a special exemption order shall not be for more than one year, without prejudice however to the granting of the like exemption for further periods by further special exemption orders.

(5)The Minister shall not make general exemption regulations except—

(a)on the application of a joint industrial council, conciliation board or other similar body constituted by organisations which appear to him to be representative respectively of workers and employers concerned; or

(b)on the application of a wages council; or

(c)on the joint application of an organisation which appears to him to be representative of employers concerned and of an organisation which appears to him to be representative of workers concerned; or

(d)on the application of an organisation which appears to him to be representative of employers concerned and after consulting an organisation which appears to him to be representative of workers concerned; or

(e)on the application of an organisation which appears to him to be representative of workers concerned and after consulting an organisation which appears to him to be representative of employers concerned.

(6)The Minister shall publish in the London Gazette such particulars of special exemption orders as he considers appropriate.

(7)In this section “organisation” includes—

(a)in relation to workers, an association of trade unions, and

(b)in relation to employers, an association of organisations of employers and also any body established by or under any enactment for the purpose of carrying on under national ownership any industry or part of an industry or undertaking;

and “trade union” includes an association of trade unions.

Certificate of fitness for employment of young personsE+W+S

118. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F121E+W+S

119 Power of inspector to require certificate of fitness for work.E+W+S

Where an inspector is of opinion that the employment of a young person in a factory or in a particular process or kind of work in a factory is prejudicial to his health or the health of other persons, he may serve written notice on the occupier of the factory informing him thereof and requiring that the employment of that young person in the factory or in the process or kind of work, as the case may be, be discontinued after the period named in the notice (which shall not be less than one nor more than seven days after the service of the notice) and the occupier shall not continue after that period to employ the young person . . . F122 unless the appointed factory doctor [F123or an employment medical adviser] has, after the service of the notice, personally examined the young person and certified that he is fit for employment in the factory or in the process or kind of work, as the case may be.

[F124F125119A Duty of factory occupier to give notice of employment of a young person.E+W+S

(1)Where the occupier of a factory takes a young person into his employment to work in the factory (or transfers to work in the factory from work elsewhere than in a factory a young person already in his employment), the occupier shall, not later than seven days after the day on which he does so, send to the local careers office a written notice stating the name of the occupier, the address of the factory and the fact of the young person’s having been so taken or transferred, and the date on which, and the work to do which, he was so taken or transferred, and giving such of the following information as is within the occupier’s knowledge, namely:—

(a)the young person’s Christian name (or forename) and surname;

(b)the date of his birth;

(c)his usual residential address; and

(d)the name and address of the school (if any) which he last attended before he was so taken or transferred.

(2)In this section—

[F126(a)“the local careers office” means the premises from which, under arrangements made in pursuance of subsection (1), (4) or (5) of section 8 of the M3Employment and Training Act 1973, the facilities provided in pursuance of the said subsection (1) are made available in the area (as determined in pursuance of the arrangements) in which the factory is situated; and]]

(b)“school” means a shool within the meaning of the M4Education Act 1944 or the M5Education (Scotland) Act 1962.

Part VIIE+W+S Special Applications and Extensions

Factories occupying parts of buildingsE+W+S

120. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F127E+W+S

121 Tenement factories—other provisions.E+W+S

(1)Subject to the following provisions of this section, the owner (whether or not he is one of the occupiers) of a tenement factory shall, instead of the occupier, be responsible for any contravention of the following provisions of this Act, that is to say—

(a)the provisions of Part I with respect to the drainage of floors, sanitary conveniences, cleanliness, overcrowding, temperature, ventilation and lighting;

(b)the provisions of Part II with respect to the provision and maintenance of fencing and safety appliances, the construction, maintenance, testing and examination of machinery or plant, the construction and maintenance of floors, passages and stairs, . . . F128;

(c)the provisions of Part III;

(d). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F129

(e)the provisions of Part V;

(f). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F130 and

(g)the provisions of Part X as to posting of abstracts and notices;

and for the purposes of those provisions the whole of a tenement factory shall be deemed to be one factory in the occupation of the owner.

(2)Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to any contravention arising from the use in a tenement of any fencing, appliances, machinery or plant, if the use is a matter outside the control of the owner.

(3)Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to a contravention in rooms occupied by only one tenant—

(a)of the provisions of Part I with respect to cleanliness, overcrowding, temperature, ventilation and lighting; or

(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F129

unless the contravention arises from a failure to carry out any necessary structural work or from any defect in any machinery, plant or fixtures belonging to the owner; and does not apply to a contravention in any such room of the provisions of Part V.

(4)Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to a contravention of the provisions of Part III unless it arises from any such failure or defect as is mentioned in subsection (3) of this section.

(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F131

(6)The provisions of this Act shall, so far as they are applicable and have not been applied by the foregoing provisions of this section, apply to any part of a tenement factory which is not comprised within any of the separate factories as if that part were a factory and the owner were the occupier thereof.

(7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F132

122 Parts of buildings let off as separate factories—other provisions.E+W+S

(1)Where a part of a building is let off as a separate factory but is not part of a tenement factory,—

(a)the provisions of this Act specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (2) of this section shall apply to any part of the building used for the purposes of the factory but not comprised therein;

(b)subject to subsections (4) and (5) of this section, the owner of the building shall be responsible for any contravention of the provisions specified in the said paragraph (a) as so applying; and

(c)subject to subsection (5) of this section, the owner of the building shall be responsible, instead of the occupier, for any contravention as respects the factory, of the provisions specified in paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of this section.

(2)The said provisions are—

(a)the provisions of Part I with respect to cleanliness and lighting, and the provisions of Part II with respect to prime movers, transmission machinery, hoists and lifts, chains, ropes and lifting tackle, cranes and other lifting machines, the construction and maintenance of floors, passages and stairs, the keeping free from obstruction and slippery substances of floors, steps, stairs, passages and gangways, [F133and with respect to steam boilers, steam receivers and steam containers, and air receivers];

(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F134

(c)the provisions of Part I with respect to sanitary conveniences and the provisions of Part II with respect to hoists and lifts.

(3)For the purposes of the provisions applied by the foregoing provisions of this section, lifting machines attached to the outside of the building, and chains, ropes and lifting tackle used in connection with those machines, shall be treated as being in the building, but any lifting machine not used for the purposes of the factory, and any chains, ropes or lifting tackle not used in connection with a lifting machine so used, shall be disregarded.

(4)For any contravention (whether as respects the factory or otherwise) of the provisions of Part II with respect to chains, ropes and lifting tackle, cranes and other lifting machines, [F133steam boilers, steam receivers and steam containers, and air receivers]—

(a)the occupier of the factory shall be responsible if it is a contravention with respect to any machinery or plant belonging to or supplied by him; and

(b)the owner of the building shall be responsible in any other case;

except that the owner shall not be responsible for a contravention of those provisions in so far as they relate to matters outside his control, and for any such contravention as respects the factory the occupier shall be responsible.

(5)The owner shall be responsible by virtue of this section—

(a)for the cleanliness of sanitary conveniences only when used in common by several tenants; and

(b)for a contravention of the provisions relating to hoists and lifts only so far as those provisions relate to matters within his control.

(6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F135

(7)Any reference in the provisions applied by the foregoing provisions of this section to the general register shall, in relation to matters in respect of which the owner of the building is responsible, be construed as a reference to a register to be kept by him, . . . F136

Electrical stationsE+W+S

123 Application of Act to electrical stations.E+W+S

(1)The provisions of this Act shall apply to any premises in which persons are regularly employed in or in connection with the processes or operations of generating, transforming or converting, or of switching, controlling or otherwise regulating, electrical energy for supply by way of trade, or for supply for the purposes of any transport undertaking or other industrial or commercial undertaking or of any public building or public institution, or for supply to streets or other public places, as if the premises were a factory and the employer of any person employed in the premises in or in connection with any such process or operation were the occupier of a factory.

(2)Where any such process or operation is carried on or performed for such a supply as is mentioned in subsection (1) of this section but in other premises than those mentioned therein, then, if the premises are large enough to admit the entrance of a person after the machinery or plant therein is in position, the following provisions of this Act shall apply to the premises as if they were a factory and the employer of any person employed therein in or in connection with any such process or operation were the occupier of the factory, that is to say,—

(a)the provisions of sections fifty and fifty-one so far as they enable the Minister to make regulations;

(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F137

(c)Part V;

(d). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F137

(e)Part XII;

(f)Part XIII;

(g)Part XIV.

(3)The Minister may by [F138regulations] apply any of the provisions mentioned in subsection (2) of this section to any machinery or plant used—

(a)in such processes or operations as are mentioned in subsection (1) of this section and for such a supply as is mentioned therein; but

(b)elsewhere than in such premises as are mentioned in subsection (1) or subsection (2) of this section,

as if the machinery or plant were machinery or plant in a factory, and the employer of any person employed in connection with any such use of the machinery or plant were the occupier of a factory.

(4)Subsections (1) and (2) of this section shall not, except in so far as the Minister may by [F138regulations] direct, apply to any premises where the said processes or operations are only carried on or performed for the immediate purpose of working an electric motor or working any apparatus which consumes electrical energy for lighting, heating, transmitting or receiving messages or communications, or other purposes.

InstitutionsE+W+S

124 Institutions.E+W+S

(1)Where, in any premises forming part of an institution carried on for charitable or reformatory purposes, any manual labour is exercised in or incidental to the making, altering, repairing, ornamenting, finishing, washing, cleaning or adapting for sale, of articles not intended for the use of the institution, but the premises do not constitute a factory, the provisions of this Act shall nevertheless apply to the premises, . . . F139

(2), (3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F140

Docks, wharves, quays, warehouses and shipsE+W+S

125 Docks, etc. E+W+S

(1)The provisions of this Act specified in subsection (2) of this section shall apply to every dock, wharf or quay (including any warehouse belonging to the owners, trustees or conservators of the dock, wharf or quay, and any line or siding used in connection with and for the purposes of the dock, wharf or quay and not forming part of a railway or tramway) and every other warehouse (not forming part of a factory) in or for the purposes of which mechanical power is used—

(a)as if it were a factory; and

(b)as if the person having the actual use or occupation of it or of any premises within it or forming part of it, were the occupier of a factory.

(2)The said provisions are:—

[F141(a)the provisions of Part II with respect to steam boilers, but with the modification that the owner of the boiler shall, instead of the person deemed to be the occupier, be responsible for any contravention of those provisions:]

(b)the provisions of sections fifty and fifty-one so far as they enable the Minister to make regulations;

(c)—(e). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F142

(f)Part V;

(g)the provisions of Part VII with respect to premises where part of a building is a separate factory, subject to such modifications as may be made by regulations of the Minister;

(h). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F143

(j)the provisions of Part X with respect to . . . F144 notices, special regulations, general registers (so far as applicable), preservation of registers and records, but subject to such modifications as may be made by regulations of the Minister, . . . F145;

(k). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F146

(l)Part XII; and

(m)Part XIV.

(3)Subject to subsection (4) of this section,—

(a)the provisions of this Act mentioned in paragraph (a) (subject to the modification mentioned in that paragraph) and in paragraphs . . . F147, (f), . . . F145, (j), . . . F147, (l) and (m) of subsection (2) of this section;

(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F148

shall apply to the process of loading, unloading or coaling of any ship in any dock, harbour or canal, and to all machinery or plant used in those processes, as if the processes were carried on in a factory and the machinery or plant were machinery or plant in a factory, and the person who carries on those processes were the occupier of a factory.

[F149(4)Nothing in this section shall apply to any machinery or plant which is on board a ship and is the property of the ship owner or charterer, or is rented, leased or hired by him or his agent, or is being purchased by him or his agent under a hire-purchase agreement or a conditional sale agreement (each within the meaning of section 53 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974).]

(5)In subsections (3) and (4) of this section “plant” includes any gangway or ladder used by any person employed to load or unload or coal a ship.

(6)The provisions of Part II of this Act with respect to prime movers, transmission machinery, other machinery, provisions as to unfenced machinery, construction and maintenance of fencing, construction and sale of new machinery, cleaning of machinery by women and young persons, training and supervision of young persons working at dangerous machines, hoists and lifts, chains, ropes and lifting tackle, cranes and other lifting machines, construction and maintenance of floors, passages and stairs, . . . F147 shall apply to every warehouse mentioned in subsection (1) of this section as if the warehouse were a factory and the person having the actual use or occupation thereof were the occupier of a factory [F150,][F150except that this subsection shall not operate to apply the provisions to chains, ropes and lifting tackle, cranes and other lifting machines, or to the construction and maintenance of floors, passages and stairs, in warehouses which are dock premises.]

[F151(7)The provisions of Part II of this Act, and any regulations made under that Part, with respect to prime movers, transmission machinery, other machinery, provisions as to unfenced machinery, construction and maintenance of fencing, hoists and lifts shall apply to all dock premises as if the dock premises were a factory, and the person having the control of such matter were the occupier of the factory in respect of that matter.

(8)The provisions of section 173 of this Act (application to Crown) shall apply to all dock premises as if the dock premises were a factory, but only for the purpose of applying to the Crown such provisions of this Act as are applied to docks, wharfs, quays and dock premises by virtue of the foregoing provisions of this section.

(9)In subsections (6), (7) and (8) of this section “dock premises” means any dock, wharf, quay, jetty or other place at which ships load or unload goods or embark or disembark passengers, together with neighbouring land or water which is used or occupied, or intended to be used or occupied, for those or incidental activities, and any part of a ship when used for those or incidental activities.]

126 Ships. E+W+S

(1)Subject to subsection (3) of this section, the provisions of this Act specified in subsection (2) of this section shall apply to any work carried out in a harbour or wet dock in constructing, reconstructing, repairing, refitting, painting, finishing or breaking up a ship or in scaling, scurfing or cleaning boilers (including combustion chambers and smoke boxes) in a ship, or in cleaning oil-fuel tanks or bilges in a ship or any tank in a ship last used for oil of any description carried as cargo or any tank or hold last used for any substance so carried of a description specified in regulations of the Minister as being of a dangerous or injurious nature; and for the purposes of those provisions as so applying the ship shall be deemed to be a factory, and any person undertaking the work shall be deemed to be the occupier of a factory.

(2)The said provisions are:—

(a)the provisions of sections fifty and fifty-one so far as they enable the Minister to make regulations;

(b)—(d). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F152

(e)Part V;

(f). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F153

(g). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F154

(h). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F155

(j)the provisions of Part X with respect to general registers (so far as applicable), preservation of registers and records, . . . F156

(k). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F157

(l)Part XII;

(m)Part XIV.

(3)Nothing in this Act shall apply to any such work as is mentioned in subsection (1) of this section which is done by the master or crew of a ship or done on board a ship during a trial run.

Works of building and engineering constructionE+W+S

127 Building operations and works of engineering construction. E+W+S

(1)Subject to the following provisions of this section, the provisions of this Act specified in subsection (2) of this section shall apply—

(a)to building operations; and

(b)to works of engineering construction;

undertaken by way of trade or business, or for the purpose of any industrial or commercial undertaking, and to any line or siding which is used in connection therewith and for the purposes thereof and is not part of a railway or tramway.

(2)The said provisions are:—

(a)the provisions of Part I with respect to sanitary conveniences;

(b)the provisions of sections fifty and fifty-one so far as they enable the Minister to make regulations;

[F158(c)the provisions of Part II with respect to steam boilers and air receivers . . . F159]

(d), (e). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F160

(f)Part V;

(g). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F161

(h). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F162

(j)the provisions of Part X with respect to . . . F163 notices, special regulations, general registers (so far as applicable), preservation of registers and records, . . . F164

(k)the provisions of Part XI with respect to . . . F159 duties of . . . F159 district councils;

(l)Part XII;

(m)Part XIII;

(n)Part XIV.

(3) . . . F159 no special regulations made under Part IV of this Act shall operate so as to interfere with the design of any works of engineering construction or with the adoption in the execution of those works of any method not inconsistent with the safety of the works or of the persons employed which is prescribed in the specification or in any signed plans issued, or written directions given, by the consulting engineer or the engineer in charge.

(4)The provisions of this Act in their application to building operations or to works of engineering construction shall have effect as if any place where such operations or works are carried on were a factory and any person undertaking any such operations or works to which this Act applies were the occupier of a factory, and with such other adaptations and modifications as may be made by regulations made by the Minister.

(5)The provisions of this Act requiring general registers to be kept and copies of . . . F163 special regulations or the prescribed abstract of such regulations to be kept posted up on the premises shall be deemed to be complied with as respects building operations or works of engineering construction if the register is kept at an office of the person undertaking the operations or works and copies . . . F163of the regulations or abstract thereof are kept posted up at each office, yard or shop of the person undertaking the operations or works at which persons employed by him on the operations or works attend, and in a position where they can easily be read by those persons.

(6)Subject to subsection (7) of this section, any person undertaking any building operations or works of engineering construction to which this Act applies shall, not later than seven days after the beginning thereof, serve on the inspector for the district a written notice stating the name and postal address of that person, the place and nature of the operations or works, whether any mechanical power is used and, if so, its nature, the name of the district council within whose district the operations or works are situated and such other particulars as may be prescribed.

(7)Subsection (6) of this section shall not apply to any operations or works which the person undertaking them has reasonable grounds for believing will be completed in a period of less than six weeks, except in such cases as the chief inspector may direct; and where a person undertakes any building operations or works of engineering construction in a place where such operations or, as the case may be, works are in progress, he shall not be required to give a notice under that subsection if such a notice was given in respect of the operations or works in progress.

(8)The application of this Act to any building operations or works of engineering construction by virtue of the foregoing provisions of this section shall not be excluded by reason of the fact that they are undertaken on premises to which this Act applies apart from those provisions; and nothing in this section shall be taken as prejudicing the application of this Act to those premises apart from this section.

Lead processes carried on in places other than factoriesE+W+S

128 Employment of women and young persons in places other than factories in processes connected with lead manufacture or involving the use of lead compounds.E+W+S

The following provisions of this Act, that is to say:—

(a)the provisions relating to the employment of women and young persons in certain processes connected with lead manufacture . . . F165;

(b)the provisions requiring notification to be sent to the chief inspector, or to the inspector for the district, of lead poisoning contracted or occurring in factories; and

(c)any provision relating . . . F166 to offences, penalties and legal proceedings;

shall apply to employment in any such processes as aforesaid in any place other than a factory, as if the place were a factory and the employer were the occupier of the factory, and as if the references to young persons included references to all persons who had not attained the age of eighteen.

129

(1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F167

(2)—(6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F168

130. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F169E+W+S

131 Prohibition of employment of women and young persons in painting buildings with lead paint.E+W+S

(1)Subject to subsection (2) of this section a woman or young person shall not be employed in painting any part of a building with lead paint.

(2)This section shall not apply to the employment of—

(a)persons employed as apprentices in the painting trade under arrangements approved by an order of the Minister made after consultation with the organisations, if any, representative of the employers and workers in the trade; or

(b)women or young persons in such special decorative or other work (other than work of an industrial character) as may be excluded from the provisions of this section by an order of the Minister.

132 Provisions supplementary to ss. 129-131.E+W+S

In sections one hundred and twenty-nine to one hundred and thirty-one of this Act “lead paint” means any paint, paste, spray, stopping, filling, or other material used in painting which, when treated in a manner prescribed by rules made by the Minister, yields to an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid a quantity of soluble lead compound exceeding, when calculated as lead monoxide, five per cent. of the dry weight of the portion taken for analysis; and “building” includes fixtures.

Part VIIIE+W+S Home Work

133 Lists of outworkers to be kept in certain trades.E+W+S

(1)In the case of persons employed in such classes of work as may from time to time be specified by regulations of the Minister, the occupier of every factory and every contractor employed by any such occupier in the business of the factory shall—

(a)keep in the prescribed form and manner, and with the prescribed particulars, lists showing the names and addresses of all persons (in this section referred to as outworkers) directly employed by him, either as workmen or as contractors, in the business of the factory, outside the factory, and of the places where they are employed; and

(b)send to an inspector such copies of or extracts from those lists as the inspector may from time to time require; and

(c)send to the district council during the month of February and the month of August in each year copies of those lists, showing all outworkers employed by him during the preceding six months.

(2)Every district council shall cause the lists received by the council in pursuance of this section to be examined, and shall furnish the name and place of employment of every outworker included in any such list whose place of employment is outside the district of the council to the council in whose district his place of employment is.

(3)The lists kept by the occupier or contractor shall be open to inspection by any inspector, and by any officer duly authorised by the district council, and the copies sent to the council and the particulars furnished by one council to another shall be open to inspection by any inspector or officer of any Government department.

(4)This section shall apply to any place from which any work is given out in connection with the business of a factory (whether the materials for the work are supplied by the occupier or not), and to the occupier of that place, and to every contractor employed by the occupier in connection with the said work, as if that place were a factory.

(5)In the event of a contravention of this section by the occupier of a factory or place, or by a contractor, the occupier or contractor shall be guilty of an offence and liable [F170on summary conviction] to a fine not exceeding [F171level 1 on the standard scale].

134. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F172E+W+S

Part IXE+W+S

135—135A.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F173E+W+S

136. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F174E+W+S

Part XE+W+S Notices, Returns, Records, Duties of Persons Employed, and Application of Weights and Measures Acts

137 Notice of occupation of factory, and use of mechanical power.E+W+S

(1)Subject to subsection (3) of this section, every person who begins to occupy or to use any premises as a factory shall, not less than one month before he does so, serve on the inspector for the district a written notice stating the name of the occupier or the title of the firm, the postal address of the factory, the nature of the work, whether mechanical power is to be used and, if so, its nature, the name of the district council within whose district the factory is situated and such other particulars as may be prescribed.

(2)Subject to subsection (3) of this section, not less than one month before the date on which mechanical power is first used in a factory the occupier shall serve on the inspector for the district a written notice stating the nature of the mechanical power.

(3)A person may begin to occupy, or to use any premises as, a factory, and mechanical power may be first used in a factory, less than one month after the notice required by the foregoing provisions of this section has been served, if the inspector of the district gives written permission; and a person may also begin to occupy a factory less than one month after the notice has been served or before serving the notice, if he takes over from another person without changing the nature of the work and the notice is served as soon as practicable and in any case within one month of his taking over.

(4)If a person begins to occupy, or to use any premises as, a factory before he is entitled to do so under the foregoing provisions of this section, or if a person entitled thereunder to occupy a factory before giving notice fails to give the required notice within the time allowed, he shall be guilty of an offence . . . F175

(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F176

138 Posting of abstract of Act and notices.E+W+S

(1)Subject to subsection (2) of this section, there shall be kept posted at the principal entrances of a factory at which employed persons enter—

(a)—(c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F177

(d). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F178

(e)every notice and document required by this Act to be posted in the factory.

(2)An inspector may direct that all or any of the documents mentioned in subsection (1) of this section shall be posted in such parts of the factory, either in addition to or in substitution for the principal entrances, as he may direct.

(3)All such documents shall be posted in such characters and in such positions as to be conveniently read by the persons employed in the factory and, if a form has been prescribed for any document, it shall be posted in that form.

(4)If any person pulls down, . . . F179 any abstract, notice, regulations or other document posted in pursuance of this Act, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable [F180on summary conviction] to a fine not exceeding [F181level 1 on the standard scale].

139 Provisions as to special regulations. E+W+S

(1)Printed copies of all special regulations for the time being in force in any factory or the prescribed abstract of such regulations shall be kept posted in the factory in such characters and in such positions as to be conveniently read by the persons employed in the factory.

(2)A printed copy of all such regulations shall be given by the occupier to any person affected thereby on his application.

140 General registers.E+W+S

(1)There shall be kept in every factory or in such place outside the factory as may be approved by the inspector for the district, a register in the prescribed form, called the general register, and there shall be entered in or attached to that register—

(a)the prescribed particulars as to the young persons employed in the factory; and

(b)the prescribed particulars as to the washing, whitewashing or colour washing, painting or varnishing, of the factory; and

(c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F182

(d). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F183

(e)all reports and particulars required by any other provision of this Act to be entered in or attached to the general register; and

(f)such other matters as may be prescribed.

(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F184

(3)The occupier of a factory shall send to an inspector such extracts from the general register as the inspector may from time to time require for the purpose of the execution of his duties under this Act.

141 Preservation of registers and records.E+W+S

The general register and every other register or record kept in pursuance of this Act shall be preserved and shall be kept available for inspection by any inspector or by [F185an employment medical adviser] for at least two years, or such other period as may be prescribed for any class or description of register or record, after the date of the last entry in the register or record.

142. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F186E+W+S

143. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F187E+W+S

144. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F188E+W+S

Part XIE+W+S Administration

145. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F189E+W+S

146, 147.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F190E+W+S

148. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F191E+W+S

149, 150.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F192E+W+S

151, 152.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F193E+W+S

153 Provisions as to county and district councils.E+W+S

(1)The [F194proper officer][F195sanitary inspector] of every district council shall—

(a)in his annual report to the council report specifically on the administration of, and furnish the prescribed particulars with respect to, the matters under . . . F196 Part VIII of this Act which are administered by the district council, and shall send a copy of his annual report or so much of it as deals with those matters to the Minister; and

(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F197

(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F198

(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F199

154 Prohibition of disclosure of informationE+W+S

If any person who, in pursuance of powers conferred by section one hundred and forty-eight or section one hundred and fifty-three of this Act, is admitted into any factory or place discloses to any person any information obtained by him in the factory or place with regard to any manufacturing process or trade secret, he shall, unless the disclosure was made in the performance of his duty, be guilty of an of an offence . . . F200.

Part XIIE+W+S Offences, Penalties and Legal Proceedings