Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

1. Introductory Text

2. PART I Health, Safety and Welfare in connection with Work, and Control of Dangerous Substances and Certain Emissions into the Atmosphere

   1. Preliminary

      1. 1. Preliminary

   2. General duties

      1. 2. General duties of employers to their employees

      2. 3. General duties of employers and self-employed to persons other than their employees

      3. 4. General duties of persons concerned with premises to persons other than their employees

      4. 5. General duty of persons in control of certain premises in relation to harmful emissions into atmosphere

      5. 6. General duties of manufacturers etc. as regards articles and substances for use at work

      6. 7. General duties of employees at work

      7. 8. Duty not to interfere with or misuse things provided pursuant to certain provisions

      8. 9. Duty not to charge employees for things done or provided pursuant to certain specific requirements

   3. The Health and Safety Commission and the Health and Safety Executive

      1. 10. Establishment of the Commission and the Executive

      2. 11. General functions of the Commission and the Executive

      3. 12. Control of the Commission by the Secretary of State

      4. 13. Other powers of the Commission

      5. 14. Power of the Commission to direct investigations and inquiries

   4. Health and safety regulations and approved codes of practice

      1. 15. Health and safety regulations

      2. 16. Approval of codes of practice by the Commission

      3. 17. Use of approved codes of practice in criminal proceedings

   5. Enforcement

      1. 18. Authorities responsible for enforcement of the relevant statutory provisions

      2. 19. Appointment of inspectors

      3. 20. Powers of inspectors

      4. 21. Improvement notices

      5. 22. Prohibition notices

      6. 23. Provisions supplementary to ss. 21 and 22

      7. 24. Appeal against improvement or prohibition notice

      8. 25. Power to deal with cause of imminent danger

      9. 26. Power of enforcing authorities to indemnify their inspectors

   6. Obtaining and disclosure of information

      1. 27. Obtaining of information by the Commission, the Executive, enforcing authorities etc.

      2. 28. Restrictions on disclosure of information

   7. Special provisions relating to agriculture

      1. 29. General functions of Ministers responsible for agriculture in relation to the relevant agricultural purposes

      2. 30. Agricultural health and safety regulations

      3. 31. Enforcement of the relevant statutory provisions in connection with agriculture

      4. 32. Application of provisions of this Part in connection with agriculture

   8. Provisions as to offences

      1. 33. Offences

      2. 34. Extension of time for bringing summary proceedings

      3. 35. Venue

      4. 36. Offences due to fault of other person

      5. 37. Offences by bodies corporate

      6. 38. Restriction on institution of proceedings in England and Wales

      7. 39. Prosecutions by inspectors

      8. 40. Onus of proving limits of what is practicable etc.

      9. 41. Evidence

      10. 42. Power of court to order cause of offence to be remedied or, in certain cases, forfeiture

   9. Financial provisions

      1. 43. Financial provisions

   10. Miscellaneous and supplementary

       1. 44. Appeals in connection with licensing provisions in the relevant statutory provisions

       2. 45. Default powers

       3. 46. Service of notices

       4. 47. Civil liability

       5. 48. Application to Crown

       6. 49. Adaptation of enactments to metric units or appropriate metric units

       7. 50. Regulations under relevant statutory provisions

       8. 51. Exclusion of application to domestic employment

       9. 52. Meaning of work and at work

       10. 53. General interpretation of Part I

       11. 54. Application of Part I to Isles of Scilly

3. PART II The Employment Medical Advisory Service

   1. 55. Functions of, and responsibility for maintaining, employment medical advisory service

   2. 56. Functions of authority responsible for maintaining the service

   3. 57. Fees

   4. 58. Other financial provisions

   5. 59. Duty of responsible authority to keep accounts and to report

   6. 60. Supplementary

4. PART III Building Regulations, and Amendment of Building (Scotland) Act 1959

   1. 61. Amendments of enactments relating to building regulations

   2. 62. Further matters for which building regulations may provide

   3. 63. Miscellaneous provisions as to the approval of plans

   4. 64. Special provisions as to materials etc. unsuitable for permanent buildings

   5. 65. Continuing requirements

   6. 66. Type relaxation of building regulations

   7. 67. Power of Secretary of State to approve types of building etc.

   8. 68. Power to require or carry out tests for conformity with building regulations

   9. 69. Provisions relating to appeals etc. to the Secretary of State under certain provisions

   10. 70. Power to make building regulations for Inner London

   11. 71. Civil liability

   12. 72. Application to Crown

   13. 73. Application to United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

   14. 74. Meaning of " building" etc. in connection with, and construction of references to, building regulations

   15. 75. Amendment of Building (Scotland) Act 1959

   16. 76. Construction and interpretation of Part III and other provisions relating to building regulations

5. PART IV Miscellaneous and General

   1. 77. Amendment of Radiological Protection Act 1970

   2. 78. Amendment of Fire Precautions Act 1971

   3. 79. Amendment of Companies Acts as to directors' reports

   4. 80. General power to repeal or modify Acts and instruments

   5. 81. Expenses and receipts

   6. 82. General provisions as to interpretation and regulations

   7. 83. Minor and consequential amendments, and repeals

   8. 84. Extent, and application of Act

   9. 85. Short title and commencement

6. SCHEDULES

   1. SCHEDULE 1

      Existing Enactments which are Relevant Statutory Provisions

   2. SCHEDULE 2

      Additional Provisions Relating to Constitution etc. of the Commission and Executive

      1. Tenure of office

         1. 1. Subject to paragraphs 2 to 4 below, a person shall...

         2. 2. A person may at any time resign his office as...

         3. 3. (1) If a member becomes or ceases to be the...

         4. 4. (1) If the Secretary of State is satisfied that a...

      2. Remuneration etc. of members

         1. 5. The Commission may pay to each member such remuneration and...

         2. 6. The Commission may pay or make provision for paying, to...

         3. 7. Where a person ceases to be a member otherwise than...

      3. Proceedings

         1. 8. The quorum of the Commission and the arrangements relating to...

         2. 9. The validity of any proceedings of the Commission shall not...

      4. Staff

         1. 10. It shall be the duty of the Executive to provide...

         2. 11. The Executive may appoint such officers and servants as it...

         3. 12. The Commission shall pay to the Minister for the Civil...

      5. Performance of functions

         1. 13. The Commission may authorise any member of the Commission or...

      6. Accounts and reports

         1. 14. (1) It shall be the duty of the Commission—

         2. 15. It shall be the duty of the Commission to make...

      7. Supplemental

         1. 16. The Secretary of State shall not make a determination or...

         2. 17. The fixing of the common seal of the Commission shall...

         3. 18. A document purporting to be duly executed under the seal...

         4. 19. In the preceding provisions of this Schedule—

         5. 20. (1) The preceding provisions of this Schedule (except paragraphs 10...

   3. SCHEDULE 3

      Subject-Matter of Health and Safety Regulations

      1. 1. (1) Regulating or prohibiting— (a) the manufacture, supply or use...

      2. 2. (1) Prohibiting the importation into the United Kingdom or the...

      3. 3. (1) Prohibiting or regulating the transport of articles or substances...

      4. 4. (1) Prohibiting the carrying on of any specified activity or...

      5. 5. Requiring any person, premises or thing to be registered in...

      6. 6. (1) Requiring, in specified circumstances, the appointment (whether in a...

      7. 7. Regulating or prohibiting the employment in specified circumstances of all...

      8. 8. (1) Requiring the making of arrangements for securing the health...

      9. 9. Imposing requirements with respect to any matter affecting the conditions...

      10. 10. Securing the provision of specified welfare facilities for persons at...

      11. 11. Imposing requirements with respect to the provision and use in...

      12. 12. Requiring in specified circumstances the taking of specified precautions in...

      13. 13. (1) Prohibiting or imposing requirements in connection with the emission...

      14. 14. Imposing requirements with respect to the instruction, training and supervision...

      15. 15. (1) Requiring, in specified circumstances, specified matters to be notified...

      16. 16. Imposing requirements with respect to the keeping and preservation of...

      17. 17. Imposing requirements with respect to the management of animals.

      18. 18. The following purposes as regards premises of any specified description...

      19. 19. Conferring, in specified circumstances involving a risk of fire or...

      20. 20. Restricting, prohibiting or requiring the doing of any specified thing...

      21. 21. As regards cases of any specified class, being a class...

      22. 22. Conferring on any local or public authority power to make...

      23. Interpretation

          1. 23. (1) In this Schedule " specified " means specified in...

   4. SCHEDULE 4

      Modifications of Part I in connection with Agriculture

   5. SCHEDULE 5

      Subject-Matter of Building Regulations

      1. 1. Preparation of sites.

      2. 2. Suitability, durability and use of materials and components (including surface...

      3. 3. Structural strength and stability, including— (a) precautions against overloading, impact...

      4. 4. Fire precautions, including— (a) structural measures to resist the outbreak...

      5. 5. Resistance to moisture and decay.

      6. 6. Measures affecting the transmission of heat

      7. 7. Measures affecting the transmission of sound.

      8. 8. Measures to prevent infestation.

      9. 9. Measures affecting the emission of smoke, gases, fumes, grit or...

      10. 10. Drainage (including waste disposal units).

      11. 11. Cesspools and other means for the reception, treatment or disposal...

      12. 12. Storage, treatment and removal of waste.

      13. 13. Installations utilising solid fuel, oil, gas, electricity or any other...

      14. 14. Water services (including wells and bore-holes for the supply of...

      15. 15. Telecommunications services (including telephones and radio and television wiring installations)....

      16. 16. Lifts, escalators, hoists, conveyors and moving footways.

      17. 17. Plant providing air under pressure.

      18. 18. Standards of heating, artificial lighting, mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning and...

      19. 19. Open space about buildings and the natural lighting and ventilation...

      20. 20. Accommodation for specific purposes in or in connection with buildings,...

      21. 21. Means of access to and egress from buildings and parts...

      22. 22. Prevention of danger and obstruction to persons in and about...

      23. 23. Matters connected with or ancillary to any of the matters...

   6. SCHEDULE 6

      Amendments of Enactments Relating to Building Regulations

      1. PART I Amendments

         1. Amendments of Public Health Act 1936

            1. 1. In section 64 of the 1936 Act (passing or rejection...

            2. 2. In section 65 of the 1936 Act (power to require...

            3. 3. In section 90 of the 1936 Act (interpretation of Part...

         2. Amendments of Public Health Act 1961

            1. 4. In section 4 of the 1961 Act (power to make...

            2. 5. In section 6 of the 1961 Act (power to dispense...

            3. 6. In section 7 of the 1961 Act (appeal against local...

            4. 7. For section 8 of the 1961 Act (advertisement of proposal...

            5. 8. In section 9(3) of the 1961 Act (consultation with Building...

      2. PART II Public Health Act 1936 Section 65 and Public Health Act 1961 Sections 4, 6 and 7 as amended

   7. SCHEDULE 7

      Amendments of Building (Scotland) Act 1959

      1. 1. In section 3 (building standards regulations)— (a) in subsection (2),...

      2. 2. In section 4 (relaxation of building standards regulations)—

      3. 3. After section 4A, there shall be inserted the following section—...

      4. 4. In section 6 (application of building standards regulations and building...

      5. 5. In section 9 (certificates of completion)— (a) in subsection (2),...

      6. 6. In section 11(1)(b) (power of local authorities to require buildings...

      7. 7. In section 19 (penalties), for the words " ten pounds...

      8. 8. After section 19 there shall be inserted the following section—...

      9. 9. In section 26 (Crown rights)— (a) in subsection (1) after...

   8. SCHEDULE 8

      Transitional Provisions with respect to Fire Certificates under Factories Act 1961 or Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963

      1. 1. In this Schedule— " the 1971 Act " means the...

      2. 2. (1) Where by virtue of an order under section 1...

      3. 3. Any application for a Factories Act certificate or an Offices...

   9. SCHEDULE 9

      Minor and Consequential Amendments

      1. The Coroners (Amendment) Act 1926

         1. 1. In section 13(2)(c) of the Coroners (Amendment) Act 1926 (by...

      2. The House of Commons Disqualification Act 1957

         1. 2. In Part II of Schedule 1 to the House of...

      3. The Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967

         1. 3. In Schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (which...

   10. SCHEDULE 10

       Repeals