Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (c. 37)

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

Extent Information

E1 For the application of Pt. I to Northern Ireland see s. 84(1).

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Pt. 1 (ss. 1–54) extended by S.I. 1981/1011, reg. 9, 1983/1919, reg. 3

Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54) modified (E.W.S.) (1.2.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 5(5)(b) (with ss. 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 2

Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54) modified (E.W.S.) (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 33(5)(c) (with s. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54) amended (E.W.S.) (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120(1), Sch. 22 para. 30(2) (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54) amended (E.W.S.) (1.3.1996) by 1995 c. 45, s. 16(1), Sch. 4 para. 10(1)(a)(3); S.I. 1996/218, art. 2

C2 Pt. 1 (ss. 1–54) extended by Gas Act 1986 (c. 44, SIF 44:2), ss. 18, 48(3)(4)

C3 Pt. 1 (ss. 1–54) applied by Gas Act 1986 (c. 44, SIF 44:2), s. 67(3), Sch. 8 para. 6(2)

C4 Pt. 1 (ss. 1–54) amended by Consumer Protection Act 1987 (c. 43, SIF 109:1), s. 36

C5 Pt. 1 (ss. 1–54) amended by S.I. 1988/1222, regs. 3, 4

C6 Pt. 1 (ss. 1–54) extended by S.I. 1989/1671, reg. 4

C7 Pt. 1 (ss. 1–54) amended by S.I. 1989/1810, reg. 3 (which S.I. was revoked (1.2.1993) by S.I. 1992/3217, reg. 25).

C8 Pt. 1 (ss. 1–54) amended by S.I. 1990/1380, reg. 3

Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54) saved by Highland Regional Council (Harbours) Order Confirmation Act (c. xii), s. 1, Sch. s. 61(1)(f)

Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54) definition applied (E.W.) (1.12.1991) by Water Industry Act 1991 (c. 56, SIF 130), ss. 206(3)(g), 223(2)

Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54) saved by London Underground (Safety Measures) Act 1991 (c. xviii), s. 11(2)

Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54) saved by City of Edinburgh District Council Order Confirmation Act 1991 (c. xix), s. 1, Sch. 1 Pt. XII para. 67(2)

C9 Pt. 1 extended by S.I. 1978/752, reg. 3

Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54): transfer of functions (E.W.) (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 2(1)(g)(2)(c) (with ss. 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54): transfer of functions (S.) (12.10.1995) by 1995 c. 25, s. 21(1)(g) (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1995/2649, art. 2

Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54): transfer of functions (E.W.S.) (12.10.1995) by 1995 c. 25, s. 21(2)(a) (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1995/2649, art. 2

C10 Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54) extended (E.W.S.) (6.3.1992) by Offshore Safety Act 1992 (c. 15), S. 1(1)

C11 Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54) amended (E.W.S.) (6.3.1992) by Offshore Safety Act 1992 (c. 15), s. 1(1)

Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54) amended (E.W.S.) (2.2.1994) by 1993 c. 43, s. 117(1)(6), 150(1)(e); S.I. 1994/202, art. 2

C12 Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54) extended (E.W.S.) (1.2.1993) by S.I. 1992/3217, reg. 4

C13 Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54) modified (E.W.S.) (1.1.1993) by S.I. 1992/2051, reg. 16(2)

C14 Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54) extended (E.W.S.) (6.3.1992) by Offshore Safety Act 1992 (c. 15), s. 2(1)

Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54) extended (E.W.S.) (2.2.1994) by 1993 c. 43, ss. 117(2)(6), 150(1)(e); S.I. 1994/202, art. 2

C15 Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54) applied (with modifications) (14.4.1999) by S.I. 1999/860, reg. 2

C16 Pt. 1 (ss. 1-54) applied (1.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1517, reg. 12(3), Sch. 4 para. 12(3)(c)

Pt. 1: functions of local authority not to be responsibility of an executive of the authority (E.) (16.11.2000) by virtue of S.I. 2000/2853, reg. 2(1), Sch. 1 Table C

C17 Pt. 1 restricted (S.) (1.10.2006) by 2005 asp 5, ss. 70, 90; S.I. 2006/458, art. 2 (subject to art. 3)

C18 Pt. 1 modified (prosp.) by Energy Act 2008 (c. 32), ss. 99(1), 110

C19 Pt. 1: power to repeal or modify conferred (prosp.) by Energy Act 2008 (c. 32), ss. 99(1)(2), 110

C20 Pt. 1 modified (1.1.2018) by The Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1075), regs. 1(2), 2(3) (with regs. 2(5), 3, Sch. 8)

C21 Pt. 1 applied (E.W.S.) (6.2.2018) by The Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1322), regs. 1, 18

Miscellaneous and supplementary U.K.

46 Service of notices. U.K.

(1) Any notice required or authorised by any of the relevant statutory provisions to be served on or given to an inspector may be served or given by delivering it to him or by leaving it at, or sending it by post to, his office.

(2) Any such notice required or authorised to be served on or given to a person other than an inspector may be served or given by delivering it to him, or by leaving it at his proper address, or by sending it by post to him at that address.

(3) Any such notice may—

(a) in the case of a body corporate, be served on or given to the secretary or clerk of that body;

(b) in the case of a partnership, be served on or given to a partner or a person having the control or management of the partnership business or, in Scotland, the firm.

(4) For the purposes of this section and of [F1 section 7 of the M1 Interpretation Act 1978] (service of documents by post) in its application to this section, the proper address of any person on or to whom any such notice is to be served or given shall be his last known address, except that—

(a) in the case of a body corporate or their secretary or clerk, it shall be the address of the registered or principal office of that body;

(b) in the case of a partnership or a person having the control or the management of the partnership business, it shall be the principal office of the partnership;

and for the purposes of this subsection the principal office of a company registered outside the United Kingdom or of a partnership carrying on business outside the United Kingdom shall be their principal office within the United Kingdom.

(5) If the person to be served with or given any such notice has specified an address within the United Kingdom other than his proper address within the meaning of subsection (4) above as the one at which he or someone on his behalf will accept notices of the same description as that notice, that address shall also be treated for the purposes of this section and [F1 section 7 of the Interpretation Act 1978] as his proper address.

(6) Without prejudice to any other provision of this section, any such notice required or authorised to be served on or given to the owner or occupier of any premises (whether a body corporate or not) may be served or given by sending it by post to him at those premises, or by addressing it by name to the person on or to whom it is to be served or given and delivering it to some responsible person who is or appears to be resident or employed in the premises.

(7) If the name or the address of any owner or occupier of premises on or to whom any such notice as aforesaid is to be served or given cannot after reasonable inquiry be ascertained, the notice may be served or given by addressing it to the person on or to whom it is to be served or given by the description of “owner” or “occupier” of the premises (describing them) to which the notice relates, and by delivering it to some responsible person who is or appears to be resident or employed in the premises, or, if there is no such person to whom it can be delivered, by affixing it or a copy of it to some conspicuous part of the premises.

(8) The preceding provisions of this section shall apply to the sending or giving of a document as they apply to the giving of a notice.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words substituted by virtue of Interpretation Act 1978 (c. 30), s. 25(2)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C22 S. 46 applied by S.I. 1989/840, arts. 2-10

S. 46 excluded (with saving) (E.W.S.) (1.12.1997) by S.I. 1997/1840, regs. 7, 9

S. 46 extended (E.W.S.) (1.10.1996) by S.I. 1996/1513, reg. 10 S. 46: power to apply conferred (E.W.S.) (28.8.1995) by 1995 c. 15, ss. 2(4)(l), 5 (with s. 3(5))

S. 46 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (16.4.1996) by S.I. 1996/772, reg. 17

C23 Ss. 1-59, 80-82 applied (11.7.2001) by S.I. 2001/2127, arts. 4(1), 5(1)(2), 6(1), 7(1), 8(1), 10 (with art. 11) (as amended by S.I. 2009/1750, art. 2(2)(4))

C24 S. 46 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (22.3.2003 for certain purposes and 22.9.2003 otherwise) by S.I. 2003/403, regs. 1(2), 23(2)(a)(3); s. 46 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (9.6.2004) by S.I. 2004/1309, reg. 17

C25 S. 46 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (the amendment coming into force in accordance with art. 1(1) of the amending S.I.) by The Channel Tunnel (Safety) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/3531), art. 4(2)(3)(i) (subject to (4)-(6)) (with art. 7)

C26 Ss. 1-59, 80-82 applied (temp.) (5.8.2009) by The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Application outside Great Britain) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/2127), arts. 8A, 8B (as inserted by S.I. 2009/1750, art. 2(3))

C27 S. 46 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (6.4.2010) by The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Non-Interoperable Rail System) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/432), reg. 6(2)(3)(h)

C28 S. 46 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (6.4.2010) by The Train Driving Licences and Certificates Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/724), regs. 1(2), 38(2)(3)(h)

C29 Ss. 1-59 applied by S.I. 2001/2127 art. 8A 8B (as inserted (E.W.S.) (6.4.2011) by The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Application outside Great Britain) (Variation) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/745), arts. 1(1), 3(2))

C30 S. 46 applied (with modifications) (16.1.2012) by The Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/3066), regs. 1(2), 39(2)(3)(h) (with reg. 3)

C31 S. 46 applied (1.3.2014) by The Biocidal Products and Chemicals (Appointment of Authorities and Enforcement) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/1506), regs. 2(4), 29(1) (with reg. 3(4)(5)31)

C32 S. 46 applied by SI 1975/335 reg. 11(3) (as substituted (1.4.2014) by The Energy Act 2013 (Office for Nuclear Regulation) (Consequential Amendments, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/469), art. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 175 (with Sch. 4))

C33 S. 46 applied (with modifications) by S.I. 2014/1638, Sch. 12 paras. 5-7 (as substituted (E.W.S.) (20.4.2016) by The Explosives Regulations 2014 (Amendment) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/315), reg. 1, Sch. 1 (with regs. 2(1), 15))

C34 S. 46 applied (with modifications) (30.7.2018) by The Cableway Installations Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/816), regs. 1, 21(1)-(3) (with reg. 4)

Marginal Citations

M1 1978 c. 30.