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Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

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Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 21 November 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Help about Changes to Legislation

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Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the affected provisions when you open the content using the Table of Contents below.

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Changes and effects yet to be applied to :

  • Pt. 1 modified by 2008 c. 32 s. 99(1)
  • Pt. 1 power to exclude conferred by 2014 c. 20 Sch. 1 para. 4(1)(b)(c)
  • Pt. 1 power to repeal or modify conferred by 2008 c. 32 s. 99(2)
  • s. 21-25 power to exclude conferred by 2014 c. 20 Sch. 1 para. 4(1)(a)
  • s. 51A(1) word substituted by 2002 c. 30 s. 95(1)(a) (2) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. S. 95 repealed (7.4.2005) without ever being in force by 2005 c. 15, ss. 158(4)(a), 174(2), 178(1), Sch. 17 Pt. 1)
  • s. 51A(2) (2A) substituted for s. 51A(2) by 2002 c. 30 s. 95(1)(a) (3) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. S. 95 repealed (7.4.2005) without ever being in force by 2005 c. 15, ss. 158(4)(a), 174(2), 178(1), Sch. 17 Pt. 1)
  • s. 51A(2B)-(2D) inserted by 2002 c. 30 s. 95(4) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. S. 95 repealed (7.4.2005) without ever being in force by 2005 c. 15, ss. 158(4)(a), 174(2), 178(1), Sch. 17 Pt. 1)
  • s. 51A(3)(a) words substituted by 2002 c. 30 s. 95(5) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. S. 95 repealed (7.4.2005) without ever being in force by 2005 c. 15, ss. 158(4)(a), 174(2), 178(1), Sch. 17 Pt. 1)
  • s. 51A(3)(b) words substituted by 2002 c. 30 s. 95(5) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. S. 95 repealed (7.4.2005) without ever being in force by 2005 c. 15, ss. 158(4)(a), 174(2), 178(1), Sch. 17 Pt. 1)
  • s. 51A(3)(c) words substituted by 2002 c. 30 s. 95(5) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. S. 95 repealed (7.4.2005) without ever being in force by 2005 c. 15, ss. 158(4)(a), 174(2), 178(1), Sch. 17 Pt. 1)
  • s. 51A(4) words substituted by 2002 c. 30 s. 95(6) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. S. 95 repealed (7.4.2005) without ever being in force by 2005 c. 15, ss. 158(4)(a), 174(2), 178(1), Sch. 17 Pt. 1)
  • Sch. 1 words repealed by 2003 c. 22 Sch.

  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 Executive.

      2. 11. Functions of the Executive.

      3. 11A.Powers of the Executive: buildings in England

      4. 12. Control of the Executive by the Secretary of State.

      5. 13. Powers of the Executive.

      6. 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 Executive.

      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. 25A. Power of customs officer to detain articles and substances.

      10. 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. 27A.Information communicated by Commissioners for Revenue and Customs.

      3. 28.Restrictions on disclosure of information.

    7. Special provisions relating to agriculture

      1. 29.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      2. 30. Agricultural health and safety regulations.

      3. 31, 32.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    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.Restrictions 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.

      2. 43A.Railway safety levy

    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 the relevant statutory provisions.

      8. 51. Exclusion of application to domestic employment.

      9. 51A. Application of Part to police.

      10. 52. Meaning of work and at work.

      11. 53. General interpretation of Part I.

      12. 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, 62.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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

    3. 64—69.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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

    5. 71—74.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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

    7. 76.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  5. Part IV Miscellaneous and General

    1. 77. Amendment of Radiological Protection Act 1970.

    2. 78. Amendment of Fire Precautions Act 1971.

    3. 79.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    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 the Constitution etc. of the Health and Safety Executive

      1. The Health and Safety Executive

        1. 1.The Executive shall consist of— (a) the Chair of the...

        2. 2.(1) The Secretary of State shall appoint the Chair of...

      2. Terms of Appointment of the Executive

        1. 3.Subject to paragraphs 4 , 4A and 5, a person...

        2. 4.The Chair or any other member of the Executive ,...

        3. 4A.(1) An ONR member may at any time resign from...

        4. 5.The Secretary of State may remove a Chair or other...

      3. Remuneration of Members

        1. 6.(1) The Executive shall pay — (a) to each member,...

      4. Proceedings of the Executive

        1. 7.(1) The Executive may regulate its own procedure.

      5. Staff

        1. 8.(1) The Executive shall, with the consent of the Secretary...

      6. Performance of functions

        1. 9.(1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) to (4), anything authorised or...

      7. Accounts and Reports

        1. 10.(1) It shall be the duty of the Chief Executive—...

      8. Supplemental

        1. 11.The Secretary of State shall not make any determination or...

        2. 12.(1) The fixing of the common seal of the Executive...

    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 health and...

    4. SCHEDULE 3A

      OFFENCES: MODE OF TRIAL AND MAXIMUM PENALTY

      1. 1.The mode of trial and maximum penalty applicable to each...

      2. 2.(1) This paragraph makes transitional modifications of the table as...

    5. SCHEDULE 4

    6. SCHEDULE 5

    7. SCHEDULE 6

    8. SCHEDULE 7

      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 subsection 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” and...

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

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

    9. 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.. . . . . . . . . ....

    10. SCHEDULE 9

      1. The Coroners (Amendment) Act 1926

        1. 1.In section 1392)(c) of the Coroners (Amendment) Act 1926 (by...

        2. 2.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      2. 3.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    11. SCHEDULE 10

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