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Factories Act 1937

Edw8and1Geo6/1 c. 67 · Enacted 30 July 1937

Original text. legislation.gov.uk does not revise this item, so later amendments are not shown here. Changes made to it are listed under each provision when known.

An Act to consolidate, with amendments, the Factory and Workshop Acts, 1901 to 1929, and other enactments relating to factories; and for purposes connected with the purposes aforesaid.

[30th July 1937]

Be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows :—

Contents

  1. Part I: Health (General Provisions).
  2. 1Cleanliness.
  3. 2Overcrowding.
  4. 3Temperature.
  5. 4Ventilation.
  6. 5Lighting.
  7. 6Drainage of floors.
  8. 7Sanitary conveniences.
  9. 8Enforcement by district councils of certain provisions of Part I.
  10. 9Powers of inspector as to sanitary defects remediable by district council.
  11. 10Powers in case of default of a district council.
  12. 11Power to require medical supervision.
  13. Part II: Safety (General Provisions).
  14. 12Prime movers.
  15. 13Transmission machinery.
  16. 14Other machinery.
  17. 15Provisions as to unfenced machinery.
  18. 16Construction and maintenance of fencing.
  19. 17Construction and sale of new machinery.
  20. 18Vessels containing dangerous liquids.
  21. 19Self-acting machines.
  22. 20Cleaning of machinery by women and young persons.
  23. 21Training and supervision of young persons working at dangerous machines.
  24. 22Hoists and lifts.
  25. 23Chains, ropes and lifting tackle.
  26. 24Cranes and other lifting machines.
  27. 25Construction and maintenance of floors, passages and stairs.
  28. 26Safe means of access and safe place of employment.
  29. 27Precautions in places where dangerous fumes are liable to be present.
  30. 28Precautions with respect to explosive or inflammable dust, gas, vapour or substance.
  31. 29Steam boilers.
  32. 30Steam receivers and steam containers.
  33. 31Air receivers.
  34. 32Exceptions as to steam boilers, steam receivers and containers, and air receivers.
  35. 33Precautions as respects water-sealed gasholders.
  36. 34Means of escape in case of fire.
  37. 35Regulations and byelaws as to means of escape in case of fire.
  38. 36Safety provisions in case of fire.
  39. 37Instruction as to use of means of escape in case of fire.
  40. 38Power of Secretary of State to require special safety arrangements for the prevention of accidents.
  41. 39Power of court of summary jurisdiction to make orders as to dangerous conditions and practices.
  42. 40Power of court of summary jurisdiction to make orders as to dangerous factory.
  43. Part III: Welfare (General Provisions).
  44. 41Supply of drinking water.
  45. 42Washing facilities.
  46. 43Accommodation for clothing.
  47. 44Facilities for sitting.
  48. 45First-aid.
  49. 46Welfare regulations.
  50. Part IV: Health, Safety and Welfare (Special Provisions and Regulations).
  51. Special Provisions.
  52. 47Removal of dust or fumes.
  53. 48Meals in certain dangerous trades.
  54. 49Protection of eyes in certain processes.
  55. 50Shuttle threading by mouth suction.
  56. 51Prohibition of use of white phosphorus in manufacture of matches.
  57. 52Humid factories.
  58. 53Underground rooms.
  59. 54Basement bakehouses.
  60. 55Laundries.
  61. 56Lifting excessive weights.
  62. 57Prohibition of employment of female young persons where certain processes are carried on.
  63. 58Prohibition of employment of women and young persons in certain processes connected with lead manufacture.
  64. 59Provisions as to employment of women and young persons in processes involving use of lead compounds.
  65. Special Regulations for Safety and Health.
  66. 60Power to make special regulations for safety and health.
  67. Supplementary Provisions.
  68. 61Prohibition of importation and sale of articles made with prohibited materials.
  69. 62Power to take samples.
  70. 63Certificates required before approval of building plans relating to cotton cloth factories.
  71. Part V: Notification and Investigation of Accidents and Industrial Diseases.
  72. 64Notification of accidents.
  73. 65Power to extend to dangerous occurrences provisions as to notice of accidents.
  74. 66Notification of industrial diseases.
  75. 67Inquest in case of death by accident or industrial disease.
  76. 68Power to direct formal investigation of accidents and cases of disease.
  77. 69Duty of examining surgeon to investigate and report in certain cases.
  78. Part VI: Employment of Women and Young Persons.
  79. Hours and Holidays.
  80. 70General conditions as to hours of employment of women and young persons.
  81. 71Reduction of weekly hours of work of young persons under sixteen.
  82. 72Notice fixing hours of employment.
  83. 73Overtime employment of women and young persons over sixteen.
  84. 74Supplementary provisions as to overtime.
  85. 75Restriction of employment inside and outside factory on same day.
  86. 76Prohibition of use of rooms during intervals.
  87. 77Prohibition of Sunday employment.
  88. 78Annual holidays.
  89. 79Exception as to women holding positions of management.
  90. 80Power to suspend certain provisions of Part VI in emergency.
  91. Special Exceptions.
  92. 81Exception as to male young persons employed in shifts.
  93. 82Exception for factories operating the five-day week.
  94. 83Exception as to hour of commencement of period of employment.
  95. 84Exception as to simultaneous hours for meals and rest.
  96. 85Exception as to employment during intervals.
  97. 86Exception as to use of rooms during intervals.
  98. 87Exception as to continuous employment of male young persons employed with men.
  99. 88Exception as to male young persons employed on repairing work.
  100. 89Exception as to Saturday.
  101. 90Exception as to holidays on different days for different sets.
  102. 91Exception as to Sundays and Saturdays in Jewish factories.
  103. 92Exception as to laundries.
  104. 93Exception as to manufacture of bread or flour confectionery or sausages.
  105. 94Exception as to the preserving of fish, fruit and vegetables.
  106. 95Exception as to factories where milk is treated.
  107. 96Provision for protection of women and young persons employed under exceptions.
  108. 97Notices, registers, &c, relating to special exceptions.
  109. Regulation of Employment of Young Persons in certain occupations.
  110. 98Regulation of employment of young persons in certain occupations.
  111. Certificate of fitness for Employment of Young Persons.
  112. 99Certificate of fitness for employment of young persons.
  113. 100Power of inspector to require certificate of fitness for work.
  114. Part VII: Special Applications and Extensions.
  115. Premises in respect of which Owner is liable.
  116. 101Tenement factories.
  117. 102Premises where part of building is separate factory.
  118. Electrical Stations.
  119. 103Application of Act to electrical stations.
  120. Institutions.
  121. 104Institutions.
  122. Docks, Wharves, Quays, Warehouses and Ships.
  123. 105Docks, &c.
  124. 106Ships.
  125. Works of Building and Engineering Construction.
  126. 107Building operations.
  127. 108Works of engineering construction.
  128. Lead Processes carried on in Places other than Factories.
  129. 109Employment of women and young persons in places other than factories in processes connected with lead manufacture or involving the use of lead compounds.
  130. Part VIII: Home Work.
  131. 110Lists of outworkers to be kept in certain trades.
  132. 111Employment of person in unwholesome premises.
  133. Part IX: Particulars of Piece Work and Wages.
  134. 112Particulars of work and wages to be given to piece-workers.
  135. Part X: Miscellaneous.
  136. 113Notice of occupation of factory, and use of mechanical power.
  137. 114Posting of abstract of Act and notices.
  138. 115Provisions as to special regulations.
  139. 116General registers.
  140. 117Preservation of registers and records.
  141. 118Periodical return of persons employed.
  142. 119Duties of persons employed.
  143. 120Prohibition of deductions from wages.
  144. 121Weights, measures and weighing and measuring instruments used in ascertaining wages.
  145. Part XI: Administration.
  146. 122Appointment and duties of inspectors and clerks and servants.
  147. 123Powers of inspectors.
  148. 124Power of inspector to conduct proceedings before magistrates.
  149. 125Certificate of appointment of inspector.
  150. 126Appointment and duties of examining surgeons.
  151. 127Fees of examining surgeons.
  152. 128Provisions as to county and district councils.
  153. 129Provisions as to regulations and orders of Secretary of State.
  154. Part XII: Supplementary.
  155. Offences, Penalties and Legal Proceedings.
  156. 130Offences.
  157. 131Fines for offences for which no express penalty provided.
  158. 132Power of court to order cause of contravention to be remedied.
  159. 133Fines in case of death or injury.
  160. 134Fine for offence by parent.
  161. 135Forgery of certificates, false entries, and false declarations.
  162. 136Penalty on persons actually committing offence for which occupier is liable.
  163. 137Power of occupier or owner to exempt himself from liability on conviction of the actual offender.
  164. 138Proceedings against persons other than occupiers or owners.
  165. 139Owner of machine liable in certain cases instead of occupier.
  166. 140Prosecution of offences and recovery and application of fines.
  167. 141Appeal from orders made on complaint.
  168. 142Special provisions as to evidence.
  169. 143Proceedings for offences in respect of the employment of children.
  170. 144Service and sending of documents, &c.
  171. 145Certificates of birth.
  172. 146Power of county court to modify agreements.
  173. 147Power of county court to apportion expenses.
  174. 148Application of Arbitration Acts.
  175. Part XIII: Application op Act.
  176. 149General application of Act.
  177. 150Application to factories belonging to the Crown.
  178. Part XIV: Interpretation and General.
  179. Interpretation.
  180. 151Interpretation of expression “factory ”.
  181. 152General interpretation.
  182. 153Application of Act to young persons employed in factories in certain occupations.
  183. General.
  184. 154Inspection of certain premises.
  185. 155Expenses of Secretary of State.
  186. 156Application to Scotland.
  187. 157Substitution of corresponding provisions for certain provisions of 1 Edw.7 c.22.
  188. 158Provisions as to quarries and pit banks.
  189. 159Repeals and exclusion of certain enactments.
  190. 160Short title, commencement, extent and saving.
  191. Schedule FIRSTTable of Humidity.
  192. Schedule SECOND: Procedure for making Special Regulations.
  193. 1Paragraph 1
  194. 2Paragraph 2
  195. 3Paragraph 3
  196. 4Paragraph 4
  197. 5Paragraph 5
  198. 6Paragraph 6
  199. Schedule THIRD: Provisions of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901, to be administered by district councils.
  200. IPart I
  201. IIProvisions applicable in London and Scotland only.
  202. Schedule FOURTHEnactments repealed.