OpenLegislation

Factories Act 1961

9 & 10 Eliz. 2 c. 34 · Enacted 22 June 1961 · Extends to United Kingdom

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 12 July 2016.

An Act to consolidate the Factories Acts 1937 to 1959 and certain other enactments relating to the safety, health and welfare of employed persons.

[22nd June 1961]C1C2C3C4C5C6

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Act extended by Education (Scotland) Act 1962 (c. 47), s. 136, Radiological Protection Act 1970 (c. 46), s. 2(5) and Atomic Energy Authority Act 1971 (c. 11), s. 18(1)

C2

Act (except s. 135) amended by S.I. 1988/1222, regs. 3, 4

C3

Act (except s. 135) amended by S.I. 1990/1380, reg. 3

C4

Act: except s. 135 saved by virtue of Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (c. 37, SIF 43:3), s. 53, Sch. and Tay Road Bridge Order Confirmation Act 1991 (c. iv) Sch. Pt. VII, s. 62

C5

Act except s. 135 saved by virtue of Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (c. 37, SIF 43:3), s. 53, Sch. 1 and Highland Regional Council (Harbours) Order Confirmation Act 1991 (c. xii), s. 61(1)(f)

Act restricted (1.10.1993) by S.I. 1993/1897, reg. 40

C6

Definition of 'factory' applied (E.W.) (1.12.1991) by Water Industry Act 1991 (c. 56, SIF 130), ss. 58(6), 71-84, 106(9), 162-172, 223(2), Sch. 6, Pt.I, para. 1(2) (with ss. 82(3), 186(1), 222(1), Sch. 14 para.6)

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. 8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  10. 9, 10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  11. 10ASection 10A
  12. 11Power to require medical supervision.
  13. Part II: Safety (General Provisions)
  14. 12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  15. 13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  16. 14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  17. 15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  18. 16. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  19. 17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  20. 18Dangerous substances.
  21. 19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  22. 20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  23. 21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  24. 22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  25. 23. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  26. 24Teagle openings and similar doorways. Repealed
  27. 25. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  28. 26. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  29. 27. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  30. 28Floors, passages and stairs.
  31. 29Safe means of access and safe place of employment.
  32. 30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  33. 31Precautions with respect to explosive or inflammable dust, gas, vapour or substance.
  34. 32Steam boilers—attachments and construction.
  35. 33Steam boilers—maintenance, examination and use.
  36. 34. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  37. 35. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  38. 36Air receivers. Repealed
  39. 37. Repealed
  40. 38. Repealed
  41. 39Precautions as respects water-sealed gasholders. Repealed
  42. 40—52. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  43. 53—55. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  44. 56Application of Part II to Scotland. Repealed
  45. Part III: Welfare (General Provisions)
  46. 57Supply of drinking water.
  47. 58Washing facilities.
  48. 59Accommodation for clothing.
  49. 60Sitting facilities.
  50. 61. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  51. 62. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  52. Part IV: Health, Safety and Welfare (Special Provisions and Regulations)
  53. Special provisions
  54. 63, 64. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  55. 65. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  56. 66. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  57. 67. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  58. 68. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  59. 69Underground rooms.
  60. 70, 71. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  61. 72. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  62. 73Section 73
  63. 74. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  64. 75. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  65. 76. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  66. Supplementary provisions
  67. 77, 78. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  68. 79. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  69. Part V: Notification and Investigation of Accidents and Industrial Diseases
  70. 80. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  71. 81. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  72. 82. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  73. 83. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  74. 84. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  75. 85. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  76. Part VI: Employment of Women and Young Persons
  77. 86—94. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  78. 95. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  79. 96—109. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  80. 110—111. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  81. 112—116. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  82. Exemptions in interest of efficiency of industry or transport
  83. 117Exemptions from provisions regulating hours of employment. Repealed
  84. Certificate of fitness for employment of young persons
  85. 118. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  86. 119Power of inspector to require certificate of fitness for work. Repealed
  87. 119ADuty of factory occupier to give notice of employment of a young person. Repealed
  88. Part VII: Special Applications and Extensions
  89. Factories occupying parts of buildings
  90. 120. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  91. 121Tenement factories—other provisions. Repealed
  92. 122Parts of buildings let off as separate factories—other provisions. Repealed
  93. Electrical stations
  94. 123Application of Act to electrical stations.
  95. Institutions
  96. 124Institutions.
  97. Docks, wharves, quays, warehouses and ships
  98. 125Docks, etc.
  99. 126Ships.
  100. Works of building and engineering construction
  101. 127Building operations and works of engineering construction.
  102. Lead processes carried on in places other than factories
  103. 128. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  104. 129Section 129
  105. 130. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  106. 131. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  107. 132. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  108. Part VIII: Home Work
  109. 133. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  110. 134. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  111. Part IX
  112. 135—135A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  113. 136. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  114. Part X: Notices, Returns, Records, Duties of Persons Employed, and Application of Weights and Measures Acts
  115. 137Notice of occupation of factory, and use of mechanical power. Repealed
  116. 138. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  117. 139. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  118. 140General registers. Repealed
  119. 141Preservation of registers and records.
  120. 142. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  121. 143. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  122. 144. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  123. Part XI: Administration
  124. 145. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  125. 146, 147. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  126. 148. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  127. 149, 150. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  128. 151, 152. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  129. 153Provisions as to county and district councils. Repealed
  130. 154Prohibition of disclosure of information Repealed
  131. 154AException to the prohibition: public authorities Repealed
  132. Part XII: Offences, Penalties and Legal Proceedings
  133. 155Offences.
  134. 156Fines for offences for which no express penalty provided.
  135. 157Power of court to order cause of contravention to be remedied.
  136. 158Fine for offence by parent.
  137. 159. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  138. 160Penalty on person actually committing an offence for which other person is primarily liable.
  139. 161Power of person primarily liable to exempt himself from liability.
  140. 162Proceedings against persons not primarily liable.
  141. 163Owner of machine liable in certain cases instead of occupier. Repealed
  142. 164Prosecution of offences and application of fines.
  143. 165. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  144. 166Special provisions as to evidence.
  145. 167Proceedings for offences in respect of the employment of children.
  146. 168Service of documents, etc.
  147. 169Power of county court or sheriff to modify agreements. Repealed
  148. 170Power of county court or sheriff to apportion expenses. Repealed
  149. 171Application of the Arbitration (Scotland) Act 2010 or the Arbitration Act 1996.
  150. Part XIII: Application of Act
  151. 172General application.
  152. 173Application to Crown.
  153. 174Section 174
  154. Part XIV: Interpretation and General
  155. Interpretation
  156. 175Interpretation of expression “factory".
  157. 176General interpretation
  158. General
  159. 177. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  160. 178Certificates of birth.
  161. 179. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  162. 180Regulations, rules and orders.
  163. 181Substitution of corresponding provisions for certain provisions of Factory and Workshop Act 1901. Repealed
  164. 182General application to Scotland.
  165. 183Transitional provisions and repeals.
  166. 184Construction of references in other enactments to factories and workshops, etc. and exclusion of certain provisions of Public Health (London) Act 1936.
  167. 185Short title, commencement and extent.
  168. Schedule FIRSTSchedule FIRST
  169. Schedule SECONDSchedule SECOND
  170. Schedule THIRD AND FOURTH SCHEDULESSchedule THIRD AND FOURTH SCHEDULES
  171. Schedule FIFTH SCHEDULES: Provisions of the Factory and Workshop Act 1901 applicable in London and Scotland only . . .
  172. 61Prohibition of employment of women after childbirth.
  173. 109Making of wearing apparel where there is scarlet fever or smallpox.
  174. 110Prohibition of home work in places where there is infectious disease.
  175. Schedule SIXTH: Transitional Provisions
  176. 1Paragraph 1
  177. 2Paragraph 2
  178. 3Paragraph 3 Repealed
  179. 4Paragraph 4
  180. 5Paragraph 5
  181. 6Paragraph 6
  182. 7Paragraph 7
  183. 8Paragraph 8
  184. Schedule SEVENTHSchedule SEVENTH