Celluloid and Cinematograph Film Act 1922
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
Celluloid and Cinematograph Film Act, 1922
(12 & 13 Geo. 5.) CHAPTER 35.
An Act to make better provision for the prevention of fire in premises where raw celluloid or cinematograph film is stored or used.
[4th August 1922]
B E 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:—
1 General safety provisions.
(1) No premises shall be used for any purpose to which this Act applies—
(a ) unless the occupier has furnished to the local authority in writing a statement of his name, the address of the premises, and the nature of the business there carried on;
(b ) unless the premises are provided with such means of escape in case of fire as the local authority may reasonably require, and such means of escape are maintained in good condition and free from obstruction;
(c ) if the premises are situated underneath premises used for residential purposes;
(d ) if the premises are so situated that a fire occurring therein might interfere with the means of escape from the building of which they form part or from any adjoining building;
(e ) where the premises form part of a building, unless such part either—
(i) is separated from any other part of the building by fire-resisting partitions (including fire-resisting ceilings and floors) and fire-resisting self-closing doors; or
(ii) is so situated and constructed that a fire occurring therein is not likely to spread to other parts of the building, and its use for the purposes to which this Act applies is sanctioned in writing by the local authority and any conditions attached to such sanction are complied with;
(f ) unless the regulations set out in the First Schedule to this Act are duly observed;
(g ) unless any regulations are duly observed which may be made by the Secretary of State with respect to the use upon the premises of any cinematograph or other similar apparatus.
(2) In the case of premises used for any purpose to which this Act applies at the date of the commencement of this Act, the provisions of this section requiring the occupier to furnish a statement to the local authority shall take effect at the expiration of two months after the commencement of this Act, and the provisions of this section requiring means of escape in ease of fire to be provided shall not take effect until the expiration of such period as may be reasonably necessary for enabling the occupier to comply with any requirements of the local authority in that respect.
(3) Any person aggrieved by any requirement of a local authority, or the refusal of the local authority to grant any sanction, or by the conditions attached to any such sanction, may, within seven days after being notified of such requirement, refusal or conditions, appeal to a court of summary jurisdiction, provided that he has given not less than twenty-four hours notice in writing of such appeal and of the grounds thereof to the local authority, and the court on any such appeal may make such order as appears to the court to be just, including any order for the payment of costs.
(4) The Secretary of State may by order, made in accordance with the provisions contained in the Second Schedule to this Act—
(a ) make regulations with respect to the use of any cinematograph or similar apparatus upon any premises used for any purpose to which this Act applies; and
(b ) modify or add to the regulations set out in the First Schedule to this Act, and those regulations shall thereupon have effect as so modified or added to.
An order made under this section may apply either generally, or to such classes or descriptions of premises as may be mentioned in the order.
2 Purposes to which the Act applies.
2. The purposes to which this Act applies are—
(1) the keeping or storing of raw celluloid—
(a ) in quantities exceeding at any one time one hundredweight; or
(b ) in smaller quantities unless kept (except when required to be exposed for the purpose of the work carried on in the premises) in a properly closed metal box or case; and
(2) the keeping or storing of cinematograph film—
(a ) in quantities exceeding at any one time twenty reels, or eighty pounds in weight; or
(b ) in smaller quantities unless each reel is kept (except when required to be exposed for the purpose of the work carried on in the premises) in a separate and properly closed metal box or case:
Provided that—
(i) for the purposes of this Act, cinematograph film shall be deemed to be kept in any premises where it is temporarily deposited for the purpose of examination, cleaning, packing, re-winding or repair, but celluloid or cinematograph film shall not be deemed to be kept or stored in any premises where it is temporarily deposited whilst in the course of delivery, conveyance or transport; and
3 Penalties for infringement of foregoing provisions.
(1) In the event of any contravention in or in connection with any premises of the foregoing provisions of this Act, the occupier shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding ten pounds for each day on which the offence is continued after conviction thereof.
(2) In the event of the contravention by any person employed on any premises of any regulation contained in the First Schedule to this Act or of any regulation made under this Act, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five pounds.
(3) The provisions of section one hundred and forty-one of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901 (which relates to the power of an occupier to exempt himself from fine on the conviction of the actual offender), shall apply to offences under this Act as it applies to offences under that Act.
4 Execution of Act by local authorities.
(1) It shall be the duty of local authorities to see that the provisions of this Act are duly complied with.
(2) The expenses incurred by a local authority in the execution of their powers under this Act shall be defrayed in the same manner as expenses incurred in the administration of the Public Health Acts, 1875 to 1908.
(3) The occupier of premises in respect of which a statement is required to be furnished to the local authority shall pay to the local authority when furnishing such statement and on the first day of January of every year thereafter, so long as the premises are used for any purpose to which this Act applies, such fees as the Secretary of State may prescribe.
5 Power of entry.
(1) An officer duly authorised by a local authority may, at all reasonable times, enter and inspect any premises which are used, or which such officer has reasonable cause to believe are used, wholly or in part for any purpose to which this Act applies.
(2) Every such officer as aforesaid shall be furnished with a certificate of his authorisation by the local authority and when visiting any such premises as aforesaid shall, if so required, produce the said certificate to the occupier of the premises.
6 Power to take samples.
6. An officer duly authorised by a local authority may, at any time, take for analysis sufficient samples of any material which he suspects to be or to contain celluloid.
7 Obstruction of officers.
7. If any person refuses to permit any officer authorised under this Act to enter or inspect any premises, or hinders or obstructs any such officer in the execution of his duty under this Act, or refuses to allow any officer to take samples in pursuance of the last preceding section or to give him facilities for the purpose, that person shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds.
8 Power of county court to modify agreement and to apportion expenses.
(1) If any occupier of premises is prevented by any agreement...
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