Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | SI 1992/3004 |
1992 No.3004
HEALTH AND SAFETY
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
Made 1st December 1992
Laid before Parliament 8th December 1992
The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred on her by sections 15(1), (2), (3)(a) and (5)(b), and 82(3)(a) of, and paragraphs 1(2), 9 and 10 of Schedule 3 to, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 19741(“the 1974 Act”) and of all other powers enabling her in that behalf and for the purpose of giving effect without modifications to proposals submitted to her by the Health and Safety Commission under section 11(2)(d) of the 1974 Act after the carrying out by the said Commission of consultations in accordance with section 50(3) of that Act, hereby makes the following Regulations:—
Citation and commencement
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992.
(2) Subject to paragraph (3), these Regulations shall come into force on 1st January 1993.
(3) Regulations 5 to 27 and the Schedules shall come into force on 1st January 1996 with respect to any workplace or part of a workplace which is not—
(a)
(a) a new workplace; or
(b)
(b) a modification, an extension or a conversion.
Interpretation
2.—(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—
“new workplace” means a workplace used for the first time as a workplace after31st December 1992;
“public road” means (in England and Wales) a highway maintainable at public expense within the meaning of section 329 of the Highways Act 19802and (in Scotland) a public road within the meaning assigned to that term by section 151 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 19843;
“traffic route” means a route for pedestrian traffic, vehicles or both and includes any stairs, staircase, fixed ladder, doorway, gateway, loading bay or ramp;
“workplace” means, subject to paragraph (2), any premises or part of premises which are not domestic premises and are made available to any person as a place of work, and includes—
(a) any place within the premises to which such person has access while at work; and
(b) any room, lobby, corridor, staircase, road or other place used as a means of access to or egress from that place of work or where facilities are provided for use in connection with the place of work other than a public road;
but shall not include a modification, an extension or a conversion of any of the above until such modification, extension or conversion is completed.
(2) Any reference in these Regulations, except in paragraph (1), to a modification, an extension or a conversion is a reference, as the case may be, to a modification, an extension or a conversion of a workplace started after 31st December 1992.
(3) Any requirement that anything done or provided in pursuance of these Regulations shall be suitable shall be construed to include a requirement that it is suitable for any person in respect of whom such thing is so done or provided.
(4) Any reference in these Regulations to—
(a)
(a) a numbered regulation or Schedule is a reference to the regulation in or Schedule to these Regulations so numbered; and
(b)
(b) a numbered paragraph is a reference to the paragraph so numbered in the regulation in which the reference appears.
Application of these Regulations
3.—(1) These Regulations apply to every workplace but shall not apply to—
(a)
(a) a workplace which is or is in or on a ship within the meaning assigned to that word by regulation 2(1) of the Docks Regulations 19884;
(b)
(b) a workplace where the only activities being undertaken are building operations or works of engineering construction within, in either case, section 176 of the Factories Act 19615and activities for the purpose of or in connection with the first-mentioned activities;
(c)
(c) a workplace where the only activities being undertaken are the exploration for or extraction of mineral resources; or
(d)
(d) a workplace which is situated in the immediate vicinity of another workplace or intended workplace where exploration for or extraction of mineral resources is being or will be undertaken, and where the only activities being undertaken are activities preparatory to, for the purposes of, or in connection with such exploration for or extraction of mineral resources at that other workplace.
(2) In their application to temporary work sites, any requirement to ensure a workplace complies with any of regulations 20 to 25 shall have effect as a requirement to so ensure so far as is reasonably practicable.
(3) As respects any workplace which is or is in or on an aircraft, locomotive or rolling stock, trailer or semi-trailer used as a means of transport or a vehicle for which a licence is in force under the Vehicles (Excise) Act 19716or a vehicle exempted from duty under that Act—
(a)
(a) regulations 5 to 12 and 14 to 25 shall not apply to any such workplace; and
(b)
(b) regulation 13 shall apply to any such workplace only when the aircraft, locomotive or rolling stock, trailer or semi-trailer or vehicle is stationary inside a workplace and, in the case of a vehicle for which a licence is in force under the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971, is not on a public road.
(4) As respects any workplace which is in fields, woods or other land forming part of an agricultural or forestry undertaking but which is not inside a building and is situated away from the undertaking’s main buildings—
(a)
(a) regulations 5 to 19 and 23 to 25 shall not apply to any such workplace; and
(b)
(b) any requirement to ensure that any such workplace complies with any of regulations 20 to 22 shall have effect as a requirement to so ensure so far as is reasonably practicable.
Requirements under these Regulations
4.—(1) Every employer shall ensure that every workplace, modification, extension or conversion which is under his control and where any of his employees works complies with any requirement of these Regulations which—
(a)
(a) applies to that workplace or, as the case may be, to the workplace which contains that modification, extension or conversion; and
(b)
(b) is in force in respect of the workplace, modification, extension or conversion.
(2) Subject to paragraph (4), every person who has, to any extent, control of a workplace, modification, extension or conversion shall ensure that such workplace, modification, extension or conversion complies with any requirements of these Regulations which—
(a)
(a) applies to that workplace or, as the case may be, to the workplace which contains that modification, extension or conversion;
(b)
(b) is in force in respect of the workplace, modification, extension, or conversion; and
(c)
(c) relates to matters within that person’s control.
(3) Any reference in this regulation to a person having control of any workplace, modification, extension or conversion is a reference to a person having control of the workplace, modification, extension or conversion in connection with the carrying on by him of a trade, business or other undertaking (whether for profit or not).
(4) Paragraph (2) shall not impose any requirement upon a self-employed person in respect of his own work or the work of any partner of his in the undertaking.
(5) Every person who is deemed to be the occupier of a factory by virtue of section 175(5) of the Factories Act 1961 shall ensure that the premises which are so deemed to be a factory comply with these Regulations.
Maintenance of workplace, and of equipment, devices and systems
5.—(1) The workplace and the equipment, devices and systems to which this regulation applies shall be maintained (including cleaned as appropriate) in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.
(2) Where appropriate, the equipment, devices and systems to which this regulation applies shall be subject to a suitable system of maintenance.
(3) The equipment, devices and systems to which this regulation applies are—
(a)
(a) equipment and devices a fault in which is liable to result in a failure to comply with any of these Regulations; and
(b)
(b) mechanical ventilation systems provided pursuant to regulation 6 (whether or not they include equipment or devices within sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph).
Ventilation
6.—(1) Effective and suitable provision shall be made to ensure that every enclosed workplace is ventilated by a sufficient quantity of fresh or purified air.
(2) Any plant used for the purpose of complying with paragraph (1) shall include an effective device to give visible or audible warning of any failure of the plant where necessary for reasons of health or safety.
(3) This regulation shall not apply to any enclosed workplace or part of a workplace which is subject to the provisions of—
(a)
(a) section 30 of the Factories Act 19617;
(b)
(b) regulations 49 to 52 of the Shipbuilding and Ship-Repairing Regulations 19608;
(c)
(c) regulation 21 of the Construction (General Provisions) Regulations 19619;
(d)
(d) regulation 18 of the Docks Regulations 198810.
Temperature in indoor workplaces
7.—(1) During working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable.
(2) A method of heating or cooling shall not be used which results in the escape into a workplace of fumes, gas or vapour of such character and to such extent that they are likely to be injurious or offensive to any person.
(3) A sufficient number of thermometers shall be provided to enable persons at work to determine the temperature in any workplace inside a building.
Lighting
8.—(1) Every workplace shall have suitable and sufficient lighting.
(2) The lighting mentioned in paragraph (1) shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, be by natural light.
(3) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1), suitable and...
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