Factories Act 1961 (c. 34)

(1) Every factory shall be kept in a clean state and free from effluvia arising from any drain, sanitary convenience or nuisance. (2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of this section,— (a) accumulations of dirt and refuse shall be removed daily by a suitable method from the floors and benches of workrooms, and from the staircases and passages; (b) the floor of every workroom shall be cleaned at least once every week by washing or, if it is effective and suitable, by sweeping or other method. (3) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of this section but subject to subsection (4) thereof, the following provisions shall apply as respects all inside walls and partitions and all ceilings or tops of rooms, and all walls, sides and tops of passages and staircases, that is to say,— (a) where they have a smooth impervious surface, they shall at least once in every period of fourteen months be washed with hot water and soap or other suitable detergent or cleaned by such other method as may be approved by the inspector for the district; (b) where they are kept painted in a prescribed manner or varnished, they shall be repainted in a prescribed manner or revarnished at such intervals of not more than seven years as may be prescribed, and shall at least once in every period of fourteen months be washed with hot water and soap or other suitable detergent or cleaned by such other method as may be approved by the inspector for the district; (c) in any other case they shall be kept whitewashed or colourwashed and the whitewashing or colourwashing shall be repeated at least once in every period of fourteen months. (4) Except in a case where the inspector for the district otherwise requires, the provisions of subsection (3) of this section shall not apply to any factory where mechanical power is not used and less than ten persons are employed. (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2 ] Textual Amendments F1 S. 1 repealed (1.1.1993 with respect to certain premises and 1.1.1996 with respect to certain further premises) by S.I. 1992/3004 , regs. 1(2)(3) , 2 , 3 , 27(1) , Sch. 2 Pt. I (with reg. 27(2) ). F2 Ss. 1(5) , 2(4) , 3(3) , 4(2) , 5(2) , 7(2) , 9 , 10 , 14(3)(4)(6) , 17(3)–(5) , 18(5)(6) , 25(4) , 53–55 , 58(2)–(4) , 59(2)(3) , 62 , 66 , 70 , 71 , 72(2) , 73(2) , 76 , 81 , 83 , 121(7) , 122(6) , 124(2)(3) , 129(1) , 134 , 137(5) , 142 , 145 , 149 , 150 , 153(3) , 159 , 164(3) , 174(2) , 177 , 179 , 180(5)(7)(8)(10) , 181(2) , 182(5)(6) , Schs. 3 , 4 repealed by S.I. 1974/1941 , reg. 7 , Sch. 1

(1) A factory shall not, while work is carried on, be so overcrowded as to cause risk of injury to the health of the persons employed in it. (2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of this section but subject to subsection (3) thereof, the number of persons employed at a time in any workroom shall not be such that the amount of cubic space allowed for each is less than [ F4 11 cubic metres ] ] . (3) If the chief inspector is satisfied that, owing to the special conditions under which the work is carried on in any workroom in which explosive materials are manufactured or handled, the application of subsection (2) of this section to that workroom would be inappropriate or unnecessary, he may by certificate except the workroom from that subsection subject to any conditions specified in the certificate. (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F5 (5) In calculating for the purposes of this section the amount of cubic space in any room no space more than [ F4 4.2 metres ] from the floor shall be taken into account and, where a room contains a gallery, the gallery shall be treated for the purposes of this section as if it were partitioned off from the remainder of the room and formed a separate room. (6) Unless the inspector for the district otherwise allows, there shall be posted in the workroom a notice specifying the number of persons who, having regard to the provisions of this section, may be employed in that room. Textual Amendments F3 S. 2 repealed (1.1.1993 with respect to certain premises and 1.1.1996 with respect to certain further premises) by S.I. 1992/3004 , regs. 1(2)(3) , 2 , 3 , 27(1) , Sch. 2 Pt.I (with reg. 27(2) ). F4 Words substituted by S.I. 1983/978 , regs. 3 , 4 , Sch. 1 F5 Ss. 1(5) , 2(4) , 3(3) , 4(2) , 5(2) , 7(2) , 9 , 10 , 14(3)(4)(6) , 17(3)–(5) , 18(5)(6) , 25(4) , 53–55 , 58(2)–(4) , 59(2)(3) , 62 , 66 , 70 , 71 , 72(2) , 73(2) , 76 , 81 , 83 , 121(7) , 122(6) , 124(2)(3) , 129(1) , 134 , 137(5) , 142 , 145 , 149 , 150 , 153(3) , 159 , 164(3) , 174(2) , 177 , 179 , 180(5)(7)(8)(10) , 181(2) , 182(5)(6) , Schs. 3 , 4 repealed by S.I. 1974/1941 , reg. 7 , Sch. 1