Search Legislation

Advanced Search

Factories Act 1961

Changes to legislation:

There are currently no known outstanding effects for the Factories Act 1961. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. At the current time any known changes or effects made by subsequent legislation have been applied to the text of the legislation you are viewing by the editorial team. Please see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for details regarding the timescales for which new effects are identified and recorded on this site.

  1. Introductory Text

  2. Part I Health (General Provisions)

    1. 1. Cleanliness.

    2. 2. Overcrowding.

    3. 3. Temperature.

    4. 4. Ventilation.

    5. 5. Lighting.

    6. 6. Drainage of floors.

    7. 7. Sanitary Conveniences.

    8. 8.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    9. 9, 10.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    10. 10A.(1) If an employment medical adviser is of opinion that...

    11. 11. Power to require medical supervision.

  3. Part II Safety (General Provisions)

    1. 12. Prime movers.

    2. 13. Transmission machinery.

    3. 14. Other machinery.

    4. 15. Provisions as to unfenced machinery.

    5. 16. Construction and maintenance of fencing.

    6. 17. Construction and sale of machinery.

    7. 18. Dangerous substances.

    8. 19. Self-acting machines.

    9. 20. Cleaning of machinery by young persons.

    10. 21. Training and supervision of young persons working at dangerous machines.

    11. 22. Hoists and lifts—general.

    12. 23. Hoists and lifts used for carrying persons.

    13. 24. Teagle openings and similar doorways.

    14. 25. Exceptions and provisions supplementary to ss. 22–24.

    15. 26. Chains, ropes and lifting tackle.

    16. 27. Cranes and other lifting machines.

    17. 28. Floors, passages and stairs.

    18. 29. Safe means of access and safe place of employment.

    19. 30. Dangerous fumes and lack of oxygen.

    20. 31. Precautions with respect to explosive or inflammable dust, gas, vapour or substance.

    21. 32. Steam boilers—attachments and construction.

    22. 33. Steam boilers—maintenance, examination and use.

    23. 34. Steam boilers—restrictions on entry.

    24. 35. Steam receivers and steam containers.

    25. 36. Air receivers.

    26. 37. Exceptions as to steam boilers, steam receivers and containers, and air receivers.

    27. 38. Steam boilers—supplementary provisions.

    28. 39. Precautions as respects water-sealed gasholders.

    29. 40—52.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    30. 53—55.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    31. 56. Application of Part II to Scotland.

  4. Part III Welfare (General Provisions)

    1. 57. Supply of drinking water.

    2. 58. Washing facilities.

    3. 59. Accommodation for clothing.

    4. 60. Sitting facilities.

    5. 61.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    6. 62.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  5. Part IV Health, Safety and Welfare (Special Provisions and Regulations)

    1. Special provisions

      1. 63, 64.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      2. 65. Protection of eyes in certain processes.

      3. 66.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      4. 67.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      5. 68. Humid factories.

      6. 69. Underground rooms.

      7. 70, 71.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      8. 72. Lifting excessive weights.

      9. 73.(1) . . . . . . . . ....

      10. 74. Prohibition of employment of women and young persons in certain processes connected with lead manufacture.

      11. 75.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      12. 76.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    2. Supplementary provisions

      1. 77, 78.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      2. 79. Restriction on approval of plans for cotton cloth factories.

  6. Part V Notification and Investigation of Accidents and Industrial Diseases

    1. 80.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    2. 81.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    3. 82.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    4. 83.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    5. 84.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    6. 85.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  7. Part VI Employment of Women and Young Persons

    1. 86—94.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    2. 95.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    3. 96—109.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    4. 110—111.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    5. 112—116.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    6. Exemptions in interest of efficiency of industry or transport

      1. 117. Exemptions from provisions regulating hours of employment.

    7. Certificate of fitness for employment of young persons

      1. 118.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      2. 119. Power of inspector to require certificate of fitness for work.

      3. 119A. Duty of factory occupier to give notice of employment of a young person.

  8. Part VII Special Applications and Extensions

    1. Factories occupying parts of buildings

      1. 120.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      2. 121. Tenement factories—other provisions.

      3. 122. Parts of buildings let off as separate factories—other provisions.

    2. Electrical stations

      1. 123. Application of Act to electrical stations.

    3. Institutions

      1. 124. Institutions.

    4. Docks, wharves, quays, warehouses and ships

      1. 125. Docks, etc.

      2. 126. Ships.

    5. Works of building and engineering construction

      1. 127. Building operations and works of engineering construction.

    6. Lead processes carried on in places other than factories

      1. 128. Employment of women and young persons in places other than factories in processes connected with lead manufacture or involving the use of lead compounds.

      2. 129.(1) . . . . . . . . ....

      3. 130.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      4. 131. Prohibition of employment of women and young persons in painting buildings with lead paint.

      5. 132. Provisions supplementary to ss. 129-131.

  9. Part VIII Home Work

    1. 133. Lists of outworkers to be kept in certain trades.

    2. 134.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  10. Part IX

    1. 135—135A.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    2. 136.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  11. Part X Notices, Returns, Records, Duties of Persons Employed, and Application of Weights and Measures Acts

    1. 137. Notice of occupation of factory, and use of mechanical power.

    2. 138. Posting of abstract of Act and notices.

    3. 139. Provisions as to special regulations.

    4. 140. General registers.

    5. 141. Preservation of registers and records.

    6. 142.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    7. 143.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    8. 144.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  12. Part XI Administration

    1. 145.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    2. 146, 147.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    3. 148.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    4. 149, 150.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    5. 151, 152.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    6. 153. Provisions as to county and district councils.

    7. 154. Prohibition of disclosure of information

    8. 154A.Exception to the prohibition: public authorities

  13. Part XII Offences, Penalties and Legal Proceedings

    1. 155. Offences.

    2. 156. Fines for offences for which no express penalty provided.

    3. 157. Power of court to order cause of contravention to be remedied.

    4. 158. Fine for offence by parent.

    5. 159.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    6. 160. Penalty on person actually committing an offence for which other person is primarily liable.

    7. 161. Power of person primarily liable to exempt himself from liability.

    8. 162. Proceedings against persons not primarily liable.

    9. 163. Owner of machine liable in certain cases instead of occupier.

    10. 164. Prosecution of offences and application of fines.

    11. 165.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    12. 166. Special provisions as to evidence.

    13. 167. Proceedings for offences in respect of the employment of children.

    14. 168. Service of documents, etc.

    15. 169. Power of county court or sheriff to modify agreements.

    16. 170. Power of county court or sheriff to apportion expenses.

    17. 171. Application of the Arbitration Act 1996.

  14. Part XIII Application of Act

    1. 172. General application.

    2. 173. Application to Crown.

    3. 174.(1) None of the provisions of this Act shall apply...

  15. Part XIV Interpretation and General

    1. Interpretation

      1. 175.Interpretation of expression “factory".

      2. 176. General interpretation

    2. General

      1. 177. General

      2. 178. Certificates of birth.

      3. 179. General

      4. 180. Regulations, rules and orders.

      5. 181. Substitution of corresponding provisions for certain provisions of Factory and Workshop Act 1901.

      6. 182. General application to Scotland.

      7. 183. Transitional provisions and repeals.

      8. 184. Construction of references in other enactments to factories and workshops, etc. and exclusion of certain provisions of Public Health (London) Act 1936.

      9. 185. Short title, commencement and extent.

  16. SCHEDULES

    1. FIRST SCHEDULE

    2. SECOND SCHEDULE

    3. THIRD AND FOURTH SCHEDULES

    4. FIFTH SCHEDULES

      Provisions of the Factory and Workshop Act 1901 applicable in London and Scotland only . . .

      1. 61. Prohibition of employment of women after childbirth.

      2. 109. Making of wearing apparel where there is scarlet fever or smallpox.

      3. 110. Prohibition of home work in places where there is infectious disease.

    5. SIXTH SCHEDULE

      Transitional Provisions

      1. 1.Any reference in any enactment or document, whether express or...

      2. 2.Any order, regulation, rule, byelaw or appointment made, direction, certificate...

      3. 3.. . . . . . . . . ....

      4. 4.(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) of this paragraph, a factory...

      5. 5.In the case of any factory constructed or converted for...

      6. 6.Where, before the coming into operation of the First Schedule...

      7. 7.Any order made under Regulation 59 of the Defence (General)...

      8. 8.The mention of particular matters in this Schedule shall be...

    6. SEVENTH SCHEDULE

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources