Use this checklist to confirm your fabricated metal manufacturing business meets its obligations before a production run. Work through each item and answer yes or no. If you answer no, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Workplace health and safety is enforced by the Health and Safety Executive in Great Britain and by HSENI in Northern Ireland. Product conformity is a Great Britain market regime — UKCA is the GB mark and CE marking also continues to be accepted on the GB market. If you supply Northern Ireland, check the position separately, because NI follows EU product rules under the Windsor Framework. Firearms and explosives are controlled under Great Britain regimes, with separate legislation in Northern Ireland. Each section names the body that applies.

Section 1 — Every metal fabricator

These workplace and registration duties apply to every fabricator, whatever you make. Confirm each one before you start production.

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA)

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 - primary UK workplace health and safety legislation establishing employer and employee duties. Pure data reference.

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA 1974) is the primary legislation governing workplace health and safety in the United Kingdom. It establishes the legal framework for protecting the health, safety and welfare of people at work and those affected by work activities.

Legal status: Primary legislation - principal UK health and safety statute
Royal Assent: 31 July 1974
Came into force: 1 April 1975 (in stages)
Geographic scope: Great Britain (separate legislation applies in Northern Ireland)
Applies to: All employers, employees, self-employed persons, and those who control work premises
Primary duty (Section 2): Employers must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees
Duty to non-employees (Section 3): Employers must protect persons not in their employment (contractors, visitors, public) who may be affected by work activities
Employee duties (Sections 7-8): Employees must take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others, cooperate with employers, and not misuse safety equipment
Enforcement authority: Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities
Maximum penalties (post-2008 amendments): Unlimited fines in Crown Court; imprisonment up to 2 years for individuals; up to 12 months and/or an unlimited fine in Magistrates' Court in England and Wales (12-month custody powers from 18 November 2024; fines unlimited since March 2015 under LASPO 2012, s.85)
Referenced by regulators: Cited in 31 regulatory documents in the ORDS (Office for Regulatory Delivery and Simplification) dataset
Secondary regulations: Enables creation of health and safety regulations (e.g. Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, COSHH, Manual Handling)

Reasonably practicable: The Act uses the term "so far as is reasonably practicable" throughout. This means employers must balance the level of risk against the time, trouble and cost of controlling it. However, the law is weighted in favour of health and safety - employers must demonstrate that control measures would be grossly disproportionate to the risk before they can be considered not reasonably practicable.

Self-employed persons: The Act also places duties on self-employed persons to protect their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their work activities.

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (legislation.gov.uk)

HSE - Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 guidance

1

Have you assessed and controlled exposure to welding fume and other hazardous substances?

COSHH requires local exhaust ventilation and RPE for all welding, plus control of metalworking-fluid mists, isocyanate paints and plating chemistries, with health surveillance where required. If not, follow "Set up and run a safe metal fabrication workshop".
2

Is your machinery safeguarded, maintained and inspected under PUWER?

Power presses, guillotines, press brakes, lathes and grinders must be guarded and maintained, with thorough examination of power presses and their guards under PUWER regulations 32 to 35.
3

Have you assessed and controlled manual handling?

Heavy plate, sections, coils and fabrications must be handled with the risk eliminated or reduced so far as reasonably practicable, with lifting aids where needed.
4

Have you carried out your fire risk assessment?

Hot work, flammable solvents and combustible metal dusts make fire a serious risk. Assess it under the fire-safety regime for your nation and maintain your precautions.
5

Do you hold employers' liability insurance?

You must hold at least £5 million of cover once you employ anyone, with the certificate available.
6

Have you met your equality duties as an employer?

Do not discriminate against, harass or victimise people because of a protected characteristic, under the Equality Act 2010 (or separate NI equality law enforced by the ECNI).
7

Have you met your data protection duties?

Comply with the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, and register with the ICO and pay the data protection fee unless you are exempt.
8

Do you need an environmental permit for surface treatment?

If you electroplate or surface-treat metals above the thresholds, you need a permit from your environmental regulator (Environment Agency, NRW, SEPA or NIEA) and a trade-effluent consent.

Section 2 — Placing products on the market

If you make metal products to sell, confirm the conformity regime for each product. These are Great Britain market regimes; check Northern Ireland separately if you supply there.

1

Do structural steel and construction products carry the right conformity marking?

Load-bearing metal components to a designated standard (e.g. BS EN 1090) need a declaration of performance, execution-class factory production control and conformity marking (UKCA, or CE which is still accepted on the GB market) before the GB market. If not, follow "Place fabricated metal products on the market".
2

Is your pressure equipment conformity-assessed and marked?

Boilers and pressure vessels above the thresholds must meet the essential safety requirements, undergo the right conformity-assessment module (approved body for higher categories) and carry conformity marking (UKCA or CE).
3

Do other products meet the general product safety duty?

Metal goods outside a specific regime must still be safe under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, enforced by OPSS and Trading Standards.

Section 3 — Firearms, ammunition and explosives (SIC 25.40)

Only complete this section if you manufacture weapons, ammunition, propellants or explosives. These controls must be in place before any manufacture begins.

1

Are you a registered firearms dealer, with section 5 authority if needed?

Manufacturing firearms or ammunition by way of trade requires registration with police firearms licensing (Firearms (NI) Order 2004 / PSNI in Northern Ireland), plus section 5 authority for prohibited weapons. If not, follow "Manufacture weapons and ammunition".
2

Do you hold an explosives manufacture and storage licence?

Making ammunition, propellants or explosives needs a licence under the Explosives Regulations 2014 from HSE or the local authority/police, with a separate regime in Northern Ireland.
3

Have you assessed your COMAH tier and put the controls in place?

If your explosives or propellant holdings exceed the thresholds, notify the Competent Authority and put your major-accident prevention policy and (upper-tier) safety report and emergency plan in place.

If you answered no to anything

Work through the guide linked in that item before your production run. The three task guides — the safe workshop spine, placing products on the market, and manufacturing weapons and ammunition — set out what to do. Start from the router if you are not sure which apply to you.

Official sources

Authoritative health and safety and product-conformity guidance.

Fabricated metal manufacturer: compliance checklist

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Section 1 — Every metal fabricator

Have you assessed and controlled exposure to welding fume and other hazardous substances?

Is your machinery safeguarded, maintained and inspected under PUWER?

Have you assessed and controlled manual handling?

Have you carried out your fire risk assessment?

Do you hold employers' liability insurance?

Have you met your equality duties as an employer?

Have you met your data protection duties?

Do you need an environmental permit for surface treatment?

Section 2 — Placing products on the market

Do structural steel and construction products carry the right conformity marking?

Is your pressure equipment conformity-assessed and marked?

Do other products meet the general product safety duty?

Section 3 — Firearms, ammunition and explosives (SIC 25.40)

Are you a registered firearms dealer, with section 5 authority if needed?

Do you hold an explosives manufacture and storage licence?

Have you assessed your COMAH tier and put the controls in place?

If you answered no to anything

Official sources

Related guides in Health & Safety

Section 1 — Every metal fabricator

Have you assessed and controlled exposure to welding fume and other hazardous substances?

Is your machinery safeguarded, maintained and inspected under PUWER?

Have you assessed and controlled manual handling?

Have you carried out your fire risk assessment?

Do you hold employers' liability insurance?

Have you met your equality duties as an employer?

Have you met your data protection duties?

Do you need an environmental permit for surface treatment?

Section 2 — Placing products on the market

Do structural steel and construction products carry the right conformity marking?

Is your pressure equipment conformity-assessed and marked?

Do other products meet the general product safety duty?

Section 3 — Firearms, ammunition and explosives (SIC 25.40)

Are you a registered firearms dealer, with section 5 authority if needed?

Do you hold an explosives manufacture and storage licence?

Have you assessed your COMAH tier and put the controls in place?

If you answered no to anything

Official sources