Manufacturing & Engineering UK-wide

Which fabricated metal manufacturing regulations apply to your business

Every metal fabricator shares the same workplace-safety foundation, then the rules diverge by what you make and whether you place products on the market — from general fabrication to conformity-marked structural steel, pressure vessels, or firearms and ammunition.

Guide summary

Follow health and safety law for all metal fabrication work. Then check if you place products on the market – you need UKCA or CE marking. If you make firearms, ammunition or explosives, you need a firearms dealer registration and explosives licence. Use the compliance checklist before you start production.

  • Follow the health and safety rules for all metal fabrication workshops
  • Control welding fume and COSHH risks
  • Get UKCA or CE marking before selling structural steel, boilers or pressure vessels
  • Register as a firearms dealer if you make weapons or ammunition
  • Get an explosives licence if you manufacture explosives
  • Check if COMAH major-accident controls apply at threshold quantities
  • Use the fabricated metal manufacturer compliance checklist
  • Penalties for safety breaches: unlimited fines and up to 2 years in prison
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Metal fabrication — structural steel, tanks and vessels, plating, tools and fasteners, architectural metalwork and specialist firearms manufacturing — is machinery- and exposure-intensive. The workplace health and safety duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 apply to you. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulates in Great Britain and HSENI in Northern Ireland. Beyond that foundation, the rules diverge by whether you place products on the market and whether you handle controlled goods such as firearms or explosives.

What you need to do

Identify the description that best fits what you make. If more than one applies, follow every obligation that applies.

  1. 1

    Every metal fabricator

    Whatever you make, start with the universal spine. Follow "Set up and run a safe metal fabrication workshop" for your health and safety, welding-fume and COSHH controls, work equipment, manual handling, fire safety, insurance, equality, data protection and the environmental permit for surface treatment.

  2. 2

    You place metal products on the market

    Structural steel to BS EN 1090, boilers and pressure vessels, or general metal goods. These need conformity assessment and conformity marking — UKCA, or CE which is still accepted on the GB market — before they go on sale. Follow "Place fabricated metal products on the market".

  3. 3

    You make firearms, ammunition or explosives

    Manufacturing weapons and ammunition (SIC 25.40) is a controlled activity needing firearms-dealer registration, an explosives licence and — at threshold quantities — COMAH major-accident controls. Follow "Manufacture weapons and ammunition".

  4. 4

    Confirm you have covered everything

    Whatever you make, finish with the fabricated metal manufacturer compliance checklist to confirm your obligations are met before a production run.

Official sources

Authoritative starting points for metal fabrication health and safety.