UK Statutory Instrument SI 1992 United Kingdom

Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992

These Regulations impose requirements with respect to the health, safety and welfare of persons in a “workplace”, defined in regulation 2(1). Except to the extent specified below, the Regulations give effect as respects Great Britain to Council Directive 89/654/EEC (OJ L. 393, 30.12.89, p.1) concerning the minimum safety and health …

Enforced by
HSE, ONR
Status
Amended (in force with amendments)
Penalty ceiling
Imprisonment 19 of 28 obligations carry up to 2 years imprisonment. 9 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Does it bind you?

Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.

Employer22 Any Person4 Trader2

Other Acts binding the same actors

If a role above is yours, these are the other instruments that most often bind it.

Employer — also bound by 682 other Acts
Any Person — also bound by 2340 other Acts
Trader — also bound by 825 other Acts

What it requires

Regulations creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.

s.004 Stability and solidity Imprisonment
  • Ensure the building is structurally stable and solidTrader
s.004 Requirements under these Regulations (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Ensure workplace and modifications meet health and safety standardsEmployer
s.005 Maintenance of workplace, and of equipment, devices and systems (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Maintain the workplace, equipment, and safety systems in good repairEmployer
s.006 Ventilation (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Ensure every enclosed workplace is adequately ventilatedEmployer
s.007 Temperature in indoor workplaces (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Maintain reasonable temperature and provide thermometers in indoor workplacesTrader
s.008 Lighting (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Ensure all workplace areas have suitable and sufficient lightingEmployer
s.009 Cleanliness and waste materials (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Keep the workplace, furniture, and fittings cleanEmployer
s.010 Room dimensions and space (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Ensure workrooms have sufficient space, height, and floor areaAny Person
s.011 Workstations and seating (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Ensure workstations and seating are safe and suitableEmployer
s.012 Condition of floors and traffic routes (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Ensure floors and traffic routes are safe and well-maintainedEmployer
s.013 Falls or falling objects (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Securely cover or fence tanks and pits containing dangerous substancesEmployer
s.014 Windows, and transparent or translucent doors, gates and walls (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Ensure windows and glass surfaces are safe and visibleEmployer
s.015 Windows, skylights and ventilators (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Ensure windows and ventilators can be opened and used safelyEmployer
s.016 Ability to clean windows etc. safely (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Ensure windows and skylights can be cleaned safelyEmployer
s.017 Organisation etc. of traffic routes (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Organise workplace traffic routes for pedestrian and vehicle safetyEmployer
s.018 Doors and gates (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Ensure all workplace doors and gates are safe and functionalEmployer
s.019 Escalators and moving walkways (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Ensure escalators and moving walkways are safe and have emergency stopsEmployer
s.020 Sanitary conveniences (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Provide and maintain suitable sanitary conveniencesEmployer
s.022 Drinking water (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Provide adequate wholesome drinking water and cupsAny Person
s.023 Accommodation for clothing (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Provide suitable storage and drying facilities for clothingEmployer
s.024 Facilities for changing clothing (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Provide changing facilities for workers wearing special clothingAny Person
s.025 Disabled persons Imprisonment
  • Adapt the workplace for disabled employeesAny Person
s.025 Facilities for rest and to eat meals (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Provide suitable rest and meal facilities for employeesEmployer
6 other provisions — procedural and definitional
s.001 Citation and commencement
Schedules

Schedules

5 of 7 shown
s.001 PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO FACTORIES WHICH ARE NOT NEW WORKPLACES, MODIFICATIONS, EXTENSIONS OR CONVERSIONS (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Ensure minimum workspace and sanitary facilities in older factoriesEmployer
s.sch001 No room in the workplace shall be so overcrowded as... Regulated
  • Prevent overcrowding in workplace rooms to avoid health and safety risksEmployer
s.sch001 Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph 1, the number... Regulated
  • Ensure each workroom has at least 11 cubic metres per personEmployer
s.sch001 In workplaces where females work, there shall be at least... Regulated
  • Provide sufficient female-only toiletsEmployer
s.sch001 In workplaces where males work, there shall be at least... Regulated
  • Provide one toilet per 25 male workersEmployer
2 other schedules
s.sch001 In calculating for the purposes of this Part of this...
s.sch001 In calculating the number of males or females who work...

Help complying

Guvnor’s practical routes through this instrument.

5 more guides that reference this instrument

Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.