Division 18
Printing & Publishing
Requirements for all printing & publishing
These requirements apply to all business activities in this division.
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 — general duties
Enforced by HSE
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
General duty to protect employees and others affected by the business — print floors, finishing lines and duplication plant. Devolved: separate regime under the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978.
Employers' Liability Insurance
Enforced by HSE
Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969
Required for any business employing at least one person.
UK GDPR + Data Protection Act 2018
Enforced by ICO
Data Protection Act 2018; UK GDPR (retained EU law)
Applies to any business processing personal data — staff, customers, mailing lists. Printers handling variable-data print runs (direct mail, personalised documents) act as processors for their clients and need a written processing agreement. ICO registration unless specifically exempt.
Equality Act 2010 — protected characteristics
Enforced by EHRC
Equality Act 2010
Discrimination, harassment and victimisation prohibited across the protected characteristics — in employment and in services to the public.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Enforced by LOCAL_FIRE_AUTHORITY
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Responsible person must carry out a fire risk assessment. Paper stock, solvent-based inks and dust make print and finishing premises a notable fire-loading. Devolved: Fire (Scotland) Act 2005; Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.
Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 — fire safety duties
Enforced by SCOTTISH_FIRE_AND_RESCUE_SERVICE
Fire (Scotland) Act 2005
Scottish equivalent of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 — the duty holder must carry out a fire risk assessment and maintain fire precautions. Paper stock, solvent-based inks and dust make print and finishing premises a notable fire-loading.
Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 — fire safety duties
Enforced by NORTHERN_IRELAND_FIRE_AND_RESCUE_SERVICE
Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006
Northern Ireland equivalent of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 — the appropriate person must carry out a fire risk assessment and maintain fire precautions. Paper stock, solvent-based inks and dust make print and finishing premises a notable fire-loading.
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
Enforced by HSE
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
Assess and control exposure to inks, solvents, fountain solutions, toners, adhesives and cleaning chemicals; provide ventilation, PPE and health surveillance where required. A core duty across all printing and reproduction activities. Devolved: COSHH Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003.
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER)
Enforced by HSE
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
Printing presses, guillotines, folders, binders and disc/tape duplication machinery must be suitable, maintained, and fitted with guarding. Power-press and guillotine guarding is a long-standing HSE enforcement priority in this sector.
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
Enforced by HSE
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
Avoid or assess hazardous manual handling — paper reams and pallets, ink drums, plate handling and bound stock. Sector reports high musculoskeletal injury rates.