Division 46
Wholesale Trade
Requirements for all wholesale trade
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 — warehousing, racking, forklift and loading-bay operations, manual handling. Devolved: applies across Great Britain; Northern Ireland has the parallel Health and Safety at Work (NI) 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)
Wholesalers process personal data of trade-customer contacts, account holders and staff. ICO data protection fee payable unless specifically exempt.
Equality Act 2010 — protected characteristics
Enforced by EHRC
Equality Act 2010
No discrimination, harassment or victimisation in employment or in business-to-business dealings. Northern Ireland has separate equality legislation.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Enforced by LOCAL_FIRE_AUTHORITY
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
The responsible person for a warehouse, depot or distribution centre must carry out and maintain a fire risk assessment. Storage of flammable or combustible stock raises the risk profile. Devolved: Fire (Scotland) Act 2005; Fire and Rescue Services (NI) Order 2006.