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Changes to legislation: Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 20 is up to date with all changes known to
be in force on or before 19 April 2017. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes
that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. (See end of Document for details)
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
1974 CHAPTER 37
PART I
HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE IN CONNECTION WITH WORK, AND CONTROL
OF DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES AND CERTAIN EMISSIONS INTO THE ATMOSPHERE
Enforcement
20
Powers of inspectors.
(1) Subject to the provisions of section 19 and this section, an inspector may, for the
purpose of carrying into effect any of the relevant statutory provisions within the field
of responsibility of the enforcing authority which appointed him, exercise the powers
set out in subsection (2) below.
(2) The powers of an inspector referred to in the preceding subsection are the following,
namely—
(a) at any reasonable time (or, in a situation which in his opinion is or may be
dangerous, at any time) to enter any premises which he has reason to believe
it is necessary for him to enter for the purpose mentioned in subsection (1)
above;
(b) to take with him a constable if he has reasonable cause to apprehend any
serious obstruction in the execution of his duty;
(c) without prejudice to the preceding paragraph, on entering any premises by
virtue of paragraph (a) above to take with him—
(i) any other person duly authorised by his (the inspector’s) enforcing
authority; and
(ii) any equipment or materials required for any purpose for which the
power of entry is being exercised;
(d) to make such examination and investigation as may in any circumstances be
necessary for the purpose mentioned in subsection (1) above;
(e) as  regards  any  premises  which  he  has  power  to  enter,  to  direct  that
those  premises  or  any  part  of  them,  or  anything  therein,  shall  be  left

2
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (c. 37)
Part I – Health, Safety and Welfare in connection with Work, and Control of Dangerous Substances and
Certain Emissions into the Atmosphere
Document Generated: 2017-04-19
Changes to legislation: Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 20 is up to date with all changes known to
be in force on or before 19 April 2017. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes
that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. (See end of Document for details)
undisturbed  (whether  generally  or  in  particular  respects)  for  so  long  as  is
reasonably  necessary  for  the  purpose  of  any  examination  or  investigation
under paragraph (d) above;
(f) to take such measurements and photographs and make such recordings as he
considers necessary for the purpose of any examination or investigation under
paragraph (d) above;
(g) to take samples of any articles or substances found in any premises which he
has power to enter, and of the atmosphere in or in the vicinity of any such
premises;
(h) in the case of any article or substance found in any premises which he has
power to enter, being an article or substance which appears to him to have
caused  or  to  be  likely  to  cause  danger  to  health  or  safety,  to  cause  it  to
be dismantled or subjected to any process or test (but not so as to damage
or  destroy  it  unless  this  is  in  the  circumstances  necessary  for  the  purpose
mentioned in subsection (1) above);
(i) in the case of any such article or substance as is mentioned in the preceding
paragraph, to take possession of it and detain it for so long as is necessary for
all or any of the following purposes, namely—
(i) to examine it and do to it anything which he has power to do under
that paragraph;
(ii) to ensure that it is not tampered with before his examination of it is
completed;
(iii) to ensure that it is available for use as evidence in any proceedings
for an offence under any of the relevant statutory provisions or any
proceedings relating to a notice under section 21 or 22;
(j) to require any person whom he has reasonable cause to believe to be able
to give any information relevant to any examination or investigation under
paragraph (d) above to answer (in the absence of persons other than a person
nominated by him to be present and any persons whom the inspector may
allow to be present) such questions as the inspector thinks fit to ask and to
sign a declaration of the truth of his answers;
(k) to require the production of, inspect, and take copies of or of any entry in—
(i) any  books  or  documents  which  by  virtue  of  any  of  the  relevant
statutory provisions are required to be kept; and
(ii) any other books or documents which it is necessary for him to see for
the purposes of any examination or investigation under paragraph (d)
above;
(l) to require any person to afford him such facilities and assistance with respect
to any matters or things within that person’s control or in relation to which that
person has responsibilities as are necessary to enable the inspector to exercise
any of the powers conferred on him by this section;
(m) any  other  power  which  is  necessary  for  the  purpose  mentioned  in
subsection (1) above.
(3) The  Secretary  of  State  may  by  regulations  make  provision  as  to  the  procedure  to
be followed in connection with the taking of samples under subsection (2)(g) above
(including provision as to the way in which samples that have been so taken are to
be dealt with).
(4) Where an inspector proposes to exercise the power conferred by subsection (2)(h)
above in the case of an article or substance found in any premises, he shall, if so

link to page 3 link to page 3 Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (c. 37)
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Part I – Health, Safety and Welfare in connection with Work, and Control of Dangerous Substances and
Certain Emissions into the Atmosphere
Document Generated: 2017-04-19
Changes to legislation: Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 20 is up to date with all changes known to
be in force on or before 19 April 2017. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes
that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. (See end of Document for details)
requested by a person who at the time is present in and has responsibilities in relation
to those premises, cause anything which is to be done by virtue of that power to be
done in the presence of that person unless the inspector considers that its being done
in that person’s presence would be prejudicial to the safety of the State.
(5) Before  exercising  the  power  conferred  by  subsection  (2)(h)  above  in  the  case  of
any article or substance, an inspector shall consult such persons as appear to him
appropriate for the purpose of ascertaining what dangers, if any, there may be in doing
anything which he proposes to do under that power.
(6) Where  under  the  power  conferred  by  subsection  (2)(i)  above  an  inspector  takes
possession of any article or substance found in any premises, he shall leave there, either
with a responsible person or, if that is impracticable, fixed in a conspicuous position, a
notice giving particulars of that article or substance sufficient to identify it and stating
that he has taken possession of it under that power; and before taking possession of
any such substance under that power an inspector shall, if it is practicable for him to
do so, take a sample thereof and give to a responsible person at the premises a portion
of the sample marked in a manner sufficient to identify it.
(7) No  answer  given  by  a  person  in  pursuance  of  a  requirement  imposed  under
subsection  (2)(j)  above  shall  be  admissible  in  evidence  against  that  person  or  the
[F1spouse or civil partner] of that person in any proceedings.
(8) Nothing in this section shall be taken to compel the production by any person of a
document of which he would on grounds of legal professional privilege be entitled
to withhold production on an order for discovery in an action in the High Court or,
as the case may be, on an order for the production of documents in an action in the
Court of Session.
Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F1
Words in s. 20(7) substituted (5.12.2005) by Civil Partnership Act 2004 (c. 33)ss. 261(1)263Sch.
27 para. 49
; S.I. 2005/3175art. 2(2)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1
S. 20 applied by S.I. 1989/840arts. 2-10
S. 20 extended (E.W.S.) (1.10.1996) by S.I. 1996/1513reg. 10
S. 20 excluded (with saving) (E.W.S.) (1.12.1997) by S.I. 1997/1840regs. 79
S. 20 applied (with modifications) (9.1.1995) by S.I. 1994/3260reg. 17(3)(5)
S. 20: power to apply conferred (E.W.S.) (28.8.1995) by 1995 c. 15ss. 2(4)(b)5 (with s. 3(5))
S. 20 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (16.4.1996) by S.I. 1996/772, reg. 17
S. 20 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (1.3.1996) by S.I. 1996/192reg. 15, Sch. 14 para. 1(b)
S. 20 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (1.7.1997) by S.I. 1997/831reg. 19(1)-(4)Sch. 15 para.
1(a)(b)
S. 20 applied (15.11.2000) by S.I. 2000/2831reg. 26(1)(a)
C2
S. 20 modified by Gas Act 1986 (c. 44, SIF 44:2)s. 67(3)Sch. 8 para. 6(4)
S. 20 applied (E.W.S.) (15.12.1999) by 1998 c. 17s. 8(1), (with s. 9(1)(2), Sch. 3 para. 5(1)); S.I.
1999/161, 
art. 2(1)(2)
C3
S. 20 applied (with modifications) (1.1.1993) by S.I. 1992/3073reg. 28, Sch. 6 para. 1(b)
C4
S. 20 modified (6.4.1992) by S.I. 1992/711, regs. 1(2)28(3)(b)(5)(a)
C5
S. 20 extended (with modifications) (1.4.1999) by S.I. 1999/743, reg. 20(1), (2)(3)
S. 20 applied (E.W.S.) (20.9.2001) by S.I. 2001/2975reg. 19(a)
S. 20 applied (E.W.S.) (24.7.2002) by S.I. 2002/1689reg. 14(1)(a)

4
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (c. 37)
Part I – Health, Safety and Welfare in connection with Work, and Control of Dangerous Substances and
Certain Emissions into the Atmosphere
Document Generated: 2017-04-19
Changes to legislation: Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 20 is up to date with all changes known to
be in force on or before 19 April 2017. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes
that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. (See end of Document for details)
S. 20 applied (31.3.2002) by S.I. 2002/528reg. 10
S. 20 applied (16.5.2002) by S.I. 2002/1166, reg. 31 (with art. 37)
C6
Ss. 18-26 applied (with modifications) (19.11.1999) by S.I. 1999/2892, reg. 16(1)
C7
S. 20 applied (with modifications) (29.11.1999) by S.I. 1999/2001reg. 24(1)Sch. 8 para. 1(b)
C8
S. 20 applied (11.7.2001) by S.I. 2001/2127, arts. 4(1)5(1)(2), 6(1)7(1), 8(1)10 (with art. 11) (as
amended by S.I. 2009/1750, art. 2(2)(4))
C9
S. 20 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (22.3.2003 for certain purposes and 22.9.2003 otherwise)
by S.I. 2003/403, regs. 1(2), 23(2)(a)(3); s. 19-22 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (3.5.2004) by
S.I. 2004/129reg. 23(3)(a); s. 20 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (9.6.2004) by S.I. 2004/1309,
reg. 17; s. 20 applied (E.W.S.) (22.4.2005) by S.I. 2005/928, reg. 4(2)(3)(5)(6); ss. 19-22 applied
(2.4.2006) by S.I. 2006/397reg. 34
C10 S. 20 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (the amendment coming into force in accordance with art.
1(1) of the amending S.I.) by The Channel Tunnel (Safety) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/3531)art. 4(2)(3)
(a)
 (subject to (4)-(6)) (with art. 7)
C11 Ss. 1-59, 80-82 applied (temp.) (5.8.2009) by The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
(Application outside Great Britain) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/2127), arts. 8A, 8B (as inserted by S.I.
2009/1750
art. 2(3))
C12 S. 20 applied in part (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (6.4.2010) by The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Non-
Interoperable Rail System) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/432)reg. 6(2)(3)(a)
C13 S. 20 applied in part (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (6.4.2010) by The Train Driving Licences and
Certificates Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/724), regs. 1(2), 38(2)(3)(a)
C14 Ss. 19-28 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (4.7.2010 for certain purposes and otherwise 4.7.2013)
by The Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/1554)regs. 118, 37(1), {Sch. 4
paras. 1, 2}
C15 Ss. 1-59 applied by S.I. 2001/2127 art. 8A 8B (as inserted (E.W.S.) (6.4.2011) by The Health
and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Application outside Great Britain) (Variation) Order 2011 (S.I.
2011/745)
arts. 1(1)3(2))
C16 S. 20 applied (with modifications) (16.1.2012) by The Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2011
(S.I. 2011/3066), regs. 1(2), 39(2)(3)(a) (with reg. 3)
C17 Ss. 18-26 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (1.9.2013) by The Biocidal Products and Chemicals
(Appointment of Authorities and Enforcement) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/1506), regs. 2(1)8(1)
(with reg. 3(4), (5), 8(2)-(7), 31)
C18 Ss. 19, 20 applied (1.3.2014) by The Biocidal Products and Chemicals (Appointment of Authorities
and Enforcement) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/1506)regs. 2(4)19 (with reg. 3(4)(5)31)
C19 Ss. 16-26 applied (E.W.S.) (1.10.2014) by The Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use)
Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/1663)regs. 1, 30(2)(a) (with reg. 3(1)(2))
C20 Ss. 19-28 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (1.10.2014) by The Explosives Regulations 2014 (S.I.
2014/1638)reg. 1(1), Sch. 12 paras. 23
C21 Ss. 16-21 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (1.6.2015) by The Control of Major Accident Hazards
Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/483), regs. 1(1), 27(1)(a) (with reg. 3(2))
C22 Ss. 18-28 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (1.6.2015) by The Biocidal Products and Chemicals
(Appointment of Authorities and Enforcement) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/1506), regs. 2(2)17(1)
(with reg. 3(4)(5)31)
C23 Ss. 18-21 applied (E.W.S.) (19.7.2015) by The Offshore Installations (Offshore Safety Directive)
(Safety Case etc.) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/398), regs. 136(8)(a) (with reg. 4(2)Sch. 14)
C24 Ss. 16-22 applied (E.W.S.) (19.7.2015) by The Offshore Installations (Offshore Safety Directive)
(Safety Case etc.) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/398), regs. 136(1)(a) (with reg. 4(2)Sch. 14)
C25 S. 20 applied (with modifications) (17.8.2015) by The Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015
(S.I. 2015/1553), reg. 1, Sch. 8 paras. 1(c)2
C26 Ss. 19-28 applied (with modifications) by S.I. 2014/1638, Sch. 12 paras. 5-7 (as substituted (E.W.S.)
(20.4.2016) by The Explosives Regulations 2014 (Amendment) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/315), reg.
1
Sch. 1 (with regs. 2(1), 15))

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (c. 37)
5
Part I – Health, Safety and Welfare in connection with Work, and Control of Dangerous Substances and
Certain Emissions into the Atmosphere
Document Generated: 2017-04-19
Changes to legislation: Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 20 is up to date with all changes known to
be in force on or before 19 April 2017. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes
that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. (See end of Document for details)
C27 S. 20 applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (8.12.2016) by The Equipment and Protective Systems
Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1107)reg. 1(1),
Sch. 4 para. 1(b)
C28 S. 20 applied (with modifications) (8.12.2016) by The Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016
(S.I. 2016/1105), reg. 1, Sch. 8 paras. 1(b)2 (with reg. 88)
C29 S. 20 applied (with modifications) (8.12.2016) by The Simple Pressure Vessels (Safety) Regulations
2016 (S.I. 2016/1092)reg. 1Sch. 6 paras. 1(b), 2 (with reg. 3)
C30 S. 20 applied (with modifications) (8.12.2016) by The Lifts Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1093), reg. 1,
Sch. 8 paras. 1(c)2 (with regs. 3-5)
C31 S. 20 applied (with modifications) (8.12.2016) by The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016
(S.I. 2016/1101), reg. 1, Sch. 4 paras. 1, 2 (with reg. 3)

6
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (c. 37)
Document Generated: 2017-04-19
Changes to legislation: 
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 20 is up to date with all changes known to be
in force on or before 19 April 2017. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future
date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those
provisions):

s. 20(9)(10) inserted by 2016 c. 25 Sch. 2 para. 1