Employers OSR1 Notification - New Premises - Offices, Shops and Railway Premises

The Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963 (OSRPA) aims to secure the health, safety and welfare of people employed to work in offices, shops and certain railway premises.

If an employer intends to employ anyone to work in an office or shop, they are required by section 49 of the Act to notify the appropriate enforcing authority beforehand. They must provide specific details as laid down in the Notification of Employment of Persons Order 1964 (SI 1964/533). Failure to comply with this requirement is an offence.

This is done by completing Health and Safety Executive (HSE) form OSR1 and sending two copies to the appropriate authority as shown on the form. For most shops and offices in North East Lincolnshire , including catering premises such as cafe's, restaurants and public houses, this will be to Environmental Health at the Council.

How to complete form OSR1

• You can complete the form online, and then save a copy of the form to your hard drive and print the form for signing and posting.

  Complete OSR1 form online (PDF, from HSE Secure Server)

• The form is provided by the HSE on a secure server. You can only complete it online before saving and printing, not download it to complete later offline or forward to another person to complete.
• You will need Adobe Acrobat Version 5.0 or above; the forms will not work with earlier versions. The HSE provides advice on checking for/obtaining version 5 or above free. (Opens new browser).
• The HSE website provides guidance notes (opens new browser) on completing the information on the form, and defines which premises the Act applies to, and the correct enforcing authority (the Council or the HSE) for those premises to return the form to.

Certain exemptions include:

• places where only self-employed people work.
• businesses where the only persons employed are close relatives of the employer, i.e. husband, wife, parent, grandparent, son, daughter, grandchild, brother or sister of the persons by whom they are employed.
• premises where the sum of hours normally worked each week by all employees is not more than 21.

If you have technical difficulties using the online form, go to HSE Forms Help (opens new browser) for advice.

Alternatively, printed copies of the form are available on request from Environmental Health at the Council.