10. Notification by inspector of defects in factory

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(1)

If, in the opinion of an inspector, any registered factory is by reason of —

(a)

any change in the nature of the work carried on for which the premises have been registered;

(b)

any change in the layout of the factory or any structural change; or

(c)

any fact or circumstance not present when the factory was registered,unfit for occupation as a factory, he shall report accordingly to the Chief Inspector who may by notice in writing direct the occupier of the factory to comply with such requirements as may be specified in the notice.

(2)

The occupier may, within 7 days of service of the notice, appeal to the Minister whose decision shall be final.

(3)

Where requirements have been specified by the Chief Inspector or the Minister pursuant to this section in respect of a factory and the occupier of the factory fails to comply with those requirements the Minister may revoke the registration of the factory.

Terms defined in this Act

Chief Inspector
Defined · s 7
“Chief Inspector” means the Chief Inspector appointed under this Act and any other inspector authorised to act on his behalf by the Commissioner;
Open s 7
factory
Defined · s 6
“factory” means any premises in which, or within the close or curtilage or precincts of which, persons are employed in manual labour in any process for or incidental to any of the following purposes:(a)the making of any article or of part of any article;(b)the altering, repairing, ornamenting, finishing, cleaning, or washing, or the breaking up or demolition of any article; or(c)the adapting for sale of any article,being premises in which, or within the close or curtilage or precincts of which, the work is carried on by way of trade or for purposes of gain and to or over which the employer of the persons employed therein has the right of access or control.(2) Whether or not premises are factories by reason of the foregoing definition, “factory” also includes the following premises in which persons are employed in manual labour:(a)any yard or dry dock (including the precincts thereof) in which ships are constructed, reconstructed, repaired, refitted, finished or broken up;(b)any premises in which the business of sorting articles is carried on as a preliminary to the work carried on in any factory or incidentally to the purposes of any factory;(c)any premises in which the business of washing or filling bottles or containers or packing articles is carried on incidentally to the purposes of any factory;(d)any premises in which the business of hooking, plaiting, lapping, making up or packing of yarn or cloth is carried on;(e)any laundry carried on as ancillary to another business or incidentally to the purposes of any public institution;(f)any premises in which the construction, reconstruction or repair of locomotives, aircraft, vehicles or other plant for use for transport purposes is carried on as ancillary to a transport undertaking or other industrial or commercial undertaking, not being any premises used for the purpose of housing locomotives, aircraft or vehicles where only cleaning, washing, running repairs or minor adjustments are carried out;(g)any premises in which printing by letter press, lithography, photogravure, or other similar process, or bookbinding is carried on by way of trade or for purposes of gain or incidentally to another business so carried on;(h)any premises in which the making, adaptation or repair of dresses, scenery or properties is carried on incidentally to the production, exhibition or presentation by way of trade or for purposes of gain of cinematograph films or theatrical performances, not being a stage or dressing-room of a theatre in which only occasional adaptations or repairs are made;(i)any premises in which the business of making or mending nets is carried on incidentally to the fishing industry;(j)any premises in which mechanical power is used in connection with the making or repair of any article incidentally to any business carried on by way of trade or for purposes of gain;(k)any premises in which the production of cinematograph films is carried on by way of trade or for purposes of gain, so however that the employment at any such premises of theatrical performers and of attendants on such theatrical performers shall not be deemed to be employment in a factory;(l)any premises in which articles are made or prepared incidentally to the carrying on of building operations or works of engineering construction, not being premises in which such operations or works are being carried on;(m)any premises used for the storage of gas in a gas-holder having a storage capacity of not less than 140 cubic metres;(n)any premises in which persons are employed in or in connection with the generating of electrical energy for supply by way of trade, or for supply for the purposes of any industrial or commercial undertaking or of any public building or public institution, or for supply to streets or other public places;(o)any premises in which mechanical power is used for the purposes of or in connection with a water supply, being premises in which persons are regularly employed;(p)any sewage works in which mechanical power is used and any pumping station used in connection therewith;(q)any premises in which building operations or works of engineering construction are being carried on.(3) Any line or siding, which is used in connection with and for the purposes of a factory, shall be deemed to be part of the factory; and if any such line or siding is used in connection with more than one factory belonging to different occupiers, the line or siding shall be deemed to be a separate factory.(4) Any workplace in which, with the permission of or under agreement with the owner or occupier, 10 or more persons carry on any work which would constitute the workplace a factory if the persons working therein were in the employment of the owner or occupier of the workplace, shall be deemed to be a factory for the purposes of this Act, and, in the case of any such workplace, the provisions of this Act shall apply as if the owner or occupier of the workplace were the occupier of the factory and the persons working therein were persons employed in the factory.(5) No premises shall be deemed to be a factory in which less than 10 persons are employed and in which —(a)no mechanical power, steam boiler, steam container, steam receiver, cast-iron underfired vulcaniser, air receiver, refrigerating plant pressure receiver or gas plant is used; and(b)no highly inflammable or noxious substance is manipulated, used or created.(6) Where a place situated within the close, curtilage or precincts forming a factory is solely used for some purpose other than the processes carried on in the factory, that place shall not be deemed to form part of the factory for the purposes of this Act, but shall, if otherwise it would be a factory, be deemed to be a separate factory.(7) A part of a factory may, with the approval in writing of the Chief Inspector, be deemed to be a separate factory; and two or more factories may, with the approval in writing of the Chief Inspector, be deemed to be a single factory.(8) Premises shall not be excluded from the definition of a factory by reason only that they are open air premises.(9) Any premises belonging to or in the occupation of the Government or of any statutory board or body shall not be deemed not to be a factory, and any premises in which building operations or works of engineering construction are carried on by or on behalf of the Government or any such board or body shall not be excluded from the operation of this Act by reason only that the work carried on thereat is not carried on by way of trade or for purposes of gain. Subject to this section,
Open s 6
inspector
Defined · s 7
“inspector” means an inspector appointed under this Act and includes the Chief Inspector, Deputy Chief Inspector and Senior Inspector;
Open s 7
occupier
Defined · s 7
“occupier”, in relation to a factory, means a person who occupies or uses premises as a factory;
Open s 7
registered factory
Defined · s 11
“registered factory” means a factory in respect of which a certificate or permit is for the time being in force;
Open s 11

Report

Read on from s 11

Schedules

Read on from Schedules

Details

Factories Act · s 10

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Judgments that cite this Act

8 in all

An employer was not in breach of its duty of care to a flight steward who fell on board SummaryDurairaj Santiran v Singapore Airlines L td · [2024] SGHC 249
A director's low culpability stood; the prosecution's appeal was dismissed SummaryPublic Prosecutor v Yeo Teck Soon · [2025] SGHC 179
Fines for unauthorised building works were too low, so the court raised them SummaryPublic Prosecutor v ZH Builders Pte Ltd and another appeal · [2025] SGHC 227

Where this comes from

Singapore Statutes Online · Factories Act, 1985 Revised Edition. Reader record updated on 2 Aug 2026.

Singapore legislation is Government copyright, used with the permission of the Attorney-General’s Chambers. Check Singapore Statutes Online for the latest version.

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