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OFFICE AND SHOP PREMISES ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1966 - SECT 52



52.(1) An inspector shall for the purposes of this Act have power (on
production, if demanded, of his credentials)

(a)to enter, at any reasonable time, any such premises as the following, and
to inspect the whole or any part thereof and anything therein, that is to say:

(i)any premises to which this Act applies;

(ii)any premises (other than as aforesaid) in which any conveniences,
facilities or other thing are or is provided in pursuance of this Act or
regulations thereunder;

<(iii)any premises which, for the purposes of section 42 constitute a common part of a building to which that section applies;


<(iv)any premises falling within section 50;


(v)any premises which he has reasonable cause to believe to be premises
falling within any of the foregoing sub-paragraphs; and

<(vi)any premises with respect to which he has reasonable cause to believe that materials of a kind prescribed by virtue of section 29(1)(c) are therein used or are therein stored in a quantity not less than that so prescribed, being premises situate underneath premises to which this Act applies;


(b)to make such examination and inquiry as may be necessary

(i)to ascertain whether, so far as regards any such premises as aforesaid or
conveniences, facilities or other things therein provided, the provisions of
this Act and regulations thereunder are complied with; or

(ii)to verify any belief that he has formed that any premises fall within
sub-paragraph (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) of paragraph (a) or that, in premises
situate as mentioned in sub-paragraph (vi) of that paragraph, materials of a
kind therein mentioned are used or are stored as so mentioned; or

<(iii)to identify the owner or occupier of any premises falling within sub-paragraph (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) of paragraph (a);


(c)on entering any premises to take with him a constable if he has reasonable
cause to apprehend any serious obstruction in the exercise of the powers
conferred on him by this subsection;

(d)for the purpose of any examination or inquiry under the foregoing
provisions of this subsection to require any person whom he finds in any such
premises as are mentioned in paragraph (a) or whom he has reasonable cause to
believe to be, or to have within the preceding two months been, employed to
work in any such premises, to answer (in the absence of persons other than any
whom the inspector may allow to be present) such questions as the inspector
may reasonably require him to answer and to sign a declaration of the truth of
his answers, so, however, that a person shall not be required under this
paragraph to answer any question or to give any information (other than his
name and address) if to do so might [incriminate that person or the husband or
wife of that person];

(e)to require the production of, and to inspect, any fire certificate in force
with respect to any premises to which this Act applies;

(f)to require any person having responsibilities in relation to any such
premises as are mentioned in paragraph (a) (whether or not the owner or
occupier of the premises or a person employed to work therein) to give him
such facilities and assistance with respect to any matters or things to which
the responsibilities of that person extend as are necessary for the purpose of
enabling the inspector to exercise any of the powers conferred on him by this
subsection;

(g)to exercise such other powers as may be necessary for carrying this Act
into effect.

(2) A person who

(a)fails to comply with any requirement imposed by an inspector under
subsection (1); or

(b)prevents, or attempts to prevent, any other person from appearing before an
inspector or from answering any question to which an inspector may, by virtue
of that subsection, require an answer; or

(c)obstructs an inspector in the exercise of his functions;

Ss.53, 54 rep. by SR 1979/284


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