London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Battersea 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough]
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41
Outworkers.
During the year, in February and August, lists of outworkers were
received from Battersea employers and from other authorities as required
by the Factories Act, 1937. Some of these lists included outworkers not
residing in Battersea, and these were forwarded to the appropriate
authorities.
The following table gives the prescribed particulars, under Part VIII of the Act, relating to outworkers.
| Nature of Work | Section 110 | Section 111 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of out-workers in August list required by Sect. 110 (1) (c) | No. of cases of default in sending lists to the Council | No. of prosecution:, for failure to supply lists | No. of instances of work in unwholesome premises | Notices served | Prosecutions | |
| Wearing apparel (Making, etc., clean- ing and washing) | 83 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Curtains & furniture hangings | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Artificial flowers | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| The making of boxes other receptacles or parts thereof made wholly or partially of paper | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lampshades | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| TOTAL | 97 | — | — | — | — | — |
The total number of registered outworkers' premises in the Borough
at the end of the year was 250 (including 4 contractors), 47 premises
having been added, and 68 removed, during the year. The total
number of inspections made was 313, most of them by the female
Inspector. The premises were found to be generally satisfactory, and
it was not necessary to serve any notices or take any other action.
Three cases of infectious diseases occurred at outworkers' premises,
and the usual precautions to prevent the spread of infection were taken.
The following table gives details of the outworkers' premises:—
| Trade | Number on Register | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premises | Workrooms | Persons employed | ||||
| Wearing Apparel | 188 | 192 | 208 | |||
| Artificial Flowers | 3 | 3 | 3 | |||
| Paper Bags | 5 | 5 | 5 | |||
| Boxes etc | 5 | 5 | 5 | |||
| Stuffed Toys | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Lamp shades | 35 | 35 | 37 | |||
| Toys, etc | 8 | 8 | 8 | |||
| Brasswork | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||
| Curtains | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Buttons | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Other trades | 2 | 2 | 2 | |||
| 250 | 254 | 273 | ||||