London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Shoreditch 1895

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]

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35
FACTORIES AND WORKSHOPS.
Notices were received from H.M. Inspector of Factories of insanitary conditions
existing in 39 workshops and factories situate in the parish. The insanitary conditions
complained of were mainly defective and insufficient w.c. accommodation, no water
supply to w.c.'s, filthy accumulations and bad smells, dilapidations and dirty
conditions, and over.crowding. In every case attention was given by the Vestry's
sanitary inspectors, notices were served, and the nuisances complained of were abated.
In connection with the above I would call attention to the
FACTORY AND WORKSHOPS ACT, 1895,
which came into operation on January 1st, 1896; certain provisions of the former
Factory Acts are amended, and some addition is made to the duties required to be
performed by the Vestry as the Sanitary Authority.
Definition.
It may be well first to give the meaning of the expression
'workshop' as used in the Factory and Workshops Act, 1878,
henceforward referred to as the principal Act.
As defined in section 93 of the principal Act the expression
' workshop ' means :—
(1) Any premises or places named in part 2 of the 4th Schedule
to this Act which are not a factory within the meaning of
this Act.
(2) Also any premises or place not being a factory within the
meaning of this Act, in which premises, room, or place, or
within the close or curtilage or precincts of which premises,
any manual labour is exercised by way of trade, or for
purposes of gain, in, or incidental to the following purposes
or any of them.
That is to say :—
(a) In, or incidental to the making of any article or part
of any article, or
(b) In, or incidental to the altering, repairing,
ing or finishing any article, or
(c) In, or incidental to the adapting for sale of any
article, and to which or over which premises, room,
or place the employer of the persons working therein
has the right of access or control.
Sections of the
Public Health
(Lond.) Act, 1891,
affecting workshops
and factories.
1 would point out that sections 2, 25, 26, 27 and 30 of the
Public Health (Lond) Act, 1891, give the Sanitary Authority
powers, in cases of nuisances and insanitary conditions, over workshops,
factories and workplaces.