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Imported food
It is interesting to note the growth of this type of work
following the provisions of the 1968 Imported Food
Regulations and the development of container traffic by
road and sea. The regulations permit consignments of
imported foods to be released to their land destination to
receive Port Health Clearance at this point.
67 notifications were received by this authority relating
to 140 consignments destined to 10 premises in the
borough. The amount of food examined was as follows: —
approximately
Tinned foods 225,000 cartons
Bagged foods 17,000 sacks
Drums 1,500 drums
Frozen food 1,000 wholesale packs
61 samples were taken of these foods all of which were
found to be satisfactory.
Exported food
There are several manufacturers of foodstuffs in the
borough who regularly export food. Many countries
require a certificate of purity to accompany each
consignment of food and as the premises producing these
foods are regularly inspected by public health inspectors,
the Board of Trade require a certificate signed by the Chief
Public Health Inspector to be attached to and accompany
the export licence.
During the year 38 such certificates were signed
representing the products of 4 companies relating to:—
3,800 cases of biscuits
166 cases of peanuts
20 cases of peanut butter
80 cases of spirits
300 lb. of lobsters
and a quantity of food colours.
Clean Air Acts, 1956 and 1968
Smoke control areas
during the past year has necessitated 2,270 visits by the
technical assistants.
Furnaces
Section 3 Clean Air Act, 1956 relates to the requirement
that all new furnaces to be installed in buildings shall be,
so far as it is practicable, capable of operating
smokelessly. During 1971, 19 notifications of such
installations were submitted to the department and
approved, although modifications were requested and
obtained in two instances.
Chimney heights
21 applications were received for approval of chimney
height in accordance with section 6, Clean Air Act, 1968.
After detailed examination of the proposals, two required
an increase in the heights proposed. Eventually all were
approved.
Smoke complaints
The year produced 146 complaints of smoke nuisances,
most of which again referred to neighbours bonfires.
It appears that the public are generally becoming less
tolerant to atmospheric polution now that the air in
London is cleaner following the extensive work which has
been carried out. Most of these bonfires need never have
given rise to a complaint if people would recognise their
responsibilities to the community in which they live.
Factories Act, 1961
Basically the responsibilities of operating the Factories'
legislation rests with H.M. Factory Inspectorate. However
the local authority is responsible for limited aspects in all
factories, i.e. toilet and washing facilities and for a much
wider range of conditions in non-powered factories. Table
20 sets out the details of the annual return which is sent to
the Secretary of State for Employment. It will be seen that
I have been forced to reduce the number of inspections
carried out from 1526 in 1970 to 231 in 1971.
During the year the Council made the four final smoke
control orders. These were subsequently confirmed by the
Department of the Environment and 3 of the orders are
due to come into operation on 1st July, 1972 and the final
one on 1st December, 1972. This last area (Brentford and
Chiswick No. 12) covers an area which is to be re-developed
and the operative date was delayed until December to
allow the Council to purchase the house, in order that the
occupants may be re-housed prior to demolition and thus
alleviating any need to carry out works of adaptation or
conversion.
The total area of the Borough is 14,469 acres containing
73,912 premises and by the end of 1971, the Council had
in operation smoke control orders covering 12,550 acres
and 64,024 premises.
Thus it can be seen that we are now approaching the
conclusion of a very extensive and complicated action
which has had a great material effect on the environmental
conditions for the residents of the borough. This work
Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act, 1963
The work under this legislation has continued throughout
the year and Table 20 indicates the premises registered and
inspected; an analysis by workplace of employed persons;
exemptions from certain provisions of the Act and of
prosecutions instituted where the hearing was completed
during the year.
The number of visits of all kinds (including general
inspections) to registered premises was 507 which is a
considerable reduction on the 1970 inspections (4069).
This again was necessitated by the shortage of staff and the
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