View report page

155
FACTORY AND WORKSHOP ACTS.
The duties imposed on your Vestry as Sanitary Authority
in relation to factories, workshops, workplaces, &c., both by
the Factory and Workshop Acts, 1878 to 1891, and by the
Public Health (London) Act, 1891, were fully set out in my
report for 1891. From time to time since the latter Act
came into operation at the beginning of 1892, I have received
from Her Majesty's Superintending Inspector of Workshops
complaints of overcrowding of workshops—dressmakers'
establishments to wit—in South Kensington. Among the
complaints received there were such as follow: " Found 18
women in two rooms on ground floor .... estimated
cubic space 2,000 feet " (or 111 feet per person). " Found 25
women in first floor front, estimated cubic space 3,040 feet "
(or 122 feet per person). " Found 10 women in one room,
estimated cubic space 1,440 feet " (or 144 feet per person).
In one room the Sanitary Inspector found 24 women where
there was space for 16 only, the workers being cramped even
for elbow room. It is almost needless to observe that, apart
from the question of ventilation, this air space was altogether
inadequate, and it was recognised that a standard of space
should be fixed for the guidance of the Inspectors. Your
Vestry's regulations for houses " let in lodgings or occupied
by members of more than one family " require air space " for
each person in a room occupied by day only, or by night only,
of not less than 300 cubic feet;" and it seemed not unreasonable
that an equal amount should be required in a workplace
where at times much gas is consumed, and where more or less
of the available room is taken up by furniture, &c. The
matter having been considered by the Sanitary Committee, it
was resolved, your Vestry subsequently approving, that an
air space at the rate of 250 feet per person should be required,
three gas burners to be reckoned as equivalent to one person.