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Section 1.—The standard cubic space to be provided is fixed
at 250 cubic feet per person, during ordinary work hours, and
400 cubic feet during overtime. The Home Secretary is
empowered to modify the spaces given above to meet the use of
artificial light, other than electric. A notice is to be affixed (not
stated where) specifying the number of workers who may be
employed in each room of the workshop.*
It is not settled who is to determine the cubic contents of the
work-rooms, but the most satisfactory plan will be for the local
authority to do so. The notice issued by the Home Office specifying
the number of workers, is to contain on one sheet the
numbers for every room in the building. It would probably be
fixed up near the entrance to the workplace where the other
notices are fixed. A preferable plan will be to provide a card
for each room, which card should be hung in a conspicuous
position in its proper room. No order has as yet been issued for
determining the space to be deducted for artificial light.
Section 2.—This section gives power to a court of summary
jurisdiction to prohibit the use of a factory or workshop, or part
of either, which cannot be used as such without "danger to
health, or to life or limb." Complaint is to be made by
an inspector of factories, but no proceedings are to be taken under
this section, where a local authority can deal with the case under
the Public Health Act, unless such authority make default in so
dealing with the case.
Section 3.—When the factory inspector notifies a local
authority of any " act, neglect, or default," the authority must
report what action has been taken to the factory inspector. The
time allowed for acting on the notice from the factory inspector
is limited to "within one month."
Section 5.—This provides for a penalty in the case of any
occupier continuing to use a workshop (or place for distribution
of work) after the expiration of one month from the receipt of a
notice from an 'inspector' that his workplace is injurious or
dangerous to the health of the persons employed there. The
*Throughout this consideration of the Act workshop regulations only will
be dealt with, irrespective of any provisions applying to factories as well.