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Factory and Workshop Act, 1901.
Section 132 of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901,
provides as follows:—"The Medical Officer of Health of
every District Council shall, in his Annual Report to them,
report specifically on the administration of this Act in
workshops and workplaces, and he shall send a copy of his
Annual Report, or so much of it as deals with this subject to
the Secretary of State." Before last year the sanitary supervision
of workshops and workplaces, and such supervision of
factories as devolves upon the local authority, was carried
out in Battersea by the district sanitary inspectors, but owing
to the heavy calls upon the staff in other directions, it was
not found possible to maintain the close and systematic
supervision of these premises which is necessary for the
efficient administration of the law. When the Factory Act
of 1901, which imposes new and important duties upon local
authorities, was passed, it became evident that the existing
inspectorial staff was quite inadequate for the work, and
accordingly, in January, 1902, the Council decided to appoint
two additional inspectors. Mr. W. E. Benjamin, of
Portsmouth, and Miss Edna Dawson, of Gateshead, both
experienced workshop inspectors, were appointed and entered
upon their duties on June 21st and September 22nd respectively.
Workshops.
The new inspectors at once began a systematic inspection
of the workshops in the Borough on the following lines:—
Every workroom in the workshop is measured up
and the dimensions and cubic capacity entered upon a
printed form. Upon the same form are entered particulars
as to the number, sex and age of the persons employed
in each workroom; the means of ventilation, lighting
and warming; the number, position and condition of the
sanitary conveniences for each sex, and the general
sanitary condition of the premises. Any special circumstances
are also noted. The form is submitted to the
Medical Officer of Health, who directs what action shall
be taken, and it is then filed in a folder in which are also