View report page

Metropolitan Borough of Bermondsey.
REGULATIONS AS TO UNDERGROUND BAKEHOUSES.
(Factory and Workshop Act, 1901.)
Section 101 (3) —An Underground Bakehouse means a bakehouse, any baking room of which is so
situated that the surface of the floor is more than three feet below the surface of the footway
of the adjoining street, or of the ground adjoining or nearest to the room. The expression
"baking room," means any room used for baking, or for any process incidental thereto.
Section 101 (4) —An Underground Bakehouse shall not be certified as suitable unless the Sanitary
Authority is satisfied that it is suitable as regards construction, light, ventilation, and in all other
respects.
Section 101 (8) —Where the certificate required cannot he obtained unless structural alterations are
made and the occupier alleges that the whole or part of the expenses of the alterations ought to
be borne by the owner, he may, by complaint, apply to a Court of Summary Jurisdiction, and
that Court may make such order concerning the expenses, or their apportionment, as appears to
the Court to be just and equitable under the circumstances of the case, regard being had to the
terms of any contract between the parties, or, in the alternative, the Court may, at the request
of the occupier, determine the lease.
Construction —
a) The bakehouse to be of a minimum capacity of 1,000 cubic feet, to contain at least
500 cubic feet for each man employed.
(b) The walls and staircase of bakehouse to be rendered in cement.
(c) The ceilings to be properly ceiled and to be kept at all times impervious to dust, or,
if made of brick, rendered smooth in cement.
(d) The floors to be made with concrete, rendered smooth in cement, or with other
jointless or impervious paving throughout, so that the bakehouse is free from
damp.
(e) All fixed woodwork, e.g., window frames, doors, and door frames and staircasings
within the bakehouse to be made sound and painted.
(f) There is to be appurtenant to, but outside and totally distinct from, and not
communicating directly with, the bakehouse, sufficient and suitable water-closet
accommodation.
(g) Any drain or sewer passing under the bakehouse to be properly constructed of a gas
and water tight pipe, and no soil pipe or inlet to drain shall be within the
bakehouse or storeroom.
(h) Provision shall be made for suitable means of access to the bakehouse, properly
constructed, so as to exclude dust and dirt.
(0 All areas, whether for lighting or draining the bakehouse, shall be constructed with
white glazed bricks, tiles, or other approved glazed faces.
Light—
(j) The bakehouse shall be supplied with one or more windows, so as to be efficiently
lighted in every part by daylight. Where it is impossible to have every part
efficiently lighted by daylight artificial light may be allowed.
Ventilation —
(k) The bakehouse shall be properly and effectually ventilated by permanent inlets and
outlets, other than the windows, communicating directly with the open air in
such a way and at such a height above the street level as to prevent the entrance
of street dust and dirt.
General —
(l) Dough-troughs, and all similar furniture or fittings shall be mounted on strong
castors or wheels, so as to be readily movable for cleaning purposes.
(m) Provision for the proper storage of flour and coals shall be made elsewhere than in
the bakehouse itself. No Hour to be stored in any room which communicates
directly with a water-closet.
21st April, 1903.
These regulations are substantially the same as those recommended by us, the only
structural regulation which the Committee did not accept being that requiring a minimum height
of 7 feet 6 inches. We suggested further regulations for (a) storing of refuse, (b) forbidding of
animals in the bakehouse, (c) water to come from the main, (d) provision of lavatory basins,
(e) forbidding the depositing of wearing apparel in the bakehouse, but the Committee did not
consider these necessary. Copies of these regulations were sent round to all the owners of
underground bakehouses, with the intimation that they would be required to comply with them
before being granted a certificate. We were next instructed to bring up a printed statement of
the alterations which would be necessary in each case to bring the bakehouse up to the standard
of the regulations. This we did, but this list consisted practically of a recapitulation, in the
words of the regulations, of those defects which would require remedying. The part of this list
which concerned any particular bakehouse was transmitted to the owner, who was at the same
time requested not to commence any work without communicating first with the officials of the
Council.
35