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perforce, that laid down in section 3 of the Factory Act, viz.,
250 cubic feet per adult worker during ordinary hours. From
a health point of view this standard is much too low, and in
certain specially unhealthy trades, laundries for instance, it
should be considerably raised.
Ventilation.
Additional means of ventilation were provided in 64
instances. Workshop ventilation is a difficult problem,
especially in dealing with such sedentary occupations as dressmaking
and tailoring. It is easy enough to provide a sufficient
number of ventilating openings, but the workers insist on
keeping them closed on account of the cold.
It is, in fact, impossible to adequately ventilate many
of these workshops without warming the incoming air.
Drainage of Floors on which Wet Processes are
carried ON.
Twelve workshops, all of which were laundries, failed to
comply with section 8 of the Act, which prescribes that in
workshops where "wet processes" are carried on, adequate
means shall be provided for draining off the wet from the
floors.
Provision of Sufficient and Suitable Sanitary
Conveniences.
One of the most important duties of local authorities in
connection with factories, workshops and workplaces is that
of securing suitable and sufficient sanitary accommodation for
the workers. The powers of the Metropolitan sanitary
authorities in this respect, however, are not granted by section
9 of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901, in which these
provisions are set out, as this section does not apply to London,
but by section 38 of the Public Health (London) Act 1891,
which reads as follows:—