View report page

74
"The Factory and Workshop Act, 1901, which came into force on January 1st, 1902, has
considerably enlarged the duties of the sanitary authority with respect to workshops and workplaces,
as evidenced by a Memorandum issued by the Secretary of State 20th December, 1901.
This Memorandum states, inter alia, that in a case arising under section 38 of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891, it had been held that the expression 'Workplace' is not to be limited to
places where something is being manufactured or made, but includes any ' place where work isdone
permanently, and where people assemble together to do work permanently of some kind
or another.' It is therefore a word of wider signification than the word 'workshop' In thecase
in question, a stable and stable yard, where men were employed as cab cleaners and horsekeepers,
was held to be a workplace.* Similarly, the Secretary of State has been advised that
the kitchens of restaurants, &c., though they are not workshops, come within the meaning of
the term ' workplace.' Accordingly, we received instructions to register as workplaces all
kitchens of dining-rooms, type-writing offices, &c., where women are habitually employed, and
have done so, the result being a large increase to the number of premises on the register; 41 in
North Kensington, and 103 in South Kensington, raising the total, on January 31st, 1902, to 1,013;
viz., 524 in North Kensington, and 489 in South Kensington, and the number is increasing.

"Cubic Space.—In the 167 premises newly registered last year, 297 rooms were measured
in order to ascertain the number of persons who may lawfully occupy each room, upon the scale
of 250 cubic feet per person, in conformity with the Factory and Workshop Act, 1895 (section 1).
The Secretary of State, by Order, under section 3 of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901, has
modified the requirement as to space in respect of rooms at workshops (not being domestic workshops),
which are also used by night as sleeping apartments, a minimum of 400 cubic feet being
now required for each person employed therein.
* The case referred to is that of Bennett v. Harding, High Court—Queen's Bench, June 14th, 1900, sec. 38, Public
Health (London) Act, 1891.—Stables and a stable yard were kept by a cab proprietor, and a number of men were employed
therein as cab cleaners and horse-keepers, and cab drivers were daily in attendance there for the purpose of hiring horses
and cabs. Held, that the stables and stable yard were a "workplace" within the meaning of the statute, and that the
cab drivers were "in attendance" there, although they were as customers, and that sanitary conveniences must be provided.