London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Camberwell 1912
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Camberwell.
This page requires JavaScript
I—10
FACTORY AND WORKSHOPS ACT.
In accordance with the provisions of the above Act, I submit a
report setting out the work which has been carried out under its
enactments. In all there were 3,848 inspections of factories, workshops,
and workplaces, and in consequence of these visits it was
necessary to serve 216 written notices. Both these numbers are
in excess of last year, when there were 3,435 inspections. The
Schedule No. 2 classifies the nature of the defects found under this
section under certain headings, which in the main explain themselves.
Under the division of "Other Nuisances" are included
defects such as improper or insufficient ash-bins, dirty cisterns, &c.
These, together with the specified nuisances, were all remedied
without the necessity of police court proceedings.
In 13 factories the women's conveniences were either dirty or
not provided with an efficient water supply, or else the bolts and
fastenings were defective.
I.—Inspection. Including Inspections made by Sanitary Inspectors or Inspectors of Nuisances.
| Premises. | Number of | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Inspections. | Written Notices. | Prosecutions. | |
| Factories (including Factory Laundries) | 398 | 38 | – |
| Workshops (including Workshop Laundries) | 2,635 | 138 | – |
| Workplaces (other than Outworkers' Premises included in Part 3 of this Report) | 815 | 40 | – |
| Total | 3,848 | 216 | – |
2.—Defects Found.
| Particulars. | Number of Defects | Number of Prosecutions. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Found. | Remedied. | Referred to H.M. Inspector. | ||
| Nuisances wider the Public Health Acts:— * | ||||
| Want of Cleanliness | 54 | 54 | – | – |
| Want of Ventilation | 3 | 3 | – | – |
| Overcrowding | 3 | 3 | – | – |
| Want of Drainage of Floors | 4 | 4 | – | – |
| Other Nuisances | 60 | 60 | – | – |
| Sanitary Accommodation— | ||||
| Insufficient | 1 | 1 | – | – |
| Unsuitable or Defective | 65 | 65 | – | – |
| Not separate for Sexes | 4 | 4 | – | – |
| Offences under the Factory and Workshop Act:— | ||||
| Illegal Occupation of Underground Bakehouse (s. 101) | – | – | – | – |
| Breach of Special Sanitary Requirements for Bakehouses (ss. 97 to 100) | – | – | – | – |
| Other Offences (excluding Offences relating to Outwork which are included in Part 3 of this Report) | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 194 | 194 | – | – |
* Including those specified in Sections 2, 3, 7, and 8 of the Factory and Workshop
Act as remediable under the Public Health Acts.