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22
FACTORY AND WORKSHOP ACT, 1901.
Section 132 of the Act requires every Medical Officer of Health in
his Annual Report specially to report on the administration of the Act,
and five tabulated statements were framed by the Home Secretary with
a view to such reports being made upon uniform lines.
Factories, Workshops, and Workplaces (including Out-Workers
premises).
Administration.
The supervision of these premises is largely controlled by the
Factory and Workshops Acts; and in London by the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891.
For the purpose of their duties with respect to workshops and
workplaces under the Acts, the Borough Council and their officers are
given by section 125 of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901, the
same powers of entry, inspection, taking legal proceedings, or otherwise,
as are possessed by Factory Inspectors.
Under section 131 of the Act of 1901, it is the duty of the Borough
Council to keep a Register of all Workshops situate within their
district. During 1920 our records have been brought up-to-date, and
an inspection has been made of the Borough with this object in view,
for, during the War, changes have occurred which to some extent had
rendered the Register somewhat out-of-date. A new Register has
been made, and advantage has been taken of this opportunity to prepare
the Register on the card-index principle.
The following summary briefly states the powers and duties of
the Borough Council in relation to factories, workshops and workplaces.
Factories.—In the case of factories the duties of the Borough
Council are few. They have, however, special duties in regard to
bakehouses and domestic factories, and in the enforcement of the
requirements of section 38 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891,
as to the provision of suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences.
Workshops and Workplaces.—In regard to workshops and workplaces,
the Borough Council have important duties which may be
broadly classified under four heads:—