London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Camberwell 1948
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Camberwell.
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15
Factories Act, 1937.
The Borough Council is charged with the duties of enforcing
the legislation as to sanitary accommodation in all factories in
its area and in those factories where mechanical power is not
used, for maintaining a satisfactory standard of cleanliness and
ventilation, ensuring the effective drainage of floors, and preventing
overcrowded conditions. The following tables are
presented in the form required by the Home Office.
Factories Act, 1937.
I.—INSPECTIONS.
| Premises. | Number on Register. | Number of | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inspections. | Written Notices. | Occupiers prosecuted. | ||
| Factories in which Sections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 of the Act are to be enforced by Local Authorities | 860 | 166 | 37 | Nil |
| Factories not included above in which Section 7 of the Act is enforced by the Local Authority | 461 | 71 | 13 | Nil |
| Other premises in which Section 7 is enforced by the Local Authority (excluding out-workers' premises) | 3 | – | – | – |
| Totals | 1,324 | 237 | 50 | Nil |
2.—CASES IN WHICH DEFECTS WERE FOUND.
| Particulars. | No. of cases in which defects were found. | Number of cases in which prosecutions were instituted. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Found. | Remedied. | Referred | |||
| To H.M. Inspector. | By H.M. Inspector. | ||||
| Want of cleanliness | 67 | 42 | – | 9 | – |
| Overcrowding | – | – | – | – | – |
| Unreasonable temperature | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | – |
| Inadequate ventilation | 30 | 26 | – | 2 | – |
| Ineffective drainage of floors | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | – |
| Sanitary conveniences— | |||||
| (a) insufficient | 24 | 20 | – | 11 | – |
| (b) unsuitable or defective | 82 | 61 | – | 20 | – |
| (c) not separate for sexes | 8 | 5 | – | 3 | – |
| Other offences against the Act (not including offences relating to outwork) | 2 | 2 | – | 1 | – |
| Total | 215 | 158 | – | 48 | – |