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7. A Tank-making Firm.
This firm manufactures tanks. The premises consist of two
large galvanised iron sheds standing on the canal bank. All the
material used comes along the Surrey Canal. The material is brought
from various sheet-iron rolling mills and is made into tanks of all sizes
and descriptions. Sheets of iron are cut to the required shape by
machinery ; another machine punches the rivet holes. The sheets are
then folded to the required shape. In the case of the smaller tanks,
they are livetted together by means of pneumatic rivetters operated by
hand; in some cases the tanks are rivetted in a machine, this latter
being the cold rivetting process. This firm does not do its own galvanising
; the finished tanks are sent on to another firm for that
purpose. The workshops are spacious, lofty and well ventilated. As
regards heating, this is amply provided for by the radiant heat given
off from the forges. The sanitary accommodation provided for the 30
male employees consists of four w.c'f. and one urinal. The former
are on the trough principle, but are well flushed and kept clean ; the
urinal of tarred cement was also clean. The w.c. accommodation is
enclosed in a small block a considerable distance from the workshops.
8. Glass Works.
These works are given up to the manufacture of a variety of glass
jars and bottles, such as sauce bottles, salad oil, paste and others ; no
medicine bottles are made with the exception, of bottles for patent
medicines. Practically all the work is executed for London firms such
as Crosse & Blackwell, Lazenby, etc. On an average the output is
8,000 gross per week.
Taking the works first, these cover a fairly large area, comprising a
gas manufacturing plant on the regenerative system, used for heating
the smelting furnaces; the gas is not carried out to the full extent of
purification as it is not used for illuminating purposes. It was observed
that this gas plant was situated outside the building and apart from the
same, thereby safeguarding the employees from any noxious fumes or
products developed in the course of manufacture. The remainder of
the works consist of casting and annealing shops, machine shops,
packing rooms, boiler house, offices, etc. The different sections of the
works are divided or separated by the roadway; this latter is churned
up by the heavy motor traffic running to and from the works.