View report page

89
"Cubic Space.—In the 81 workshops, etc. newly registered,
99 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 accordance with the
requirements of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1895,
section 1. Numerous other rooms in workshops already registered
were also measured, such rooms having been enlarged,
or newly occupied as additional workrooms.
"Overcrowding.—Twenty-six rooms were found to be
overcrowded ; one case only was of a serious character: it was
at a large dressmaker's establishment in the south district, 14
persons being employed in a room having cubic space for 10
only. The nuisance was at once abated, at my instance, by
transferring the excess hands to another room. I have not
since found the workroom overcrowded.
"Defective Workshops, Yards, Etc.—At many of
the registered premises, particularly laundries, roofs and floors
were found to be in a defective state. In several cases the
necessary work of reparation was carried out on the service of
written intimations only ; in other cases, after service of statutory
notices. Several yards were well paved during the year,
and others were more or less properly repaired, much to the
benefit of the employers and employed alike.
"Cleansing, Whitewashing, etc.—Numerous workrooms,
and staircases and passages connected therewith, were
cleansed and whitewashed or re-papered on service of intimations
or notices.
"Sanitary Conveniences.—Two new water-closets
were constructed : one, in the south district, in compliance
with the requirements of Section 35 of the Factory and Workshop
Act, 1895, and Section 38 of the Public Health (London)
Act, 1891, persons of both sexes being employed at the establishment
; and one, in the north district, an unsuitably placed