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Factories, Workshops and Workplaces.
The duty of inspecting factories is mainly
carried out by Factory Inspectors appointed by
the Home Office, who act in accordance with the
provisions of the Factory and Workshop Acts,
1901 and 1907 and the various Orders made by
the Home Secretary from time to time with regard
to factories. Questions relating to safety from
accident, hours of employment, dangerous and
unhealthy industries and other important matters
influencing the health of the workers, are supervised
by Factory Inspectors and not by the
Borough Council. The duties of the staff of the
Public Health Department of the Borough Council
in factories are limited to such questions as drainage,
sanitary accommodation, the provision of
dustbins, smoke nuisances and effluvia; subject
to special exceptions in the case of food factories
and bakehouses with which the Borough Council
are more closely concerned as in these cases the
local authority possesses wider powers under other
legislation which need not be detailed.
In the case of Workshops and Workplaces,
however, although the Factory Inspector has
certain duties to perform, sanitary and health
matters are mainly the province of the Medical
Officer of Health and the Sanitary Inspectors of
the Borough Council. Regarding Workshops, the
Public Health Department not only deal with the
same questions as are mentioned under factories
(drainage, sanitary accommodation, dustbins, smoke
nuisances and effluvia, etc.) but also have a wide
range of other duties including the supervision of
cleanliness, ventilation, air-space and overcrowding.
These duties are prescribed in the Factory and
Workshop Act, 1901 and the Public Health Acts
and the Public Health (London) Act, 1891 and
are enforced in London under the last mentioned
Act.