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132
The process is essentially a dusty one, and, having regard
to the risk to the actual workers, must be considered a dangerous
industry. Precautions have been taken to minimise the risk to
the workers by the provision of dust collecting devices, and these
precautions include measures to prevent the dust from the works
escaping to the outside so as to give rise to nuisance.
So far, therefore, on the results of my observation and inspection
into the complaint of the escape of dust from these works
to the premises of the adjoining residents, I am unable up to the
present to establish the existence of a nuisance.
The apparatus used to prevent the escape of dust consists of a
cone-shaped metal container outside the factory building, into
which opens an extraction shaft. The dust is drawn from the
factory through this-shaft into the container, when it is collected.
The container itself is covered, but provision has to be made for
ventilation, and at times, especially in windy weather, some fine
dust intermittently escapes. Suggestions towards further improving
this plant were made, and are now being carried out, with a view to
securing a more complete protection against the escape of dust.
Most of the residents who signed the complaint of nuisance
from these works admitted that the nuisance has been much less
during the past three months, which period coincides with the installation
of this plant.
So far as this complaint of the residents adjacent to these works
is concerned as to nuisance from the escape of dust from the factory
premises, there is not sufficient evidence at present to justify action
by the Council. Systematic observation will, however, be kept,
and, in the event of its being necessary, a further report will be
submitted to the Committee.
It will be of interest to refer in this connection to the result
of the recent enquiry into the deaths of two young women employed
in these works from silicosis. It is clear, from the medical evidence
given by Sir Bernard Spilsbury and other medical witnesses, that
the disease from which these girls died was contracted from the
inhalation of dust containing silica. It is further of interest that
four other deaths occurred amongst the employees in this factory
which were registered as being due to Tuberculosis. All these deaths
occurred within the past two and a half years, and, as pointed out by
the Coroner in his summing-up, "we have dropped almost by accident
upon a very frightful state of affairs, and thanks to the acuteness of
Dr. Maccormac," who carried out the post-mortem examination
on the first of the two cases in which inquests were held, the second
victim who died later in Brompton Hospital was ascertained to
have suffered from the same disease, and, by implication, probably
in at least three of the four previous deaths.
The Poli Varn premises are a factory and, as such, come under
the supervision of the Home Office Inspector, and the Officers of