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43
SECTION C
Sanitary circumstances of the Area
The tables on pages 89 to 91 summarise, as far as possible,
the sanitary work of the Department; from these it will be seen
that a total of 16,343 houses and premises have been inspected or
re-inspected during the year; 555 intimation notices and 125
statutory notices were served.
Registered complaints, numbering 1,982 show an increase of
790 over those of the previous year, a total greatly in excess of the
pre-war average of 700.
Legislation.—With reference to this Section the most
important statutory instruments passed during the year are listed
below: —
Office Act, 1960.—This Act, introduced to make further and
better provisions for health, welfare and safety in offices, received
the Royal Assent on July 29th, 1960, but becomes legally enforceable
by local authorities only on January 1st, 1962.
By the Act the Secretary of State is enabled, in consultation
with interested organisations, to make Regulations regarding structure
and arrangements, etc., of offices for the health, safety and
welfare of persons employed therein and, inter alia, it outlines
duties of occupiers and employees.
Display, in prominent and accessible places, of abstracts of the
Act and subsequent Regulations becomes obligatory.
Certain provisions with regard to offices in factories and
employment of women after childbirth are to be enforced by
Ministry of Labour inspectors and a similar authority is given to
the Ministry of Power in respect of mines and quarries.
Noise Abatement Act, 1960.—Local authorities have been
empowered to deal with noise or vibration as a statutory nuisance
under this Act from 27th November, 1960.
Previously, power to deal summarily with a noise nuisance
under the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, was given to Councils
of the Metropolitan Boroughs by Section 66 of the L.C.C.
(General Powers) Act, 1937, such nuisance being defined in subsection
3 as "any excessive or unreasonable or unnecessary noise
which is injurious or dangerous to health". The new Act amends
this to read "any noise which is a nuisance", a definition which is
very vague and will have to be determined by the magistrate.
Borough Council byelaws concerning loudspeakers, bells and
gongs are already in existence and these are unaffected by the new
legislation.