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30
Underground Workshops.
Underground rooms are often used for trade purposes, not only as store places,
but as workshops. The construction of many basements often interferes considerably
with their lighting and ventilation. As an example of this, reference can be
made to a basement found during last year used by a hairworker. The room was
overcrowded and practically unventilated. It could not have been made satisfactory
without interfering with the shop front, and the use of the room as a workplace
was therefore discontinued.
The use of such rooms as workshops can only be regarded as extremely
unsatisfactory.
Sanitary Condition of Offices.
The question of the sanitary supervision of offices is one of considerable
importance in an area such as Holborn, containing as it does a very large number
of professional and commercial offices. During the yeaii 1928, 45 separate offices
were inspected; in one case it was found necessary to serve notice for the abatement
of a nuisance.
The question has been raised as to the powers possessed by Metropolitan Local
Authorities for the inspection and supervision of offices and the matter has, from
time to time, been considered by the Metropolitan Boroughs Standing Joint
Committee. A representation was made by that Committee to the Minister of
Health asking for the introduction of legislation definitely granting to Local
Authorities power for this inspection and supervision. In reply the Minister drew
attention to the powers possessed by Local Authorities in London under the Public
Health (London) Act, 1891, for dealing with insanitary premises, and the Minister
considered that in view of the decision in the case of Bennett v. Harding (1900),
the expression "workplace" which occurs in Sub-Section 2 of Section 38 of the
Act, was wide enough to cover offices. Subsequently, however, a further letter
was addressed by the Minister to the Standing Joint Committee expressing the
hope that it would be found possible for some Metropolitan Borough Council to
arrange for a test case. No such test case however, has yet been taken.
There are, of course, in the Borough many blocks of offices which adequately
conform to all reasonable hygienic requirements. Large corporations and
industrial concerns recognise the value, in increased output, which comes from
housing their clerical staff in good conditions. In small businesses the conditions
are not always so satisfactory; lighting is poor and ventilation inadequate; this
is particularly so where parts of large rooms are partitioned off for office purposes
end where offices are situated in basements.
The Health and Comfort of Workers.
During the building of a large block of offices in the Borough, opportunity
was taken to communicate with the owners (al large Building Society) suggesting
the use of glass permeable to ultra violet radiation of solar light. A reply was
received that arrangements had already been made for the use of this glass, and
in addition for the use of all possible hygienic and health preserving systems, e.g.,