London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Lewisham 1965

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham Borough]

This page requires JavaScript

OUTWORKERS
Under section 133 of the Factories Act, 1961 the occupier of every factory and
every contractor employed by him must keep lists showing the names and addresses
of all outworkers directly employed by him and of the places where they are employed,
and must send to the district council in February and in August of each
year, copies of those lists showing all outworkers so employed by him during the
preceding six months. Section 134 of the same Act empowers the district council by
notice in writing to the occupier of a factory or to any contractor employed by
him to prohibit the employment of any persons as home workers in premises which
the council regard as injurious or dangerous to health.
The Home Work Order, 1911, specified the kinds of work to which these two
sections apply. The types of work consist mainly of wearing apparel and textiles,
the making of paper bags, boxes, brushes, baskets, artificial flowers, metal fittings,
etc.
The following is a list of occupations concerned:

Table 41

TradeOut worker employed
Clothing165
Brushes4
Boxmaking10
Lampshades1
Rosettes2
Lace7
Curtains1
190

The inspectors made 114 visits during the year. Reports were submitted to the
Council setting out the position with regard to outworkers in the borough. No
adverse comments were made.
OFFICES, SHOPS AND RAILWAY PREMISES ACT, 1963
There were 371 initial visits paid to premises during 1965 and these showed that many
of the occupiers had already given the requirements of the Act some attention.
It was surprising however, to find that in 124 cases there was no first aid box provided,
although this was quickly remedied when attention was drawn to this deficiency.
The other principal items requiring attention were as follows:—
Abstract of the Act not exhibited 135
Absence of a thermometer 95
Absence of a hot water supply 60
Absence of a wash hand basin 32
Floor in need of repair 26
88 accidents were reported during the year and investigation of 43 of these showed
that fortunately most of them were of a minor character and due principally to lack
of care on the employee's part. Where the employer was asked to carry out any
remedial works, these were dealt with without delay.
62