London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Lewisham 1967
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham Borough]
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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.
He must send to the 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 Council by notice in writing to the occupier
or 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 such occupations:—
| Trade | Outworkers employed |
|---|---|
| Clothing | 118 |
| Boxmaking | 6 |
| Millinery | 9 |
| Rosettes | 3 |
| Lace | 5 |
| Buttons | 3 |
| Jewels | 5 |
| Wigs | 1 |
| Leatherwork | 6 |
| 156 |
The inspectors made 121 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.
Of the items requiring attention, the most frequently recurring were the following:—
| Abstract of the Act not displayed | 171 |
| Absence of a thermometer | 103 |
| Absence of a first-aid box | 114 |
| Absence of a hot water supply | 74 |
Other matters to which it was necessary to draw attention were:
| Insufficient heating | 19 |
| Insufficient lighting | 23 |
| Condition of floors and staircases | 10 |
| Insufficient washing facilities | 34 |
| Facilities for drying clothes | 6 |
| Insufficient ventilation | 12 |
| Insufficient sanitary accommodation | 19 |
| Absence of drinking water | 11 |
| Lack of seating facilities | 3 |
| Poor standard of cleanliness | 2 |
| Overcrowding | 1 |
| Deficient sanitary accommodation | 16 |
| Deficient washing accommodation | 4 |