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WORKSHOP SUPERVISION. 57
The Report of the Committee was issued toward the end of last year. The document is
one of great interest, not only to officials but also to employers of all classes. It is hoped,
however, that the standard of impurity which the Committee recommend will not be adopted.
As already stated the simplest and readiest test of the impurity of the air is the determination
of the amount of carbonic acid gas present. In the open air the amount of this
gas averages from 3.5 to 4.0 vols. in 10,000 vols. of air. The theoretical limit of impurity
prescribed by hygienists is 8 vols. per 10,000. Under the Cotton Cloths Acts (now repealed)
the standard limit was 9 vols. The standards recommended by the Committee are:—
(i) During daylight or after dark when only electric light is employed, 12 vols.
(ii) When gas or oil is used for lighting, 20 vols.
per 10,000 vols. of air. These standards are too high. The Report contains the results of a large
number of determinations of carbonic acid in factories and workshops under various conditions,
but does not give any tables of averages. From a survey of the tables, the impression left is
that the results of the analysis in question do not justify the proposed standards. It may be
noted that the proposal is a retrograde one as regard certain factories, viz., cotton cloth
weaving sheds, where the present standard is 9 vols. per 10,000 vols. of air. It is also somewhat
anomalous that in an electrically lighted workshop the occupier should be limited to 12
vols, whilst in a gas lighted shop the standard may be, at the same time, 20 vols.
With such high standards, the health of workers is not likely to be improved—headache,
lassitude, anaemia, etc., being produced by excess of carbonic acid, or by other impurities
which are present. Moreover, employers who do not aim at lower standards will find that
less work is done by the workers and the work done likely to be of an inferior quality.
Gas Stores.—In several workshops gas stoves for heating smoothing irons or for warming
the rooms were found unprovided with any means of carrying off the products of combustion, and
there appears to be a general impression that there is no need to make any such provision.
Such provision is very necessary for the sake of health as carbon monoxide gas is
sometimes given off by gas stoves, especially by atmospheric stoves which have "lighted
back." At all times large quantities of carbonic acid are given off, with a certain small
amount of sulphur fumes. The close stuffy air of rooms where unventilated gas stoves are
used, is easilv recognised, and workers in such places are specially prone to drowsiness,
headache and anaemia. There has been very little difficulty in securing the proper ventilation
of stoves for irons by hoods connected to flues and other means, but it has not always been so
easy to deal with stoves provided for warming. Many advertisements relating to such stoves
definitely state that special ventilation is not required. The erroneous nature of such statements
are apparent to anyone giving the matter the slightest consideration.
Sanitary Conveniences.—The provision of closet accommodation is enforced under the
Public Health (London) Act, 1891, (Section 38). The provision must be sufficient and
suitable and provide for the due separation of the sexes. Outside London Section 9 of the
Factory and Workshop Act, 1901, applies, except in those districts where Section 22 of the
Public Health Acts Amendment Act, 1890, is in force. Under Section 9 of the Factory Act
the Home Secretary is authorised to make an Order* determining " what is sufficient and
suitable accommodation," but such Order will not be applicable to the Metropolis, the
Council of each Borough being left to deal with the matter within their own area.
As so many of the workshops in this Borough are on premises not erected for the purpose,
considerable difficulty is experienced from time to time in providing the extra closet accommodation
or the due separation of the sexes. In other cases, it has been found almost
impracticable to get the closets so arranged as to obviate all chances of effluvia escaping into
the workrooms and to secure sufficient privacy. Nevertheless, some improvements have been
effected during the past year and continuous supervision in the future will secure still better
* An Order under this Section was made on 4th Februarv, 1003.