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Among the difficulties connected with these, and especially those
situate underground, is the important question of ventilation. This,
in its proper sense, means a supply of fresh air, as distinguished
from the mere air space of the workshops; not only has means of
ventilation to be provided, but it must be maintained. The requirements
of former Acts were satisfied if the means of ventilation had
been provided, but Section 7 of the 1901 Act goes further, and
enacts that sufficient ventilation shall be maintained By the same
section, the Secretary of State, by special order, may prescribe a
standard of sufficient ventilation, and when this has been fixed,
Inspectors will be better able to adopt a uniform mode of procedure,
in requiring the necessary supply of pure air for those working in
the rooms.
Measures have also to be taken for securing and maintaining
a reasonable temperature in each workroom, and the means to
attain this must not be such as to interfere with the purity of the
air in such room.
Underground workrooms are steadily increasing, and rooms fit
only for storage are daily being utilised as workrooms or offices;
in the majority of cases the ceilings are on a level with the street
paving, and the area, which ought to be open, is usually covered
with thick glass. Some legislation is necessary for regulating these
places, and the section of the Public Health Act relating to underground
dwellings might, with advantage, be extended to workrooms.
In many parts of the City the ground-floor and basement are let
together as a separate tenancy, quite shut off from the upper floors,
and in modern buildings, where the whole of the site is built over
(this is allowed by the London Building Act), it is quite impossible
to provide proper and sufficient sanitary accommodation for the
workers, especially where both males and females are employed.
These are difficulties which the Department has to meet day by
day.
The question of what shall be deemed sufficient and suitable
accommodation by way of sanitary conveniences is now likely to be
settled, for by Section 9 of the Factory and Workshops Act,
1901, the Secretary of State is required to determine, by order,
what is sufficient and suitable accommodation within the meaning
of the Act.
Notices of sanitary defects in workshops have been received from
His Majesty's Inspectors of Factories under Section 4, Factory and
Workshops Act, 1878; Section 2, 1891 Act; and Section 3, 1895
Act:—