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The establishment formerly run by the Salvation Army at 2 Burne Street and premises in Lisson Street,
which accommodated 391 men, was closed down early in the year.
Regular inspections were made by Public Health Inspectors and particular attention was given to
fire precautions, numbers of lodgers accommodated, the tracing of any possibly verminous persons or
articles, sanitary and washing facilities, and to general compliance with the Byelaw requirements.
All these common lodging houses were found to be well managed and maintained.
Offices, Shops and Railway Premises
The Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act, 1963 made fresh provision for securing the health,
safety and welfare of persons employed to work in office and shop premises and certain railway
premises. Responsibility for enforcing the Act is divided between local authorities, local fire authorities
and the Ministry of Labour.
Within the City the fire provisions of the Act, including those relating to means of escape, are
administered by the Greater London Council and H.M. Factory Inspectorate.
The general provisions of the Act are enforced by H.M. Inspectors of Factories or other officers
appointed by the Ministry, in premises occupied by county councils or local, fire and police authorities,
in offices and shops situated in factories, in railway premises in the immediate vicinity of the permanent
way, in premises owned or occupied by the Crown and in schools maintained by the local education
authority. The Greater London Council is responsible for offices and shops in places of public
entertainment. Offices, shops and railway premises within the City not falling into the aforementioned
categories are the responsibility of the City Council and it is estimated that at any one time there may
be between sixteen and twenty thousand units of occupation in this class.
The occupiers of premises to which the Act applies are required to give notice on a prescribed form
of the employment of persons. On 31st December, 1965, after allowing for removals and for the
transfer of registrations to H.M. Inspector of Factories, 15,596 premises were on the Council's register
of notifications.
When notice of the employment of persons in premises to which the Act applies has been given,
it is the duty of a local authority to carry out "general inspections" during which compliance with the
Act in general is assessed. The number of premises awaiting a general inspection at the 31st December
was 11,377.
The City Council has power to exempt premises or parts of premises from certain requirements
relating to space, temperature, sanitary conveniences and washing facilities. No applications for
exemption were received during 1965, but exemptions in respect of washing accommodation in one
office and three retail shops were current at the end of the year. The Council may also exempt premises
from certain requirements relating to the provision of first aid facilities where a first aid room
is provided and arrangements exist for securing the immediate treatment of persons who suffer bodily
injury or become ill while on the premises. During the year thirteen premises were so exempted,
making the total of such exemptions thirty-one.
Where an accident in any premises, to which the Act applies, causes loss of life to a person employed
to work in the premises or disables any such person for more than three days, notice of the accident
must be given to the appropriate authority. Whenever an accident causes injuries of a serious or fatal
nature or when an infringement of the Act is suspected, the circumstances are investigated and
appropriate action is taken.
Advice on accident prevention is given frequently. When death or serious injury occurs, where an
accident occurs because of an infringement of the Act or if there is some unfamiliar aspect indicating
a need for additional safety measures, reports are sent, as requested by the Ministry of Labour, to the
Deputy Superintending Inspector of Factories in the area.
The Act requires local authorities to submit an annual report to the Ministry of Labour on their
proceedings under the Act. At the request of the Ministry the report included information about the
degree of light found in places where persons were employed during the month of November.
Statistics included in the report and other figures will be found in Table 20, page 61.
Factories
There were 4,069 factories on the register at the end of the year. Statistics of matters dealt with by
the Health Department under Parts I and VIII of the Factories Act, 1961 are given in Tables 21 and
22, pages 61 and 62.