View report page

22
Agents and, where this obtains, arrangements for maintenance and examination are in the hands of
the Ministry of Public Building and Works and the Government Chemist.
During the year, in relation to the 49 boreholes in private ownership and control, 83 (92) samples
of water were submitted for bacteriological examination and 26 (32) for chemical analysis. Five
of the bacteriological examinations—relating to 3 wells—indicated slight bacterial contamination;
in the case of one well this was due to a defective storage tank and a temporary fault in the chlorination
injector, whilst in the other two the untreated water from the bore failed to meet the highest
standards of bacterial purity but showed no evidence of contamination of a dangerous character.
In one of these two cases, nevertheless, the supply to the consumer was satisfactory because
of subsequent chlorination, and in the remaining instance the owners of the property and the well
subsequently installed a satisfactory system of chlorination to safeguard the consumers.
All other examinations were reported to be satisfactory.
Swimming Bath Water Examination
Monthly examinations of the water were carried out at each of the eleven municipal swimming
baths in the City. During the year 196 (222) samples were submitted to the Public Health Laboratory
Service for bacteriological examination and an equal number of samples were examined at the baths
for residual chlorine content and pH value.
In two instances the bacteriological examinations indicated the probable presence of faecal
bacteria in minimal numbers, namely one per 100 millilitres. Having regard to all the relevant
circumstances, however, these were regarded as isolated instances which were not of serious
significance. Generally speaking, the results were very satisfactory.
Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act, 1963
The Council is responsible for administering the general provisions of the Act in such premises
as are required to be registered with the local authority.
During 1967 notices of the employment of persons were received by the City Council in respect
of 1,691 (1,912) premises. On the 31st December, 1967, after allowing for removals and the
transfer of registrations to other authorities, 17,033 premises, in which a total of 342,111 persons
are employed, were on the Council's register.
"General Inspections" during the year numbered 3,648 (5,751) and by the end of the year only
3,415 premises awaited a "general inspection". There were 9,763 (12,469) inspections of all
kinds, including re-inspections, contraventions being found in 1,506 (3,372) cases. Compliance
with the Act was secured by informal action and it was not necessary to commence legal
proceedings.
For the second consecutive year there was a reduction in the number of accidents notified,
573 (608) and in only seventeen cases was a failure to comply with the Act a contributory cause of
the accident.
The City Council granted exemption for a limited period from the requirements of Section 5 (2),
which relates to the provision of working space, in respect of part of one premises. In another the
Council exempted the occupiers from certain requirements relating to the provision of first-aid
facilities, adequate arrangements having been made for securing the immediate treatment of
injured persons on the premises.
Statistics, including some contained in the Annual Report to the Minister of Labour, will be
found in Table 21, page 74.
Factories
There were 4,722 (4,657) 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 22 and 23, pages 74 and 75.
Outworkers
Returns made by 224 (242) employers, together with 170 (202) notifications from other local
authorities, accounted for a total of 2,247 (2,349) outworkers of whom 956 (1,187) were residing
in the City of Westminster. (Table 24, page 75.)
Basement Bakehouses
The Factories Act, 1961, which re-enacted with amendments the Act of 1937, requires that a
'basement bakehouse' shall not be used unless a Certificate of Suitability has been issued by the
Council and that the premises were so used in 1937. There are three basement bakehouses in
Westminster for which Certificates of Suitability are in force. The next quinquennial review is
scheduled for 1969.