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24
Private Water Supplies—Deep Wells
The water from 65 boreholes is used for drinking and domestic purposes in 48 premises. Of these,
18 bores supply water to 16 premises occupied by Government departments or Crown Agents, and
examination and maintenance of these are in the hands of the Government Chemist and the
Department of the Environment.
In relation to the 47 boreholes in private ownership, 102 (48) samples of water were submitted for
bacteriological examination and 31 (22) for chemical analysis. Of these, the results of 125 tests were
satisfactory. The remaining 8 all related to one premises, where the bore linings and the basement
storage tank were found to be defective. The former were repaired and the latter by-passed (other
storage tanks being available) and all subsequent samples were satisfactory.
Swimming Bath Water Examination
Monthly examinations were carried out at each of the 11 municipal swimming baths in the City.
One hundred and twelve (202) samples were submitted to the Public Health Laboratory Service for
bacteriological examination, and the same number of samples were also examined at the baths for
residual chlorine and pH value.
The results of 104 of these examinations were satisfactory. Of the remaining 8, one may have been
due to some children undergoing a survival test which entails jumping into the bath fully clothed, and
two to the rather low level of free residual chlorine in the samples; there was no apparent reason
in respect of the remaining five samples.
River Thames Flood Precautions
The Health Department, in co-operation with other departments of the City Council concerned
in precautions in the event of flooding, has prepared plans to be brought into operation immediately
on receipt of warning by the Police, in accordance with the London Tidal Flood Warning System.
Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act, 1963
The number of new registrations received during 1970 was 729, bringing the total number of
registered premises at the end of the year to 18,052 and the number of persons employed therein to
371,036.
The implementation of the Hoists and Lifts Regulations marked a further step towards safety in
premises covered by the Act.
The number of Lift Engineers' reports submitted was 292. The high costs involved in properly
enclosing lifts in accordance with the requirements has presented some difficulties but, generally
speaking, property owners have been co-operative and have shown a willingness to comply.
Accidents involving lifts are fortunately rare, but during 1970 a serious accident occurred in the
lift motor room of a modern office block where repairs were being carried out by a maintenance
engineer to one of six lifts. The other five lifts were in operation. The engineer was badly injured
because of lack of space and the impracticability of safety fencing off the lift machinery. But for the
prompt action of a colleague the accident would almost certainly have resulted in a fatality.
The circumstances were fully investigated and many visits to the site took place involving meetings
with the owners, management and the manufacturers' own maintenance engineers; agreement was
reached on measures to be taken in order to prevent any recurrence.
Notifications concerning 527 accidents were received during the year, none of which was fatal.
In 177 cases investigations were carried out and in 16 instances contraventions of the Act were
noted; any necessary action was taken.
Ensuring compliance with the Hoists and Lifts Regulations has imposed much extra work on the
section of the department dealing with the Act and has necessitated transferring a technical assistant
formerly engaged on general inspection duties to those solely connected with hoists and lifts. This
factor, together with changes caused by retirement, affected the number of routine inspections,
which decreased from 5,789 in 1969 to 4,788 in 1970.