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17
Notices
Seven hundred and twelve (728) informal notices and 513 (528) statutory notices were served in 1971,
to secure the abatement of nuisances. In addition, 7 (15) notices were served under the Clean Air Act,
1956.
An analysis of statutory notices served is given in Table 10, page 74.
Legal proceedings
The summary of legal proceedings undertaken during 1971 is set out in Table 25, page 81.
Noise
Public reaction to excessive, unnecessary or obtrusive noise interfering with the comfort and enjoyment
it is reasonable to expect and demand at work or leisure continues to be expressed by complaint to the
department.
Two hundred and forty-two (220) complaints were received and investigated during the year, and 862
(828) visits by public health inspectors were made to secure abatement, or reduction to tolerable levels.
Noise occurring by night and at week-ends necessitated investigations out of normal office hours.
Demolition and construction of buildings and roadworks involving mechanical power machinery and
tools, are the principal sources of complaint.
Contractors are advised to embark upon public relations work amongst local residents who may be
disturbed by their activities, and particularly in respect of the programming of their projects.
On a few long-term demolition operations it was thought appropriate to serve Nuisance Abatement and
Prevention Notices, but in none of these cases was it found necessary to take legal proceedings to enforce
compliance with the terms of the notices.
Without legislative control upon permitted hours of work, such as can be imposed, for example, by a
writ of injunction, noise occasioned by late and night operations will continue to present control problems,
particularly where on large building sites there are working a number of specialist sub-contractors.
Other sources of complaint include noise from extractor fans, from small factories, and from night
entertainments and amplified music. In the majority of cases, informal action by way of reasoned advice is
effective in abating and preventing nuisance, and no proceedings have been instituted.
Self-service coin-operated dry-cleaning establishments
With the introduction of a number of new self-service coin-operated dry-cleaning establishments in the
City the Health Department has been concerned for some time about the adequacy of safety precautions in
these premises, especially when perchloroethylene is in use.
Establishments of this type have come into operation during the past few years and are now to be found
in many shopping areas, frequently in association with launderettes. At the majority of the establishments
no supervisory staff is employed. Notices are prominently displayed in the premises warning users that the
dry-cleaning machines must not be overloaded and that after use the clothes must be thoroughly aired
preferably by hanging in the open air.
Characteristics of Perchloroethylene
(a) Perchloroethylene is a non-flammable solvent belonging to the same group of chlorinated
hydro-carbons as chloroform.
(b) Like other volatile solvents, it evaporates when exposed to the air, and, having a higher density than
air, the vapour produced tends to settle.
(c) Though classed as non-flammable, the solvent may give rise to another danger when exposed to
sources of high temperature in the presence of air as heat from a flame or red-hot surface (e.g.
cigarette, electric fire, etc.) decomposes the vapour with the resultant formation of corrosive and
toxic gases.