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198
1908]
FACTORY AND WORKSHOP ADMINISTRATION.
The Medical Officer of Health is obliged, by the Factory and Workshops
Act, to report annually as to the manner in which the Act is administered
in the district over which he has charge. By it also all local authorities
are compelled to keep registers of workshops, and to transmit copies of the
annual reports of their Medical Officer of Health on the subject to the Secretary
of State; in addition to which, in London copies must be forwarded to the
Local Government Board and the London County Council.
As year by year passes, the work under the Factory and Workshop Act,
1901, grows, so that, whereas at one time it was thought that two inspectors,
a male and female, would be sufficient to execute it, it is now found that
three barely suffice.
Inspectors.—Three Inspectors one male and two females, are engaged in
carrying out the work entailed on the Council under the Act. It is the duty
of the male inspector to inspect all factories and workshops where men are
employed, and of one female inspector to visit factories and workshops, including
laundries, where women are employed, and of the other female inspector
to inspect the homes of homeworkers and the kitchens of restaurants and
places where food is prepared.
Inspections and Visits.—The number of inspections and visits paid was
11,565, as compared with 10,727 in the preceding year, and 6,980 in 1906. The
particulars of these inspections are as follows:—Factories (including factory
laundries), 434; workshops (including workshop laundries), 2,008; workplaces
other than outworkers' premises, 248; bakehouses, 572; kitchens of restaurants,
800; outworkers' premises, 995; miscellaneous re-inspections and calls, 6,508;
total, 11,565.
Notices Served —Arising out of these inspections, 704 intimation
notices and 17 statutory notices were served for various purposes. These
notices related to 1,942 defects, of which 1,773 had been remedied at the
close of the year. In addition, 79 notices were served with respect to outworkers'
rooms which were found in an unwholesome state.
Registers.—4,257 workshops are at present on the registers. This
number includes 533 workshops where men are employed, 821 workplaces where