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Substances specified in Part II may be sold by "listed sellers"
and these are persons who, on written application in a prescribed
form, and on payment of stated fees, are recorded by the Council
as "persons entitled to sell poisons in Part II of the Poisons List"
at the premises recorded in the Register. The Council are required
to enforce the Act and Orders so far as they relate to " listed
sellers" and have appointed the Public Health Inspectors as
Inspectors under the Act. At the end of the year there were 179
persons registered under the Act.
Consumer Protection Act, 1961
This Act repealed the Heating Appliances (Fireguards) Act,
1952, and the Oil Burners (Standards) Act, 1960, but Regulations
made under the former Act concerning fireguards on certain heating
appliances offered for sale are still in force. Regulations have
been made concerning oil burners, specifying standards of safety,
and prohibiting the sale of oil heaters or component parts which
do not comply with the Regulations.
No contraventions of the Regulations were reported during the
year.
Noise Abatement Act, 1960
This Act gives local authorities power to deal with "noise which
is a nuisance". Industrial noise clearly has a health angle in that
it is often continuous and of considerable intensity and the Health
Department takes appropriate action on complaints of noise
arising in connection with a trade or business. Noise other than
industrial noise however is sometimes difficult to deal with as it
is often of an intermittent character. The Act provides for any three
persons aggrieved by a noise nuisance to initiate action by complaining
to a Magistrate.
During the year, 45 complaints were received in the Health
Department and investigated by the public health inspectors, involving
a total of 82 visits. Some complaints related to noise
occurring during the evening or at night which necessitated evening
visits and observations by the inspectors. In other instances
investigations proved that little or no justification existed for
complaint. The majority, however, related to noise caused by
industrial machinery of various kinds and in most cases an informal
approach by the inspectors was met by a willing co-operation
on the part of the offenders to seek methods of abating or lessening
the noise. In no case was it necessary to serve a notice under the
provisions of the Act.
Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act, 1963
Staff shortages have again affected the degree of progress which
has been achieved in the general inspection of registered premises.