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49
advised only to offer for sale oil heaters which bore a B,S,I, mark
and specified warning notice, Attention was also paid to secondhand
gas and electric fires on sale to ensure that they complied
with the Fireguard Regulations,
Noise Abatement Act, 1960
During the year, 119 complaints concerning noise were received
and investigated by the public health inspectors, Many of
these complaints were again concerning laundrettes, particularly
self-operated laundrettes which are often open until a very late
hour, The investigation by the inspectors in connection with these
complaints has necessitated their visiting the premises in
question often in the very early hours of the morning, during the
evening and very late at night, This type of work outside normal
working hours does put a considerable burden upon the
inspectorate involved, In addition, one visit to these premises
is by no means enough, and investigations are often very drawn
out in trying to decide whether the best practicable means have
been taken to reduce the noise, at least to a reasonable level,
Noise other than industrial noise is very difficult to deal with,
as it is often of an intermittent character, For example, the
sounding of chimes by ice-cream vendors after hours is an
offence, but unless an inspector or the police are on the spot at
the time the offence is committed, no prosecution can be taken,
The Act does provide, however, for any three persons aggrieved
by a noise nuisance to initiate action by complaining to the
Local Authority,
I must again thank the Scientific Branch of the Greater London
Council for the assistance which they have given to the inspectors
during the past year in recording and making observations on
various noise nuisances,
Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act, 1963
The work of administering the Offices, Shops and Railway
Premises Act is the responsibility of the Council's Chief Public
Health Inspector, specialist public health inspectors and tachnical
assistants, Despite a shortage of specialist public health
inspectors during the year under review, the inspection of
premises registered under the Act has proceeded in a methodical
manner,