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regard to the hours of labour under the control of the Home Office, and to the
supervision of sanitary conditions by the Sanitary Authority.
In their own rooms out-workers may work subject only to the supervision of
sanitary conditions by the Sanitary Authority.
A large number of out-workers work in their own rooms, and a large number
in domestic workshops.
Briefly, the object of these lists of out-workers is threefold: firstly, to control
the employment of out-workers as to limits of age, fitness, hours, and periods, and
as to safety from fire, accidents, and injury ; secondly, to control the sanitary
condition of premises; and thirdly, to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
With reference to the two last, the following sections specially apply.
Factory and Workshops Act, 1895, Section 5.
1.—If an inspector gives notice in writing to the occupier of a factory or
workshop, or to any contractor employed by any such occupier, that any place
in which work is carried on for the purpose of or in connection with the business
of the factory or workshop is injurious or dangerous to the health of the persons
employed therein, then, if the occupier or contractor, after the expiration of one
month from receipt of the notice, gives out work to be done in that place, and the
place is found by the court having cognizance of the case to be so injurious or
dangerous, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding ten
pounds.
2.—This section shall apply in the case of the occupier of any place from
which any work is given out as if that place were a workshop.
3 —Provided that this section shall not apply except in the case of persons
employed in such classes of work and in the case of persons giving out employment
and employed within such areas, as may from time to time be specified by the
Secretary of State by Order made in accordance with Section 65 of the principal
Act, and no such order shall be made except with respect to an area where, by
reason of the number and distribution of the population or the conditions under
which work is carried on, there are special risks of injury or danger to the health
of the persons employed and of the district.
Factory and Workshops Act, 1895, Section 6.
If any occupier of a factory or workshop or laundry or of any place from
which any work is given out, or any contractor employed by any such occupier,
causes or allows wearing apparel to be made, cleaned, or repaired in any dwelling
house or building occupied therewith, whilst any inmate of the dwelling house is
suffering from scarlet fever or small-pox, then, unless he proves that he was not
aware of the existence of the illness in the dwelling-house, and could not
reasonably have been expected to become aware of it, he shall be liable to a fine
not exceeding ten pounds.
It is evident that the duties of the Sanitary Authority in reference to outworkers
are as important as those of the Home Office although different in kind,
but whereas the 1'actory Inspector is supplied with lists of outworkers every six
months, the Workshop Inspector is restricted to inspecting the lists at the
factories and workshops.