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37
SECTION IV.—FACTORIES.
Work reported upon in this Section is now carried out under the Factories Act, 1937,
which came into force on 1st July, 1938.
The following brief report upon this Act was submitted to the Public Health
Committee on 9th December.
Factories Act, 1937.
1. In accordance with your instructious I beg to report briefly upon the provisions
of this Act, which came into force on the 1st July last.
2. The general effect of the Act will be to increase the power of Metropolitan
Borough Councils in regard to certain matters to be referred to below, but the Act will
not materially affect the number of premises on our Register.
3. The Act is a consolidating and amending measure which replaces the Factory
and Workshops Act of 1901, and certain other enactments. It is to be noted that
the old distinction between a factory and a workshop is abolished and that the expression
" workshop" is discontinued. The only term now used is " factory" ; for certain
purposes a distinction is drawn between factories where mechanical power is used and
factories where this is not used.
4. The arrangement that obtained under the 1901 Act, by which certain provisions
of the Public Health Acts were applied to workshops and defaults were treated as
nuisances, is now abandoned.
The operative provisions for factories, whether or not using mechanical power, are
now contained in the Factories Act itself and non-observance renders the person
responsible liable to a fine on summary conviction.
5. Under Section 151 of the Act, power is given to deal with premises in which
the following are carried out—(a) sorting of articles, (b) filling of bottles or containers,
(c) production of cinematograph films, and (d) making of articles for use in the building
trade. Certain factories, such as foundries, letter press printing works, etc., previously
excluded under the definition of " factory," are now to be dealt with by Local Authorities
under the Act, providing that no mechanical power is used.
6. Under Section 1 a higher standard of cleanliness can be required than was
formerly possible.
7. A new requirement is introduced in regard to a workroom in which a substantial
proportion of the work is done sitting and does not involve serious physical effort, namely
that a temperature of less than 608F shall not be deemed, after the first hour, to be
a reasonable temperature while work is going on.
8. In Section 2 a new standard of overcrowding is introduced, namely, 400 instead
of 250 cubic feet per employee. This standard may result in the discovery of legal overcrowding
and require action by the Local Authority.
9. Consideration of the Act and consequential rules and orders does not indicate
that any change in this Council's administrative arrangements are called for. The matter
will be kept under observation and the Committee will be informed regarding any points
of interest that may arise in the course of administration.
Inspections are carried out by one male inspector and one female inspector.
The arrangement is that the female inspector is responsible for inspecting factories and
restaurants in which women are employed and for all visits to outworkers.