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38
1919
In the making-up rooms, the employees are almost entirely
girls, and as far as the employees are concerned, it is in the makingup
rooms that the greatest risk from naphtha occurs.
Every girl has beside her a small tin of solution, consisting
of naphtha containing a small portion of rubber. This solution
is applied to the surfaces which are to be united. The brush has
to be kept in the solution in order to prevent the bristles becoming
" caked " and it is said to be impracticable to cover up the tins.
A certain amount of evaporation of the naphtha becomes
inevitable.
When we endeavour to estimate the effect of the use of
naphtha in these works, we have to consider them from two points
of view—that of the employees and that of the occupiers of the
neighbouring houses. The more efficiently the former are protected,
the more numerous will the complaints be from the latter.
The administration of factories is under the Home Office, and in
workrooms where naphtha is used, efficient ventilation is insisted
upon. But it will be evident that the more efficiently and thoroughly
the naphtha is removed from the rooms, complaints will be received
from the tenants of the neighbouring houses of the offensive
smell. As far as I can gather, it is the smell of the naphtha which
is the cause of the complaints. It is almost certain that the naphtha
is so diluted that no injury or danger to health can accrue to the
inhabitants of the neighbouring houses.
But apart from the offensive smells, a deeper sense of
injury is felt by some, at any rate, of the inhabitants of Agnes
Road, and this arises from the establishment of a factory where
heavy machinery is used, within a few yards of the house.
Where night work is done, the noise of the heavy machinery
does disturb the rest of the occupiers of the neighbouring houses.
I have received numerous complaints from occupiers of the
neighbouring houses that it is impossible to obtain sleep at night,
owing to the noise of the heavy machinery.
Some or the inhabitants are also apprehensive of fire, and
with an inflamable material like naphtha used, a risk pf fire must
always be present.
As far as this particular industry is concerned, I understand
that all these grievances will be at an end, as a site has been obained
at Southall where a new factory will be erected.