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SHOPS AND OFFICES
The Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act, 1963, is designed to raise the
standards of working conditions in such premises so as to promote the health,
welfare and safety of the employees.
Broadly, the Act gives to the office and shop worker protection similar to that
afforded to the industrial worker by the Factories Acts. Enforcement of the provisions
of the Act is divided between Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate and local
authorities. Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate enforce the provisions in Crown
property, local authority premises, railway premises, and offices and shops in
factories covered by the Factories Act, 1961. Responsibility in respect of all other
shops and offices is vested in local authorities.
Since the passing of this Act in 1963, the Minister of Labour has made several
Orders and Regulations prescribing standards for the provision of washing facilities,
sanitary accommodation, first aid equipment, etc. Numerous explanatory circulars
have also been issued.
The most common fault found is inadequate lighting, for which there is no
standard prescribed by regulation. The Minister has now issued a circular and an
advisory booklet recommending a minimum standard for lighting, but, regrettably,
this is appreciably lower than the one adopted by the Council, i.e. the suggested
standard of the Illuminating Engineers Society. Whether the new standard is
"suitable and sufficient" in any particular premises is a matter for the enforcing
authorities and ultimately for the Courts.
By the end of the year a total of 2,892 premises had been registered. This
represents about 95% of the total in the borough and it is anticipated that registration
of all premises will be completed in the near future. A total of 2,356 visits were
made and 440 premises registered during the year. Two hundred and sixty-one
notices were served drawing the attention of occupiers of premises to contraventions
of the Act. All but one of these contraventions were of a minor character. In the
one instance legal proceedings were instituted but the necessary work had been
carried out before the case was heard, and the case was dismisssd.
Fifty accidents were reported but none was of a serious nature. The majority
still appear to result from carelessness on the part of employees in handling goods
or equipment. Instruction in the best methods of handling goods and maintaining
equipment is needed in many shops and warehouses.
The Shops Act, 1950, is a consolidating Act, re-enacting the existing law on
hours of closing, certain conditions of employment, Sunday trading and general
matters relating to these subjects. Four prosecutions were taken under this Act
resulting in fines of £62 with £68 15s. Od. costs.
The Shops (Early Closing Days) Act, 1965, provides, inter alia, for an early
closing day to be selected by the occupier of the premises and for the substitution
of the expression " early closing day " for the expression " weekly half-holiday."
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