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23
FACTORIES.
The Council administers certain of the provisions
of the Factories Act 1937, mainly relating to health.
These provisions deal with cleanliness, overcrowding,
temperature, ventilation, drainage of floors, and sanitary
conveniences, and are enforced by the Council in factories
where no mechanical power is used. Where mechanical
power is used, the Council's responsibility is limited to
securing the provision of adequate sanitary conveniences,
the other measures being enforced by H.M. Inspectors of
Factories who also deal with the provisions of the Act
relating to welfare and safety.
The Council also has the duty of ensuring that
certain classes of factory are provided with satisfactory
means of escape for use by employees in case of fire.
Two certificates to this effect were issued during the year.
There are 73 factories of various types and sizes
in the District, mainly engaged in light industry.
Inspections of these premises revealed few matters to which
it was necessary to draw attention. A number of complaints
were investigated of nuisance either of noise or of odours
arising from the use of cellulose. With the wholehearted
co-operation of the managements concerned it was possible
to eliminate the causes for complaint or to reduce them to
reasonable proportions. Such problems are bound to arise
in circumstances where a factory has an established user
in an area which is subsequently developed for residential
purposes. In one such case the noise began early in the
morning and often continued into the night. The neighbouring
residents complained that their rest was seriously
impaired. The management took all practical measures to
restrict the noise, but without success. Fortunately,
the problem was solved when, for other reasons, the factory
moved to premises in another district.
There is no problem of industrial smoke from
the factories in the District.
The Factories Act requires occupiers of factories
to forward to the Council, twice yearly, a list of persons
employed by them in specified classes of work. This
information enables control to be. exercised over work
carried out in unsatisfactory premises or in conditions
likely to lead to the spread of infection. Notification
was received of 65 outworkers, who were engaged in the
following occupations: