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12
OFFICES, SHOPS AND RAILWAY PREMISES ACT, 1963
The Act virtually came into full force on the 1st August, 1964, and with certain exceptions applies,
to retail shops, offices, wholesale premises and most warehouses, catering establishments and canteens, fuel
storage premises and certain railway premises. These exceptions are premises where only self-employed persons
work, businesses in which only immediate relatives of the employer are employed, and other premises where
not more than 21 man-hours weekly are normally worked.
Employers are required to register their premises and the number registered during the year together
with the number of persons employed is shown in Table 40.
The general requirements of the Act deal with matters affecting the safety, health and welfare of
employees, and covers cleanliness; overcrowding; temperature; ventilation; lighting; sanitary conveniences;
washing facilities; drinking water; accommodation for clothing; seating arrangements; eating facilities in shops;
cleaning machinery and fencing exposed parts; training and supervision of persons working at dangerous
machines; prohibition of heavy work; first aid; penalisation of dangerous acts and interference with equipment;
dangerous conditions and practices; and construction and maintenance of floors, passages and stairs.
H.M. Factory Inspectorate is responsible for enforcing the general provisions of the Act in offices
and shops in factories; railway premises and offices; premises owned or occupied by the Crown; and premises
occupied by County Councils, local fire and police authorities, and probation committees. The responsibility
for the remainder of premises falls to the Council, and in Willesden this responsibiity has been delegated to
shops inspectors and public health inspectors. Broadly speaking, public health inspectors inspect offices, food
shops, wholesale premises, warehouses and catering establishments open to the public, and canteens, and shops
inspectors inspect the remainder. The total number of general inspections made is shown in Table 41, and
the defects found and remedied in Table 42.
Under section 46 of the Act the Council have power to grant an exemption in respect of the requirements
regarding room space for employees, temperature, provision of sanitary conveniences and provision of
running water for washing facilities. Exemption from the requirements to supply running water may be given
either for a specified period or indefinitely; exemption from any other requirements must be for a period only,
not exceeding two years. To obtain an exemption certificate it is necessary to satisfy the enforcing authority
that it is not reasonably practicable to comply with the statutory requirement or requirements from which
exemption is sought. The Council need to know precisely what trouble and cost would be involved in meeting
the requirements and what other practical difficulties exist. An appeal against an authority's refusal to
grant an exemption can be made to a magistrates' court. One application for exemption from the requirements
of providing running water for washing facilities was received, but this was refused on the grounds that
it was practicable to install the necessary facilities. The applicant did not appeal.
Employers are required to notify accidents to employees which cause the death of the injured person
or disables him for more than three days from doing his usual work. Three accidents were notified all
resulting from falls and all non-fatal.
Enforcing authorities have power to prosecute in any case of infringement of the Act or Regulations.
However, during the first year or two of the operation of the Act it is best to proceed by way of advice and
warning and no prosecutions have yet been instituted by the Council.
NOISE NUISANCE
The Borough Council deals with noise nuisances under the Noise Abatement Act, 1960, which repealed
the noise nuisance section of the Middlesex County Council Act, 1944. It provides that noise and
vibration which are nuisances are offences under the Act. It is no longer necessary for a doctor to have to
decide whether there is danger or injury to health.
Public health inspectors have made day and night observations to determine whether complaints of
noise nuisance were justified or not. 82 complaints were received during the year, of which 17 were repeated
complaints and 41 did not constitute a nuisance within the meaning of the Act. Twenty-one of 24 complaints
found to be a nuisance were remedied after consultation with the firms concerned, but three were still being
dealt with at the end of the year. The Council authorised the employment of a noise consultant to advise on two
difficult cases of noise and vibration from machinery and from car repairs.
The noises objected to by complainants were wide and varied, and included those from factory processes,
ice cream vendors chimes, car delivery and repairs, shunting of coal wagons, unloading of milk chums,
loudspeakers, jazz bands and inconsiderate neighbours.
CARE OF THE AGED
The proportion of old people in the community is increasing and it becomes more urgent and necessary
for the medical and welfare services to be extended to care adequately for them.
The majority of old people are living alone, but they can manage to look after themselves in spite
of deficiencies in money, suitable living accommodation and general amenities. Some require help to keep
them comfortable and happy in their own homes, while a small minority cannot be adequately cared for except
in a hospital or old people's home. The local health authority provides home nurses, home helps and health
visitors who investigate the needs of old people and arrange for the necessary services to be given.
Old people's clinic
An experimental old people's clinic was opened at Pound Lane Clinic in February, 1961. It was
transferred to Neasden Clinic in June, 1961, and was held at the same time as a chiropody clinic. The clinic
was established to give advice to the elderly on physical and mental health. It can now be said to have passed
the experimental stage and become firmly established. Knowledge built up over three to four years of experience
is being used with increasing effectiveness in improving the health and well-being of those who attend.