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122
In 1910 I reported as to the provision for washing at
Beckton Gas Works. At these works large lavatory basins
are provided supplied with hot and cold water, and also
spray baths, and the baths are used very freely in summer,
and to. an increasing extent every year. I [was informed that
the Gas Company found it to their interest to make such
provision.
The Borough Council has provided baths at the dust destructors
for the workmen but these it appears are being
little used. At the Plumstead Destructor there are two
slipper baths for about 16 men, but I understand that only
three men make use of them and that only about once a
week. There are two lavatory basins attached to each bath.
These are more used. It appears that the men are mostly in
the habit of washing themselves over down to the waist
every day before leaving work. Ten minutes or a quarter
of an hour is allowed out of every daily shift for th'is purpose.
Apparently the men think it necessary to be clean
as to the upper half of their bodies, but disregard the lower
half. It seems difficult to understand why some of them at
any rate should not use the bath every day as it would be
easy to take a bath during the quarter of an hour allowed.
The provision of spray baths, however, in the place of
slipper baths, as at Beckton and many places abroad, is of
great advantage. The first cost of spray baths is small compared
with that of slipper baths, hence more can be provided,
and they can be used much more quickly. With a spray
bath a man can wash himself all over in three minutes.
There is no doubt than in future when any provision of
washing facilities is made for workmen it will be desirable
to provide spray baths rather than slipper baths.