London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Harrow 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Harrow]
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78
At most of the factories in the district less than 50 persons are
engaged. Of the 24 larger factories there are eleven at which over 50 but
under 100 are employed, eight at which there are between 100 and 200,
two engage between 200 and 500, and at three over 500 are employed.
The following is a summary of the types of work in which those at the various factories in this district are engaged:—
| Staff employed | |
|---|---|
| Motor engineers, panel beaters, body builders, etc. | 67 |
| Boot and shoe repairers | 39 |
| Engineering, tool making, steel stamping, sheet metal workers | 43 |
| Radio, T.V., electrical | 23 |
| Tailoring, dressmaking | 51 |
| Cabinet makers, upholsterers, joiners | 24 |
| Printers | 13 |
| Miscellaneous and non-mechanical factories | 208 |
In addition there are four laundries (two employing over 100 hands);
a glass works and a brush works each employing over 200 but under
500 workers; one film factory and one paint and brush factory each
engaging over 500 persons; two electronic engineering firms; one film
developing and printing works; one factory making household furniture
and one leather works.
There are 562 factories or premises which are supervised by the
sanitary inspectors of the district. At 79 of these mechanical power is
not used and these are therefore supervised not only as regards sanitary
conveniences but also as to the general health provisions. To these
premises 419 visits were made with the result that 22 notices were served;
27 defects were found. Of these 10 were due to want of cleanliness, 6
were in respect of sanitary conveniences (one insufficient and five unsuitable
or defective). Information is passed to the local inspector of
factories about matters found at these premises with which he is concerned.
In the same way he draws the attention of the inspectors to
points he has found which concern them.
There are 226 outworkers' premises in the district. At 129 of these
wearing apparel is dealt with, being either made or cleaned; at 75 Christmas
crackers and Christmas stockings were made.
Shops
The provisions of the earlier of the Shops Acts were concerned more
particularly with the hours the shops were open, orders made under the
1912 Act fixing a particular day for half day closing and fixing the closing
hours at night. In many areas the Shops Act Inspectors were members
of the staff of the Town Clerk, not of the Public Health Department.
1934 legislation was concerned mainly with the hours of employment of
young persons. The duties of the local sanitary authority included
responsibility for enforcing provisions about the ventilation and