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of floors of those factories where mechanical power is not used. In all
factories, whether or not mechanical power is used, the District Council
is concerned to see that sufficient and suitable sanitary conveniences are
provided, maintained and kept clean. The standard of adequacy is set
out in the Sanitary Accommodation Order, 1903. District Councils are
also concerned with fire escapes at factories and with basement bakehouses.
Supervision of conditions of work. The conditions of work at factories
are supervised by the department of the Ministry of Labour and National
Service. Under central direction the country is divided into areas for each
of which a factory inspector is appointed. The office of the local inspector
is 38/39 York Terrace, Regents Park, N.W.I.
In each district there is the appointed factory doctor, usually a parttime
general medical practitioner. Amongst his duties are the examination
of young persons. The surgeon for most of this district is Dr. D. V.
Morgan-Jones, 7 Welbeck Road, West Harrow; for Edgware, Stanmore
and Kingsbury he is Dr. E. E. Stephens, 3 Sefton Avenue, N.W.7.
At most of the factories in the district fewer 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.
There are 529 factories or premises which are supervised by the public
health inspectors of the district. At 54 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 388 visits were made, with the result that 17 notices were served.
70 defects were found; of these 10 were due to want of cleanliness, 42 were
in respect of sanitary conveniences (39 unsuitable or defective). Information
is passed on 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.
Local authorities are required to keep a register of out-workers and to
take action if people are employed in unwholesome premises. There are 212
out-workers' premises in the district. At 128 of these wearing apparel is dealt
with, being either made or cleaned; at 55 Christmas crackers and Christmas
stockings were made. 322 visits of inspection were made. In all cases
the premises were found to be satisfactory.
Occupational Health. The Dale Committee of Inquiry on
Industrial Health Services came to the conclusion seven years ago that
such services are in many ways complementary to the National Health
Service and should be expanded. The Committee thought that eventually
there should be some comprehensive provision for an occupational health
service covering not only the industrial establishments of all kinds and
sizes, but also non-industrial occupations. They felt that surveys and
experiments would be necessary before such a service could be established.
The Minister of Labour re-established the Industrial Health Advisory
Committee in 1955. This set on foot two surveys. One was to examine
what needs to be done in the many and varied factories in Halifax, the
other to make a similar survey of one industry, the potteries being selected.
The findings of these surveys might take matters a step forward, though