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58
Notification of Accidents
Palls accounted for a large percentage of notified accidents, but
very few were caused as a result of deficiencies under the Act. Most
were attributable to carelessness.
There would appear to be still many reportable accidents which are
not notified as the majority of accident report forms come from the larger
concerns and branches of multiple organisations. This problem is difficult
to remedy for although the occupiers may know of the requirement, if the
necessary notice is not given there is no way of the local authority knowing
if an accident has occurred unless the injured person makes a complaint
about a particular hazard, As very few accident investigations in this
borough result in the need for further action, there may be no need to
strengthen the law in this respect, but if there is a problem nationally
then consideration should be given to the employee notifying the local
authority.
8. NOISE
One hundred and thirty-five complaints of alleged nuisance from noise
were received during the year, compared with one hundred and two in 1971;
sixty nuisances were confirmed. Eight of these arose from industry,
sixteen from commercial undertakings, sixteen from domestic sources and
sixteen from building works.
Fifty-nine noise nuisances were abated following informal action
and one abatement notice was served,
Neighbourhood noise.
There is at present insufficient legal power to deal with the rising
noise levels in and around dwellings. The report of a working group of
the Noise Advisory Council entitled "Neighbourhood Noise" recommends
improvements in the existing nuisance abatement procedure, the imposition
of Town Planning restrictions in appropriate cases,, the introduction of
noise control areas and a requirement that machinery manufacturers shall
specify the sound power level of their products. It is understood that
legislation is now being drafted to implement these recommendations.
Planning and Noise
In anticipation of recommendations from the Department of the
Environment for imposing conditions in certain planning consents
specifying maximum noise levels, this department already co-operates
with the Planning Department and all planning applications relating to