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
Waltham Forest 1968
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Waltham Forest]
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4. Legal Proceedings
(i) Public Health Acts. 1936/61; Clean Air Act, 1956
99 applications were made for legal proceedings to enforce the requirements of notices
served. 15 cases were subsequently heard by the court and abatement orders made. The remaining
84 cases were withdrawn before the court hearing, or after adjournment, the work required by the
notices having been completed.
(ii) Food and Drugs Act, 1955
107 complaints regarding foodstuffs were investigated and 39 reported to the Health and
Welfare Committee. A wide variety of food was implicated, i.e. milk, bread, cakes, sausages,
tinned goods, bacon and confectionery. The reason for the complaint was either the presence of
foreign matter or the appearance of mould growth on the food. The Committee authorised legal
proceedings in respect of 19 cases and dealt with the remainder 20 by warning letters and/or
representations to manufacturers.
(iii) Food Hygiene (General)Regulations, I960 and Food and Drugs Act, 1955
Legal proceedings were authorised in respect of 29 contraventions under Food Hygiene
(General) Regulations, I960 and Food and Drugs Act, 1955.
Analysis of Legal Proceedings
| SEC. ACT/REG. | NATURE OF OFFENCE | NUMBER OF OFFENCES | FINES IMPOSED £ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | The food business carried on in insanitary premises | 2 | 35 | |
| 6 | Articles of equipment not kept clean and in good order and condition | 6 | 35 | |
| 8 | Food so placed as to involve risk of contamination | 3 | 20 | |
| 14 | Sanitary convenience ventilating directly into a food room | 2 | 10 | |
| 14 | Failure to exhibit "wash hands" notice | 3 | 6 | |
| 16 | Failure to provide a wash basin and/or hot and cold water supply and/or hand washing requisites | 3 | 30 | |
| 18 | Failure to provide accommodation for employees' clothing | 2 | 10 | |
| 19 | Suitable facilities for washing food and equipment not prov ided | 2 | 15 | |
| 23 | WalIs/floors/ceilings and/or woodwork not maintained in clean condition | 4 | 30 | |
| FOOD AND DRUGS ACT, 1955 | ||||
| Section 16 | Failure to register premises for the preparation and cooking of food | 2 | 4 | |
| Total | 29 | 195 | ||
| Total Costs awarded to the Council | 81. 2. 0. | |||
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