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Clean Air
Certain provisions of the Clean Air Act, 1956, came into operation on the
31st December, 1956. Among the more important provisions is a requirement
that new furnaces shall be so far as practicable, smokeless; the Local Authority
are also enabled to reject the plans showing proposed new chimneys unless they are
satisfied that the height of the chimney will prevent as far as practicable the emission
of smoke, grit dust from becoming a nuisance.
Local authorities may also declare the whole or any part of their district to be
a smoke control area. If this is done, then, subject to certain exemptions and
limitations which might be in force under the Act, if any smoke is emitted from a
chimney of any building within a smoke control area, the occupier of that building
is guilty of an offence.
The matter of smoke control areas is being considered at county level, and,
pending full consideration from the constituent authorities, the Twickenham
Corporation have not considered it desirable to make a smoke control area at this
stage.
Certain other provisions are not yet in operation, and the full impact of this
new Act has yet to be seen.
During the year 1956 247 smoke observations were made. The Byelaws
prescribe that the emission of black smoke for more than 2 minutes in any period
of 30 minutes shall until the contrary is proved be deemed a statutory nuisance
and a smoke nuisance. These observations were taken over 30-minute periods,
but each district inspector is constantly taking spot observations of factory chimneys
in his district.
Shops
Section 38 of the Shops Act 1950 deals with provisions for the health and
comfort of the staff.
Shops must be properly ventilated, adequately warmed and sufficiently
lighted; they must have toilet and washing facilities; if the staff take meals on the
premises there must be suitable arrangements. Occasionally it happens, as in the
case of a small lock-up shop, it is impossible to provide a separate toilet on the premises,
In these cases, the occupier may make an alternative arrangement to use a nearby
toilet, and a certificate of exemption is granted from the requirement of the Act.
There are at present 20 exemption certificates in force.
Schools
Considerable improvements were carried out at the school canteens under the
Food Hygiene Regulations, 1955, and the table on page 41 gives details of this
work.
The majority of this work has now been completed and the general standard
of these canteens is quite good.
It was not necessary to close any schools on account of infectious disease
among the children.
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