London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Richmond upon Thames 1971

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Richmond]

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4. OFFICES, SHOPS AND RAILWAY PREMISES ACT, 1963

Total number of registered premises.Number of general inspections during year.
Offices779475
Retail Shops1,0691,045
Wholesale Shops3638
Catering Establishments228157
Fuel Storage Depots21
2,1341,716

Part 1 — Registrations and Inspections
The level of inspections of registered premises has remained relatively high and of
the total of 2,134 premises on the register at the end of the year, 1,716 received a comprehensive
general inspection. This represents 80% of the total and is a very satisfactory
proportion. The outstanding 20% will be seen during the early months of 1972.
A total of 2,255 re-inspections illustrates the number of return visits which have to
be paid to make sure that contraventions found are rectified.
A little over one half the registered premises are shops (1,089) with offices numbering
779 and catering premises (restaurants, hotels, etc.) 228.
Of the personnel employed in premises subject to the Act, it is perhaps predictable
that females should outnumber males by approximately 1000 — 8,637 females to 7,628
men. The total personnel in offices showed a distinct increase in the year whilst the
numbers employed in shops decreased by a comparable number. This situation probably
reflects the trend towards more and more office premises in the area as, for example, one
premises newly registered during the year and occupied by an international company
which added 314 employees to the list.
Part II — Operation of the Act
Temperature & Ventilation (Sections 6 & 7).
Inadequate heating and ineffective ventilation remain essentially the two most
serious problems in the administration of the Act. As previously recorded shops continue
to be built or renovated with little or no consideration for ventilation. Curiously this
problem seldom seems to arise with new offices and one wonders why architects allow
these differing standards to persist.
Warehouses occasionally present difficulties under these headings. A typical
example concerned a large warehouse, illuminated by natural light through transparent
roof panels, from which an employee issued stock for part of his working day. The building
was without ventilation of any sort other than an opening door, and in hot weather
the internal atmosphere became excessively oppressive whilst in winter it was very cold.
A small office totally within the warehouse was provided for the employee. It was
unrealistic to call for full heating of the warehouse during cold weather and the problem
has been met by the provision of local heat at the point of activity by the employee — in
this case by means of an electric fan heater. Ventilation was, however, required for the
whole warehouse and electric extraction was advised. Considerations of security have
continually to be borne in mind and govern the methods adopted for securing adequate
ventilation.
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