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Environmental Health
92

Fixed storage tanks are fitted to modern aircraft and portable flasks are used for supplying
drinking water to the older types. Although these are sterilized between each filling the water in them
was frequently unsatisfactory particularly towards the end of the summer holiday season.
VERMIN CONTROL
In order to exercise adequate control it is necessary to carry out regular inspections of buildings,
land and aircraft.
Land
Rodent infestation obviously occurs from time to time and control is exercised by the employment
by the British Airports Authority of a contracting Company who employ an operator full time at
the Airport to deal with this and other problems.
Buildings
The buildings at the Airport are inspected for rodents and insects. Mice, and particularly cockroaches,
have been troublesome in the past but by regular control treatments the situation is greatly
improved.
Aircraft
Although rats and mice are not common on aircraft the occasional one is found on boardpresumably
gaining access with cargo. During 1968 three aircraft were fumigated with Hydrogen
Cyanide for the destruction of mice.
In order that infestation can be dealt with quickly, one of the operating companies at London
(Heathrow) Airport acts as agent for the other airlines and has an arrangement with a fumigation
company who will treat an aircraft with Hydrogen Cyanide any time of day or night, at the request
of the Duty Officer.
Similarly insect infestation on aircraft is dealt with in the same manner.
HOUSING
The activities under this heading comprise repair, improvement, overcrowding, multiple occupation
and clearance of unfit houses.
The work is co-ordinated by a Specialist Public Health Inspector who is responsible for ensuring
that uniform standards of repair are achieved and that progress is maintained in all the various
aspects of the work.
Details of the work carried out during the year are given in the following paragraphs but special
mention must be made of Improvement Areas. The London Borough of Hillingdon is one of the
few Authorities which has made efforts to secure the improvement of existing houses by declaring
certain parts of the Borough "Improvement Areas" and although the procedure is cumbersome and
time consuming far more progress has been achieved by this procedure than has ever been possible
by publicity and persuasion.