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Accommodation for clothing: Suitable and sufficient facilities for hanging and drying
outdoor clothing must be provided. At 7 premises improved accommodation was provided.
Sitting facilities and seats for sedentary work: Where persons who are employed
to work in Offices, Shops or Railway Premises have a reasonable opportunity for sitting without
detriment to their work there must be provided for them facilities to enable them to make use of
such opportunities. Also, if the person's work or a substantial part of it can be done sitting down
there shall be provided for them a seat of suitable design, construction and dimensions including,
if necessary, a footrest. Seating was provided in 1 shop.
Floors, Passages and Stairs: All floors, stairs, steps, passages, etc., shall be properly
constructed, maintained and be kept free from obstruction. Every staircase shall be provided with
a handrail. Legal proceedings were taken against one firm for failure to properly maintain floors
and stairs and a fine of £20 was imposed.
All openings in floors shall whenever practicable be securely fenced. Although the change
in level between the ground and floor level at a loading platform is not strictly an opening
in a floor, because of the number of accidents that have occurred to employees on loading bays,
occupiers of premises are advised to fence loading bays or if this is not considered to be practicable
to define the edge of the loading platform by brightly painted diagonal lines. Where premises or
any part of a premise are in such a condition or so constructed that it cannot be used without
risk of bodily injury the local Magistrates may make an Order prohibiting their use. Two such
premises were found, one arising from early occupation of premises in the central redevelopment
area in Uxbridge, the other due to deterioration in an older property, but in both cases the
construction was rectified without the necessity of applying for an Order.
The Fencing of Exposed Parts of Machinery: Every dangerous part of any machinery
used for forming part of the equipment of premises to which the Act applies shall be securely
fenced. Modifications were requested and subsequently made to the guarding to the drive belt
of an imported paper baling machine which is installed in the Uxbridge Redevelopment Centre.
A booklet entitled "The Safe Use of Food Slicing Machines" has been prepared by the Department
of Employment and Productivity and is available for distribution to all persons using this type
of machine. Supplies of the book were obtained and were distributed to appropriate premises,
together with a leaflet prepared in the Department on the routine cleanliness of food slicing
machines. The distribution has been made by the inspector when visiting premises so that both
the safety and the food hygiene requirements could be explained to the occupier and to any
personnel who use the machine. In addition to this a supply of the leaflets was distributed to all
premises operated by the Borough Council where such machines are in use. The guarding to
21 dangerous machines was improved during the year. The Act contains special provisions for the
protection of young persons from dangerous machinery and for their training in the use of such
machinery. It was not necessary during 1970 to draw attention to any contraventions in respect
of young persons and dangerous machinery.
Prohibition of Heavy Work: During the course of inspections no person was found to
be carrying, lifting or moving loads so heavy as to be likely to cause injury to him. A number of
accidents were caused by people handling goods but these were not due to handling excessive
weights. During the investigations of accidents due to handling, advice is given on lifting and
carrying and the occupier is recommended to obtain the Safety Health and Welfare booklet on
this subject.
Lifts and Hoists: Regulations made under the Act lay down a safety and inspection
standard for lifts and hoists installed in Offices and Shops. There are 85 such lifts in the Borough.
Inspection reports showed that 24 of these lifts required attention and 23 of these were repaired
by the end of the year. Lifts which it is not reasonable to use until repaired are taken out of operation.
Information for Employees: The occupiers of all premises registered under the Act
must display a notice to his employees setting out in the prescribed form the requirements of
the Act.
First Aid and Accidents: A suitable first aid box(es) for the number of employees on the
premises must be kept. Many occupiers keep a register of persons receiving first aid. Any accident
which occurs to a person employed on premises registered under the above mentioned Act and
which incapacitates that person for more than three days from work is notifiable to the Local
Authority. 91 such accidents were notified to this Authority and one of these accidents was fatal.
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