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
Hillingdon 1971
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hillingdon]
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OFFICES, SHOPS AND RAILWAY PREMISES ACT, 1963
The following table shows the various types of premises and numbers employed.
| Class of Premises | No. of Registered Premises | No. of Registered Premises receiving one or more general inspections during the year | No. of Persons Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offices | 882 | 489 | 19,841 |
| Retail shops ... | 1,814 | 1,814 | 8,061 |
| Wholesale shops, warehouses | 83 | 50 | 1,869 |
| Catering establishments open to the public, canteens | 260 | 260 | 2,860 |
| Fuel storage depots | 10 | 4 | 73 |
| Totals | 3,049 | 2,617 | 32,704 |
various works as shown in the table below were served. Except where referred to in the paragraph on the legal proceeding the defects were remedied by informal action.
| Defect | Number of Premises |
|---|---|
| Cleanliness | 245 |
| Overcrowding | 3 |
| Temperature | 135 |
| Ventilation | 72 |
| Lighting | 94 |
| Sanitary convenience | 84 |
| Washing facilities | 247 |
| Supply of drinking water | 5 |
| Accommodation for outdoor clothing | 44 |
| Seats or sitting facilities | 7 |
| Facilities for meals | 6 |
| Disrepair | 168 |
| Fencing exposed parts of machinery | 52 |
| First Aid Equipment | 190 |
| Other matters | 377 |
It was necessary to take legal action in respect of defective flooring at a shop and a defective
W.C. at a wholesale premises and fines of £5 with costs and £10 with £5 costs, respectively,
were imposed.
No action was necessary in respect of:
(a) The protection of young persons from dangerous machinery.
(b) The training of young persons working at dangerous machinery.
(c) The prohibition of heavy work.
It was not necessary to make any application to the local Magistrates Court for an Order
preventing either work being carried on in premises that were considered to be dangerous or to
prevent any dangerous practices in those premises. After a report from the Fire Brigade of a young
child having her dress set on fire, a portable paraffin heater of an unsuitable type was found to
be in use in a shop. The occupier was informed that unless the use of the heater was discontinued
it would be necessary to apply to the Courts for an Order but the use was discontinued without
the necessity of court action.
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