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 1972
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hillingdon]
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FACTORIES ACT 1961
The public health inspector's function under the Factories Acts varies according to whether
the factory is a power or non-power factory. In addition to the general provisions for all places
of employment, in a power factory the public health inspector is concerned with:
(1) The purity of the drinking water.
(2) The adequacy and suitability of the sanitary accommodation.
(3) The display of the abstract of the Factories Act.
(4) The abatement of nuisances.
(5) Rodent control.
(6) The enforcement of the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations in connection with food
sales from canteens and vending machines.
In non-power factories the public health inspector is concerned with all of the above matters
together with the following:
(1) Cleanliness (4) Ventilation
(2) Overcrowding (5) Drainage of Floors
(3) Temperature
There are 982 power factories and 24 non-power factories in the Borough and during 1972
1,046 visits were made to the factories and 25 notices requiring works to be done were served.
Tables giving details of the inspections and defects are set out opposite.
OUTWORKERS
If a factory employs persons to carry out certain specified works in their own homes the details
must be notified by the factory to the local authority in whose area the factory is situated. That local
authority must in turn notify any other local authority in whose area the employed person resides.
This type of work is generally referred to as home work but the persons so employed are known as
outworkers. Notifications of 172 persons employed as outworkers by factories outside the Borough
were received. Inspections were made of 90 homes at which this work is carried out and no contraventions
of the Act or other matters needing attention were recorded.
Details of the number of persons employed as out-workers and the category of work they undertake is set out below:
| Type of work | No. of out-workers |
|---|---|
| Alterations or finishing wearing apparel | 28 |
| Making Christmas crackers | 141 |
| Making lampshades | 3 |
| Total | 172 |
SHOPS ACT 1950—1965
EMPLOYMENT OF YOUNG PERSONS ACT 1938—1964
This legislation controls the hours of employment of young persons including restriction on
night work, regulates the general closing hours, early closing and Sunday opening and provides for
rests and meal breaks for employees. The Shops (Airports) Act 1962 exempts the shops at Heathrow
and other airports from the early closing and general closing provisions of the main Act for Sunday
trading.
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