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Public Health inspectors have made day and night observations to determine whether complaints
of noise nuisance were justified or not. 82 complaints were received during the year, of which 28 were in
respect of noise from industrial premises, 30 in respect of commercial premises and 24 domestic. 74
complaints were abated, but 8 were still being dealt with at the end of the year. The Council authorised the
employment of the Greater London Council Scientific Division to advise on a difficult case of noise
from machinery.
The noises objected to by complainants were wide and varied, and included those from factory
processes, car delivery and repairs, unloading of milk churns, loudspeakers, 'beat groups', and inconsiderate
neighbours.
RAG FLOCK AND OTHER FILLING MATERIALS ACT, 1951
The Rag Flock and Other Filling Materials Act, 1951, and Regulations of 1961, specify standards
of quality and cleanliness for certain filling materials which are used in the manufacture of upholstered articles.
Premises in which such materials are manufactured must be registered with the Council, and premises which
are used for the storage of such materials only must be licensed by the Council.
Premises where the business of upholstering, stuffing or lining of bedding, toys and baby carriages
is carried on must be registered, the statutory fee being £1.0.0d. The Act does not cover the re-making of
an article, and consequently the standards of quality and cleanliness do not apply to articles being repaired.
There are now seven premises on the register, six of which are in Willesden and one in Wembley.
Formerly there were twelve in Willesden, but six of these which were outworkers have ceased business. There
were two in Wembley, but one of these now uses foam filling only.
Five samples of filling materials were taken and submitted to the Analyst. Three of these were found
to be satisfactory, but the fourth was found to have an excessive trash content. The sample was repeated and
on this occasion the trash content was found to be satisfactory but the dust content was high. Since these
matters related to quality rather than cleanliness and were not of a serious nature, a warning letter was sent
to the manufacturers.
OFFICES, SHOPS AND RAILWAY PREMISES ACT, 1963
The Act virtually came into full force on the 1st August, 1964, and with certain exceptions applies
to retail shops, offices, wholesale premises and most warehouses, catering establishments and canteens, fuel
storage premises and certain railway premises. The exceptions are premises where only self-employed
persons work, businesses in which only immediate relatives of the employer are employed, and other premises
where not more than 21 man-hours weekly are normally worked.
Employers are required to register their premises and the number registered during the year together
with the number of persons employed is shown in Table 44.
The general requirements of the Act deal with matters affecting the safety, health and welfare of
employees, and covers cleanliness; overcrowding; temperature; ventilation; lighting; sanitary conveniences;
washing facilities; drinking water; accommodation for clothing; seating arrangements; eating facilities
in shops; cleaning machinery and fencing exposed parts; training and supervision of persons working
at dangerous machines; prohibition of heavy work; first aid; penalisation of dangerous acts and interference
with equipment; dangerous conditions and practices; and construction and maintenance of floors, passages
and stairs.
H.M. Factory Inspectorate is responsible for enforcing the general provisions of the Act in offices and
shops in factories; railway premises and offices; premises owned or occupied by the Crown; and premises occupied
by County Councils, local fire and police authorities, and probation committees. The responsibility for the
remainder of premises falls to the Council, and in Brent this responsibility has been delegated to shops
inspectors and public health inspectors. Broadly speaking, public health inspectors inspect offices, food shops,
wholesale premises, warehouses and catering establishments open to the public, and canteens, and shops
inspectors inspect the remainder. The total number of general inspections made is shown in Table 45, and
the defects found and remedied in Table 46.
Under Section 46 of the Act the Council have power to grant an exemption in respect of the
requirements regarding room space for employees, temperature, provision of sanitary conveniences and provision
of running water for washing facilities. Exemption from the requirement to supply running water
may be given either for a specified period or indefinitely; exemption from any other requirements must be
for a period only, not exceeding two years. To obtain an exemption certificate it is necessary to satisfy the
enforcing authority that it is not reasonably practicable to comply with the statutory requirement or requirements
from which exemption is sought. The Council need to know precisely what trouble and cost would
be involved in meeting the requirements and what other practical difficulties exist. An appeal against an
authority's refusal to grant an exemption can be made to a magistrates' court. One application for exemption
from the requirements of providing a sanitary convenience and running water for washing facilities was
received, but this was refused on the grounds that it was practicable to install the necessary facilities. The
applicant did not appeal.
Employers are required to notify accidents to employees which cause the death of the injured
person or disables him for more than three days from doing his usual work. 53 non-fatal accidents were
notified; an analysis of their causation is shown in Table 47. Each accident was investigated and, if necessary,
advice given to prevent a recurrence.
Enforcing authorities have power to prosecute in any case of infringement of the Act or Regulations.
However, during the first year or two of the operation of the Act it is best to proceed by way of advice
and warning and no prosecutions have yet been instituted by the Council.