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35
BASEMENT BAKEHOUSES
There is one basement bakehouse in the Borough.
OUTWORKERS AND HOMEWORKEPS
In February and August of each year, factory owners send to the local authority lists of names
and addresses of all persons who have worked at home for them during the previous six months on certain
jobs. 123 were employed during the year, the largest number (95) altering and making clothing. Public Health
Inspectors inspected these workers' homes, which were all found to be satisfactory (Table 45).
NOISE NUISANCE
The Borough Council deals with noise nuisances under the Noise Abatement Act, 1960. It provides
that noise and vibration which are nuisances are offences under the Public Health Act 1936.
Public Health Inspectors made 993 day and 12 night observations to determine whether complaints
of noise nuisance were justified or not. 194 complaints were received during the year of which 58
were in respect of noise from industrial premises, 89 in respect of commercial premises and 47 domestic. 193
complaints (including 2 outstanding at the end of 1966) were abated and 3 were still being dealt with at the
end of the year.
The noises objected to by complainants were wide and varied, and included those from factory processes,
car delivery and repairs, unloading of milk churns, road breakers and compressors, "beat groups", and
inconsiderate neighbours.
Two orders were made against a Company—one for the abatement of noise and the other for abatement
of the emission of soot particles from a launderette. For the second time, summonses were issued against
the Company for failure to comply with either Order and the said summonses came before the Magistrates
Court. The Company did not appear and the summonses were heard in the defendants absence. After hearing
the evidence, the Bench imposed a fine of £5 in respect of each summons and a penalty of £1 a day in respect
of each summons from the date of the last conviction to the date of hearing. Total fines amounted to £180.
The Company had also been ordered to pay to the Council £10.10.0 by way of costs. Appeals were made
but after hearing the evidence, the Appeals Committee of the Middlesex Area Quarter Sessions dismissed
both appeal's and awarded the Council costs.
Appropriate works have been put in hand and no further complaints have been received.
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 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 £1.0.0. The Act does not cover the remaking of an
article, and consequently the standards of quality and cleanliness do not apply to articles being repaired.
There are seven premises on the register, three of which are outworkers undertaking work for one of
the registered premises.
Four samples of filling materials were taken and submitted to the Analyst. Two were found to be
unsatisfactory and two repeat samples were taken, one of which was subsequently found to be satisfactory.
The result of the repeat sample taken in the remaining case was still being investigated at the end of the year.
OFFICES. SHOPS & RAILWAY PREMISES ACT, 1963
The Act virtually came into force on the 1st August 1964 and with certain exceptions applies to retail
shops, wholesale premises, and warehouses, catering establishments and canteens, fuel storage depots 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 46.
The general requirements of the Act deal with matters affecting the safety, health and welfare of the
employees and covers cleanliness, overcrowding, temperature, ventilation, lighting, sanitary conveniences, washing
facilities, drinking water, accommodation for clothing, seating arrangements, eating facilities when provided
in a shop, 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, construction and maintenance of floors, passages and stairs and
information for employees.
Public Health Inspectors are broadly speaking responsible for enforcing the general provisions of the
Act in offices, food shops, wholesale premises and warehouses, catering establishments open to the public and
canteens in the Borough. The remainder of premises for which the Council is responsible are inspected by the
Shops Inspectors. The total number of general inspections made is shown in Table 47 and the defects found
and remedied in Table 48.