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48
Cleanliness of shop premises
The standard of cleanliness is generally satisfactory,
Seats for shop assistants
Seats are provided in shops where female assistants are employed in
accordance with the law usually in the proportion of one seat for every 3
assistants. It is the duty of the employer to permit the use of these seats
whenever this does not interfere with the work. Most of the work in shops is
done standingj and in many the use of seats is discouraged in the interests of
"salesmanship" and "pleasing the customer".
Heating in shops
As would be expected in a district with so many shops of varying size and
trades the methods of heating shops vary from central heating in the large
shops to the modest electric bowl fire in some of the smaller shops. There
is no standard minimum temperature for shops; the law requiring that a reasonable
temperature shall be maintained having regard to the circumstances and
conditions affecting the shop
At a recent conference it was pointed out that:-
"The degree of warmth required for comfort in shops depended largely on
the amount of clothing worn, and the extent of physical activity. It was
difficult to say what is a reasonable temperature. Ihe officer whose duty it
is to enforce the law must determine what is unreasonable. High temperatures
were very often found in crowded departmental stores, and likely to be more
detrimental to the health of the worker than colder conditions against which
the employee can adequately cloth himself/herself"
The government proposal as a result of the Gowers Committee report is
that a temperature of 60° F shall be maintained after the first hour in shops,
unless this minimum temperature would be likely to cause deterioration of any
goods kept there.
Facilities for meals
The provision of facilities for mid day meals varies generally with the
size of the shop Some of the larger firms provide a dining room and serve
meals at a reasonable price.
In common with other suburban towns many assistants are able to go home
for their mid-day meal, or to local cafes and dining rooms. This provides a
threefold benefit from the assistants' point of view.