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47
PART IV
FACTORIES AND SHOPS
In my annual report for 1952, I gave an account of a pilot survey of
occupational health carried out locally in an industrial area in the Borough,
Mention was made here that there was no organised system of safeguarding the
health of workers in the majority of factories and workshops in the district
and that the need for a local occupational health service, largely supervisory
and advisory, was apparent.
In my annual report for 1953, I commented on the draft proposals put
forward by the Home Office for legislation based on the Gowers report on
health and welfare of workers in non industrial employment. These proposals
suggested that the enforcement of such legislation should rest with local
authorities concerned with environmental health.
In November 1954 the Government announced that it had set up an Industrial
Health Advisory Committee and at the same time the Minister of Labour
announced that he was taking steps to encourage the development of an Industrial
Health Service in workplaces covered by the Factories Acts,
Since it has been suggested that local authorities should inplement
legislation in respect of non industrial employment, it is reasonable that
similar proposals should be extended to cover those industrial undertakings
not able to make adequate provision themselves.
Already the local authority has control of services which directly
affect the health of the worker in industry: the record of school medical
examinations and transfer of information to the Youth Employment Officer when
the child starts work; concern in many spheres with the welfare and employment
of handicapped persons; and statutory duties in connection with sanitary
and other health matters in industry. The local authority is also
vitally concerned with matters affecting the health and well-being of the
worker outside the factory.
It is logical, therefore, to suggest that the Medical Officer of Health
should be the officer to co-ordinate any services set up to provide an
occupational health service for the industrial as well as non-industrial
worker in his area.