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Two temporary consents were granted during the year by Benfleet Urban District Council with
the concurrence of the Corporation of London as Port Health Authority of the Port of London. One
of these was for use as a yacht club, subject to the boat not being used for permanent habitation.
Upper River Area.
There are approximatley 131 houseboats in the upper reaches of the River. All are in good
condition.
DANGEROUS DRUGS
During the year thirteen certificates authorising the purchase of scheduled Dangerous Drugs
were issued under the Dangerous Drugs (No. 2) Regulations, 1964, Regulation 13 (2) of which is
as follows:—
(a) The master of a foreign ship which is in a port in Great Britain shall be authorised to
procure such quantity of drugs and preparations as may be certified by the medical officer
of health of the port health authority within whose jurisdiction the ship is or, in his
absence, by the assistant medical officer of health, to be necessary for the equipment of
the ship until it reaches its home port.
(b) A person who supplies a drug or preparation in accordance with a certificate given under
this paragraph shall retain the certificate and mark it with the date on which the drug or
preparation was supplied and keep it on his premises so as to be at all times available
for inspection.
FCOD HYGIENE (DOCKS CARRIERS ETC.) REGULATIONS 1960
Food handling in the docks in general has continued to maintain a high standard. Most food
hygiene problems centre around the discharge and distribution of meat.
Improvement has been most noticeable in the new road vehicles now being introduced by road
hauliers. This has been a long term programme of replacement which is now bearing fruit. Hygiene
of food handling often entails expenditure on equipment or requires a different approach to traditional
methods of work and for these reasons resistance to change is probably the biggest
obstacle to overcome. The co-operation between Inspectors and the Industry, in improving matters
generally, continues and is achieving good results.
As new methods of packaging and handling of meats develop so the traditional problems
disappear or assume a different form. Mechanical discharge of a meat ship, as at 'B' berth, Royal
Victoria Dock, the containerisation of meat now beginning to appear in the docks and the packing
of cuts of meat in cartons, boxes and plastic materials are examples of the changes in the meat
industry which have in general resulted in greater protection of the meat and an incidental improvement
in hygiene.
FOOD HYGIENE (GENERAL) REGULATIONS, 1960/62.
The launches employed in the passenger carrying services on the river are surveyed annually.
The Board of Trade carry out this survey during the early part of the year, when repair work,
renewal of fittings, cleaning and painting of the launches are also attended to. Fresh water
storage tanks are cleaned and, together with the distribution systems, chlorinated prior to use.
Regular inspections of the launches were carried out during the season. Food Hygiene
standards on board and in the catering establishments supplying food to the launches, continued
to be highly satisfactory.
On two occasions unfit results were obtained on water samples drawn from launches. In
both cases the source of contamination was traced and eliminated.
The traditional service provided by the three larger vessels to the continent and coastal
resorts has been discontinued, but the service to the estuary towns by a thirty-five year old
paddler steamer has been maintained. The standard of hygiene on board remained satisfactory
and there was an improvement in both equipment and amenities.
61 routine inspections under the regulations were carried out during the year. Minor infringements
were corrected at the time of the visit.
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