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63
Bakehouses.—There were at the beginning of the year 51 bakehouses
within the district, of which 7 were underground. There have
been 2 newly opened during the year, and 1, an underground one,
has been closed, leaving on the register a total of 52, while 1 has
been built but not yet occupied. The most noteworthy work in
connection with the bakehouses of the district, has been the making of
those which are underground suitable to the requirements of the
Council. There were at the beginning of the year 7 underground
bakehouses in use. With reference to one of these, the Council ultimately
decided that it could not be made to suit their requirements,
and the owner and occupier, both recognizing the fact, made no
application for a certificate, and the place has been closed. In 5 of
the others, the occupiers placed their premises under one firm of
surveyors, who were empowered to negotiate with the Council, and in
these cases, as well as in the remaining one, the requirements adopted
by the Council after visits by the Committee specially appointed for
that purpose, were carried out under the superintendence of your
Medical Officer of Health and myself, to whom the work was left with
power to act on behalf of the Council. The occupiers themselves
readily acknowledge the immense improvement of the conditions under
which they and their men are now working.
The following were the requirements ultimately decided upon as
necessary, before a certificate would be granted for the use of an underground
bakehouse :—
(1) The height must be 8 feet at least, from floor to ceiling.
(2) Each bakehouse must have at least a cubic capacity of
1,500 feet.
(3) The floor must be constructed of hard, smooth, and
impervious material.
(4) The walls must be rendered smooth.
(5) Every staircase leading to a bakehouse must be adequately
lighted, ventilated, and properly constructed. No outside staircase
shall terminate within the bakehouse, nor any opening for
any purpose, which tends to the undue admission of dust from the
adjoining street.
(6) Proper sanitary conveniences must be provided, which must
be easily accessible to the workers, and include a lavatory basin
and clean water for washing purposes outside the bakehouse.
Provision for the depositing of wearing apparel outside the bakehouse
to be also made.
(7) All troughs, tables, or other furniture standing on the floor
of the bakehouse must be provided with strong castors or wheels,
and raised at least six inches from the floor.