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STANFORD LIBRARY

A

BILL

ΤΟ

Consolidate, with amendments, the enactments A.D. 1924.
relating to Factories; and for purposes con-
nected therewith.

E it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty,

Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, 5 as follows:

APPLICATION OF ACT.

1. Except where the contrary intention appears the Application provisions of this Act shall apply to all factories, as of Act. defined by this Act.

10

PART I.

HEALTH (GENERAL PROVISIONS).

2. Every factory shall be kept in a cleanly state Cleanliness. and free from effluvia arising from any drain, closet, urinal or other nuisance, and, without prejudice to the

15 generality of the foregoing provision

(a) All accumulations of dirt and refuse shall be
removed daily from the workrooms, staircases,
and passages; and

A.D. 1924.

Over

crowding.

(b) The floor of every workroom shall be thoroughly
cleansed, at least once in every week, at a time.
when work is not going on in the room; and
(c) All inside walls and partitions, and all ceilings
or tops of rooms (whether those walls, partitions, 5
ceilings or tops are plastered or not), and all
walls, sides and tops of passages and staircases,
shall-

(i) if they have a smooth impervious surface, be washed with hot water and soap at 10 least once in every period of fourteen months; and

(ii) if they are painted with oil paint or varnished, be repainted or re-varnished at least once in every period of seven years, and 15 washed with hot water and soap at least once in every period of fourteen months; and

(iii) in other cases be whitewashed or colourwashed before occupation as a factory and thereafter at least once in every period of 20 fourteen months:

Provided that

(i) except where the inspector for the district
in any case otherwise requires, the provisions
of paragraph (c) of this section shall not apply 25
to any factory where mechanical power is not
used, and less than ten persons are employed;
and

(ii) where it appears to the Secretary of State that
in any class or description of factories or 30
parts thereof, the provisions of paragraphs (b)
or (c) of this section are not required for the
purpose of keeping the factory in a cleanly
state, or are by reason of special circumstances
inapplicable, he may, if he thinks fit, by special 35
order direct that those provisions shall not
apply to such factories, or parts of factories.

3.-(1) A factory shall not be so overcrowded while work is carried on therein as to be injurious to the health of the persons employed therein.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision, a factory shall be deemed to be

40

so overcrowded if the amount of cubic space in any A.D. 1924. workroom allows less than four hundred cubic feet for every person employed in the room, and in calculating the amount of cubic space no space more than fourteen 5 feet from the floor shall be taken into account.

10

(3) The Secretary of State may, by special order, extend the said proportion of cubic space

(a) for any period during which artificial light other
than electric light is employed; or

(b) as regards any particular process; or

(c) as regards any factory or part of a factory which
is also used as a sleeping apartment.

(4) If the inspector for the district so requires there shall be affixed in the workroom a notice speci15 fying the number of persons who, having regard to the provisions of this section, may be employed in that room.

4. (1) Effective measures shall be taken for securing Temperaand maintaining a reasonable temperature in each work- ture. room during the whole time that work is going on, and 20 the measures so taken shall be such as not to allow the escape of any injurious or offensive fumes into the air of any workroom:

In every workroom in which a substantial proportion of the work is done sitting the temperature shall not be 25 allowed to fall below sixty degrees.

(2) At least one thermometer shall be provided and maintained in correct working order in a suitable position in every workroom in which a substantial proportion of the work is done sitting, and in any other place in which 30 the Secretary of State may by special order so direct.

(3) The Secretary of State may, by special order, for any class or description of factories or parts thereof, prescribe a standard of reasonable temperature, prohibit the use of any methods of maintaining a reasonable 35 temperature which, in his opinion, are likely to be injurious to the persons employed, and direct in what positions thermometers shall be provided and maintained.

5.-(1) Effective measures shall be taken for securing Ventilation. and maintaining a constant supply of fresh air in each 40 workroom to ensure that the room is adequately ventilated,

A.D. 1924. and for rendering harmless, so far as practicable, all the fumes, dust and other impurities generated in the course of any manufacturing process or work that may be injurious to health.

Lighting.

Drainage of floors.

Sanitary conveni

ences.

(2) The Secretary of State may, by special order, 5 prescribe a standard of adequate ventilation for factories or for any class or description of factories or parts thereof.

6. (1) Effective measures shall be taken for securing and maintaining sufficient and suitable lighting in every 10 part of the factory in which persons are working or passing.

(2) The Secretary of State may, by special order, prescribe a standard of sufficient and suitable lighting for factories or for any class or description of factories or 15 parts thereof, or for any process.

(3) All external glazed windows and skylights of workrooms shall so far as practicable be kept clean on both the inner and outer surfaces and free from obstruction.

7. Where any process is carried on which renders the floor liable to be wet to such an extent that the wet is capable of being removed by drainage, effective means shall be provided and maintained for draining off the wet.

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8.-(1) Sufficient and suitable accommodation in the 25 way of sanitary conveniences shall be provided and maintained, regard being had to the number of persons employed in or in attendance at the factory, and also, where persons of both sexes are or are intended to be employed or in attendance (except in factories where the only persons 30 employed are members of the same family dwelling there), with proper separate accommodation for persons of each

sex.

(2) The Secretary of State may arrange for the enforcement by the district, council of the provisions of 35 this section in the administrative county of London or in 53 & 54 Vict. any place where section twenty-two of the Public Health Acts Amendment Act, 1890, is in force.

c. 59.

(3) The Secretary of State shall, by special order, determine what is sufficient and suitable accommodation 40 within the meaning of this section.

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