A.D. 1928. concerning the expenses, or their apportionment between the owner and the occupier, as appears to the court to be just and equitable under the circumstances of the case, regard being had to the terms of any contract between the parties or, in the alternative, the court may, 5 at the request of either party, determine the tenancy. Sanitary 4. (1) Every office must be provided with sufficonveniences cient and suitable accommodation in the way of sanitary conveniences and lavatories. and lava tories. Rest room. (2) The accommodation in the way of sanitary 10 (a) There shall be one sanitary convenience and 15 20 (d) Sanitary conveniences and lavatories shall be 25 (3) An office in which there is a contravention of this section shall be deemed not to be kept in conformity with this Act. 5.-(1) Every office in which fifty or more female 35 persons are ordinarily employed or in attendance, must be provided with a suitably equipped rest room for the use of such persons. (2) An office in which there is a contravention of this section shall be deemed not to be kept in conformity 40 with this Act. of means 6.-(1) Every office shall be furnished with a certifi- A.D. 1928. cate from the local sanitary authority of the district in which the office is situate that the office is provided Provision with such means of escape in case of fire for the persons of escape 5 employed therein as can reasonably be required under the in case of circumstances of each case, and if the office is not so fire. furnished it shall be deemed not to be kept in conformity with this Act; and it shall be the duty of the local sanitary authority to examine every such office and, on 10 being satisfied that the office is so provided, to give such a certificate as aforesaid. The certificate must specify in detail the means of escape so provided. (2) It shall be the duty of the local sanitary authority of every district from time to time to ascertain whether 15 all offices within their district are provided with such means of escape as aforesaid, and, in the case of any office which is not so provided, to serve on the owner of the premises a notice in writing specifying the measures necessary for providing the means of escape as aforesaid, 20 and requiring him to carry them out before a specified date, and thereupon the owner shall, notwithstanding any agreement with the occupier, have power to take such steps as are necessary for complying with the requirements; and unless the requirements are complied with, 25 the owner shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one pound for every day that the non-compliance continues. (3) In case of a difference of opinion between the owner of the premises and the local sanitary authority under the last foregoing subsection, the difference shall, 30 on the application of either party, to be made within one month after the time when the difference arises, be referred to arbitration (and thereupon the provisions of the First Schedule to the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901, shall have effect), and the award on the arbitration 35 shall be binding on the parties thereto, and the notice of the local sanitary authority shall be discharged, amended, or confirmed in accordance with the award. (4) If the owner alleges that the occupier of the office ought to bear or contribute to the expenses of 40 complying with the requirement, he may apply to the county court having jurisdiction where the office is situate, and thereupon the county court, after hearing the occupier, may make such order as appears to the court just and equitable in all the circumstances of the 45 case. A.D. 1928. Byelaws for means of escape from fire. Doors of offices to open from inside. Restriction of period of employment. (5) The means of escape in case of fire provided in any office shall be maintained in good condition and free from obstruction, and if it is not so maintained the office shall be deemed not to be kept in conformity with this Act. (6) All expenses incurred by a district council in the execution of this section shall be defrayed 5 (a) in the case of an urban district council, as part (b) in the case of a rural district council, as special and those expenses shall be charged to the contributory area in which the office is situate. 15 7. Every local sanitary authority shall, in addition to any powers which they possess with reference to the prevention of fire, have power to make byelaws providing for means of escape from fire in the case of any office, and sections one hundred and eighty-two to one hundred 20 and eighty-six of the Public Health Act, 1875, shall apply to any byelaws so made. 8. (1) While any person employed in an office is within the office for the purposes of employment or meals, the doors of the office, and of any room therein 25 in which any such person is, must not be locked or bolted or fastened in such a manner that they cannot be easily and immediately opened from the inside. (2) An office in which there is a contravention of this section shall be deemed not to be kept in conformity 30 with this Act. 9. The following regulations with regard to the period of employment in an office shall be observed :(1) No person who is under sixteen years of age shall be employed: (2) No young person shall be employed continuously for more than four hours without an interval of at least one hour for a meal: (3) No young person shall be employed during the night or on Sunday: 35 40 (4) Provided that nothing in this Act shall prevent A.D. 1928. the employment of any young person in case of an accident or unforseen emergency. 10.-(1) Every person who occupies an office shall, Notice of 5 within three months after the passing of this Act or occupation within one month after he begins to occupy an office, of office. forward to the local sanitary authority a written notice containing the name of the office, the place where it is situate, the address to which he desires his letters 10 to be addressed, the nature of the work, and the name and address of the employer under which the business of the office is to be carried on. (2) In the event of a contravention of this section by the occupier of an office he shall be liable to a fine 15 not exceeding five pounds. 11.-(1) There shall be affixed at the entrance of Affixing of every office, and in such other parts thereof as the abstract local sanitary authority directs, and be constantly and notice. kept so affixed in the prescribed form and in such 20 position as to be easily read by persons employed in the office 25 (a) an abstract of this Act; and (b) a notice of the name and address of the local (c) every notice and document required by this Act (2) In the event of a contravention of this section in an office, the employer shall be liable to a fine not exceeding forty shillings. 30 12.-(1) In every office there shall be kept by the General employer a register, called the general register, showing, registers. in a form to be prescribed by the Minister of Health, 35 particulars as to (a) the young persons employed in the office; and (c) such other matters as may be prescribed. (2) Where any entry is required by this Act to be made in the general register, the entry made by the employer or on his behalf shall, as against him, be 40 admissible as primâ facie evidence of the facts therein A.D. 1928. with respect to the observance of any provision of this Act shall be admissible as primâ facie evidence that that provision has not been observed. Periodical return of persons employed. Local sanitary authority to carry out Act. (3) The employer shall send to the local sanitary authority such extracts from the general register as they 5 from time to time require for the execution of their duties under this Act. (4) If in any office any requirement of this section is not complied with, the employer shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds. 10 13. The employer shall, on or before such days as the Minister of Health may direct, at intervals of not less than one nor more than three years, send to the local sanitary authority a correct return specifying, with respect to such days or day, or such period as the Minister may 15 direct, the number of persons employed in the office, with such particulars as to the age, sex, and occupation of the persons employed, as the Minister may direct, and in default of complying with this section shall be liable to a fine not exceeding ten pounds. 20 14. (1) It shall be the duty of the local sanitary authority to carry out the provisions of this Act, and for the purpose of their duties with respect to offices under this Act and under the law relating to public health, the local sanitary authority and their officers 25 shall, without prejudice to their other powers, have all such powers of entry, inspection, taking legal proceedings or otherwise as an inspector under the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901. (2) Provided that if the Minister is satisfied that the 30 provisions of this Act, or of the law relating to public health in so far as it affects offices, have not been carried out by the local sanitary authority, he may, by order, authorise an inspector to take, during such period as may be mentioned in the order, such steps as appear necessary 35 or proper for enforcing those provisions. (3) An inspector authorised in pursuance of this section shall, for the purpose of his duties thereunder, have the same powers with respect to offices as he would have with respect to factories if appointed by the 40 Secretary of State to act in relation to them, and he may, for that purpose, take the like proceedings for enforcing the provisions of this Act or of the law relating to public health, or for punishing or remedying any default, as |