NEW FACTORY RULES

Chronicle (Levin), 24 July 1946, Page 2

NEW FACTORY RULES

-Press Association

HEALTH CONDITIONS ENLARGED

By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, July 23. Leg'islutiou -dealing with factories is consolidated and . amcnded by the Factories Bill, which was introduced in the ilouse of Kepresentatives today. The Bill, which was read a second timo pro fornia and referred to tlie Labour Bills Gonmiittee, includes provisions for dealing with saiely, health and welfare in factories, some of the uew oues being based on tlie recoiuniendations of I)r. J. AI. Davidson, industrial hygienist from the British Jlome Office. The Bill contains 101 clauses. The definitiou of tlie tcrni "factory" has been extended to iuclude places where milk is pasteurised and also abatloirs. The Factories Act, .1021-22, states that wliere an inspector of factories required defects in a proposed factory to be reiuedied, there is an appeal to the local authority and from it to the medical otlicer of health, but the Bill provides that the appeal shall now be to a magistrate as-with other appeais against retpnsitions' of 'ixlspectOtS.'-^'VK. t Overtime is entii'ely prohibited by Ihe Bill in the case of any boy or girl under 1(1 years of age. liestrietions as to overtime that at present apply to women and boys, are now extended to youths, namely males between the ages of Mi and IS. Provision pennittiug in tlie case of newspapers, for the substitution of other workiug days as whole holidays in lieu of Boxing Uav, Eastcr Monday, Labour Day and the sovereign's birthday, have been omiltod conscqueutially on an agreeinent being arrived at between tlie employers' and workersorganisations. It is providcd that a medical certilicale as to the litness of auv boy or girl under l(i for proposed employment, must be obtained by an employer and ]iroduce(l to* an inspector before tlie latter may issue the requisito certilicate of (it ness.

The period of prohibitiou of women after confinuiuent, is exttfmled from four woeks to six weel?*. The soction of ltho Bill dealing with safetv in factories, jirovides that ellieient dcvices or applianees shall be providcd by which power cun be cut o 11" promptly from t ransmissioii machiiiery. No female worker, unless her hair is cut sliort or securcly (ixed and confined close to her liead by a net or olherwise, and no worker weaving an apron or loose garmeul, shall work in a place where a worker is likely to eome into contaet with moving machinery. A person under l.S years siiall noi. work any niachine unless he has been J'lillv iitslrneled as to ihe dangcrs invoh'ed and preeaulions to be observed. Al present the miiiinmm air spaeo permitled in factories is 2o() cubic feel but a period up to five years is allowed lo existing factories to bring tlie air space up (o this ligure. 1'egistration of a factory may be refused or cancelled for nou-conipliauce with a requisition by ait inspector of faeto rics. Where the number of enqiloyees in a factory exceeds six, a suitable room for meals is lo be provided. There are special ]irovisions relating lo factories liandling food. The minimum wage is inereased from 1ns a week for the first six nionths to £1 week, with half-yearly iiicrements of os a week, until £2 l()s is reachc.l, this being in lieu of £2 week as at nrese.n t.

There are provisions relating to ventilation and removal of steain/4'umes and dust, ligliting, temperature and heating applianees, sauitary conveniences, drainage of floors, drinking water, wasliing facilities, acconunodation for clothing and rest rooms for women. The Bill is to come into force on April 1 next Avith the exception ot sections dealing with the registration of factories -which come into force on January 1.

Such nf tbc cahTe n "ws in fiis issue nis headed, has appcared in the Lomlon "T.imes" and is sent to this paper h> special perniission. It should he understoof1 Flint the opinions are not those of "The Times" unless expressly stated to be so.