LIVING-QUARTERS ON FARMS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 128, 16 June 1937, Page 12

LIVING-QUARTERS ON FARMS

■ — zrrLegislation Requirements Explained AGRICULTURAL W0RKERS CTnder the Act it is the duty of every employer »of farm labqur to provjde suffipient qnd suitable accQjnmodatipn, exeept in the case of employees who can conyeniently sle.ep at their own home or otherwise provide their own aeeom■modation. Separate acpommqdation must be providqd for men and womo'n. Sites musfc be properly draiped, be at a sufdcient distance from stablps and sheds or accumulations pf refuse, and be kept ciear of pvergrowing vegetation. The flooring must be of tongued apd grooved flooring boards or of material approved by the inspector, and there must be an air space of six inch.es underneath the fioor: The walls and ceiling of eyery sleeping room and liying-ropm must be lined internaliy with to'ngued and groovpd match-lining, pr lined, scrimmed aud papers, or lined with some other suitable material. External walls must pe ; so constructed as effectnally to explude ; Wind and water. The roof, if cpvered with irou, must be lined "With felt or ; Sackipg to the satisfaction of the inspector. ! Every sieeping-To.qm is to be of such , dimensions as will provide not less than 60 square* feet of floor-spaGe for eaeh ; person to be accommodated and must ' oe not less than 8ft in height in any part. Not more than two persons may be required to sleep in any pne room. Thq sleeping-quarters must contain npt less than 500 cpble feet of air. space for eyery person. Every bunk or bed must be provided with a spring mattress or a mattress of chaff, straw, or kapoc. | Heating apd Windows I Buitable heatipg appaances uiust be provided. Every room must be provided with one or more windows in direct communication yvifh. the external air and so constructed as to permit all sashes tp be moved and at least pne-half of each window to be Qpened, the opening portion to extend upwe-rds tp at least 6ft 6in from the floor, The tptal area of the window or windows in each room shall be not less than one-tentfi of the area of the floor of that room. .Through ventilation shall be provided in each room by placing a window opposite a door or opposite another window. •Prpyisiop must bf made for artificial lightipg. The regulations provide comprefiensively for sanita.tifin, inpiiiding ; the digposal pf rubbish aud facilities for the disposal of waste water from washing and bathing aecommodation, and or the supply of clean and wholesome water for drinking. Proyision for bathing, washing, and the drying of '^t.hes mnst be marlf,. biOiaga oi jgw. — ' -x fly-propf safe of suitable si?e shaii oe provided or use in conuection with the kitcheu or coqkiug-quartera, together with vermin-proof storage space for supplies and perishable provisions. Where the nature of the work necessitates the frequent removal of aecommodation from one locality to another, temporary aceommodation that it weatherproof (but not. necessarily in conformity in other respects with the regulations) may, with the previous approval in wrlting of the inspector, be provided. Except where oniy one person is to be accommodat.ed, no perspn may sleep or be required or permitted to sleep in the dining-room or dining-qnarters, or in the kitchen or cooking-quarters, or in any room where food is usually kept, or in any place insuffieiently shut off from such Toom or quartcrs, Where any sleeping-room has ceased to be occupied it shall be thoroughly scrubbed or otherwise cleaned by the employer before it is again occupied. During occupation the sleeping-rooms shall be kept clean by the occupants. The employer shall during the period of oceupation cause all other accQmmodation to be kept in a cleanly stftte to the satisfaction of the inspector. Any person who fails to take eflective steps to dispose of offensive matter upon or about any premises used as aceommodation commits an offeuce agaiust the regulations.