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(2) Close attention has been given to those establishments affected by the regulations. Generally, factory occupiers have shown co-operation in carrying out requirements. Regular visits by industrial nurses and industrial medical officers have been made to a number of printers, paint-manufacturers, battery-manufacturers, and leadrecovery works when blood counts have been taken of workers therein. Cases arose where there had been evidence of undue lead absorption, and in these instances workers have been advised to seek other employment or remove from contacts with lead for a suitable period. One man suffering from persistent anemia was advised to find work in another industry and did so. (3) From observations made, blood counts appear to have shown a falling tendency which would indicate that both employers and workers are becoming aware of the danger associated with lead. (4) A warning was issued where an employer had a youth of sixteen years engaged in a lead process. Following an inspection of a spray-painting booth, it was found that lead paint was being used and stored in containers not marked as required by the regulations. Subsequently, in another district similar breaches were found in two booths. Appropriate action was taken in these instances. (d) Spray Painting Regulations 1940 (1) These regulations, which have been operative since Ist July, 1940, cover the application to any article by spraying of paint, enamel, lacquer, or other material having a nitrocellulose or inflammable liquid content. The carrying-on of spray-painting operations gives rise to toxic, fire, and explosion hazards, and as a result the process has to be vigorously controlled. Thus all spray-painting booths before use in any factory require the approval in writing of the Secretary of Labour. (2) There having been an easing of building restrictions throughout the year steady progress can be reported in respect of the conditions of booths. Occupiers seem to be now aware of the need for the safeguards required by the regulations, and generally no difficulty has been experienced in securing any alterations required by the Department. (3) Approvals granted in terms of regulation 13 during the year were 63. (e) Accidents in Industry and Accident Prevention (1) Scope of Accident Notification. —The obligation to report accidents was originally placed on factory occupiers by the Factories Act, 1891. In respect of building operations a like obligation was introduced by the Scaffolding Inspection Act, 1906, while persons operating bush undertakings became similarly liable under the Bush Workers' Act, 1945. There are also requirements in respect of other classes of workers —e.g., those in mining undertakings —these being the administrative responsibility of Departments other than the Department of Labour and Employment. There remain, however, large sections of industry—agricultural and pastoral, transport, certain building and construction, shops, offices, and warehouses —in which there is no obligation to notify. The reporting arrangement aims to bring accidents to notice, with the ultimate objective of preventing recurrence.. If, therefore, accident-prevention activity is to be effective throughout all industry a more comprehensive system of notification than exists at present .must be devised. The incidence of serious tractor accidents on farms, for instance, seems very high and suggests the need for investigation. There were at least six deaths last year from this cause (mostly occurring on hillsides) as compared with nine fatalities in all factories during the same period. When one considers the relatively small number of persons engaged in farm-tractor driving in relation to the number of workers employed in factories the fatality rate in the former group becomes alarming. Although there is no provision for notification, the Department is at present investigating each such accident coming to its knowledge and is co-operating with farmers' organizations and the Department of Agriculture with a view to making appropriate recommendations to Government.

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