Factory Act

THE OFFICES. SHOPS AND RAILWAY PREMISES (HOISTS AND LIFTS) Regulations 1968 Regulation 6 FACTORIES ACT 1961 - Sections 22. 2. and 25 FORM PRESCRIBED FOR THE REPORT OF EXAMINATION OF HOIST OR LIFT... 

FACTORIES ACT 1961. Sections 32-34 and the Examination of Steam Boilers Regulations 1964 FORM PRESCRIBED FOR... 

There is a wide range of legislation laying down standards of safety and health. In the UK, the most notable and wide ranging are the Factories Act 1961, the Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Act 1988, breach of any of which can result in liability to civil and/or criminal action against the offenders. 

Except for some defined types of accommodation, the use of fuel or electricity to heat premises above a temperature of 19°C is prohibited by the Fuel and Electricity (Heating) (Control) Order 1980. The current Order is an amendment to an earlier Regulation, which limited the temperature to a maximum of 20°C, and although 19°C is generally taken to refer to air temperature the Order does not specify this. The minimum temperature was laid down in the Factories Act 1961 and should be reached one hour after the commencement of occupation. 

The Factories Act 1961 and the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 are the result of Bills, which, after being debated in Parliament, have received the Royal Assent, and now from part of criminal law. 

Employers and others who now have duties under the 1974 Act will have had some form of responsibilities under previous legislation (e.g. the Factories Act 1961) to ensure the health and safety and welfare of people at work. However, a number of employers will be subject to such legislation for the first time. 

Where work is to be carried out in a confined space within a factory. Section 30 of the Factories Act 1961 lays down specific requirements when work is performed... 

Section 38 of the Factories Act 1961 defines a steam boiler as a any closed vessel in which for any purpose steam is generated under pressure greater than atmospheric pressure . Economizers used to heat water being fed to such a vessel and superheater for heating steam are also included. Every boiler must be fitted with the recommended safety measures (e.g. safety valve, stop valve, water gauge, low-water alarms, pressure gages, etc.). 

Entry into boilers are controlled by Section 34 of the Factories Act 1961, which states that no person shall enter or be in any steam boiler which is one of a range of two or more boilers unless ... 

In premises in which the Factories Act 1961 apply. Section 15 of the Act acknowledges that certain dangerous parts of machinery can only be adjusted or lubricated while in motion. Employees carrying out this work must be properly trained and their employers must specify their tasks in writing. 

The big boost for reform came, in fact, with the Factory Acts in England. Three such acts were passed between 1833 and 1867, and they did much to improve working conditions and, in particular, initiated the training and use of Factory Inspectors to ensure that the provisions of the acts were implemented. These factory inspectors grew into the labor inspectors, safety officers, and occupational hygienists of today. 

When a Bill has been debated in Parliament and received Royal Assent it becomes law regulations made under the Acts also become law. The Factories Act of 1961 and the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974 must be obeyed because they are part of criminal law. 

The Ministry of Industry has established quality standards and control of industries and factories involved with chemicals, particularly those generating hazardous or toxic chemicals under the provision of the Factory Act of 1969 (amended in 1972, 1975, 1979, and 1992). The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has the authority to control toxic substances in agriculture, particularly pesticides. Under the same Act, the Ministry of Public Health also controls the toxic substances used as consumer products and for some purposes of human health. After 1992, those ministries included a lot of hazardous substances in the Ministerial Notification by periodically following the evaluation of such substances, either old or newly introduced. 

It might be thought that 1 am reading too much into this passage. Marx does not say in so many words that the collective interest of the capitalist class explained the Factory Acts, although it is natural to understand him in this way when he refers to the actions of a "state that is ruled by capitalist and landlord". An important passage from the 1861-3 Critique, while still not unambiguous on this point, at least leaves no room for doubt as to the conflict between the collective and the individual interests of the capitalists ... 

In Capital /, p. 270, note 2, there is a reference lo a petition for legislative enactment by 26 firms in the pottery industry. This, however, occurred in 1863, and is irrelevant for the explanation of the Factory Acts. 

Sknmd, Sazioh ie, pp. Baff, citing the delMte over the Factory Acts as an important example. 

Acts of Parliament. The most important Act is the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 there are other similar occupational health and safety statutes such as the Factories Act 1961 which must also be observed. 

The buildings used for the factory shall be constituted so as to permit production of drugs under hygienic conditions. They shall conform to the conditions laid down in the Factories Act, 1948 (63 of 1948). 

Prior to this the main legislation cm health and safety was contained in the 1934 Presidential Decree which was prescriptive l islation in a similar tradition similar to the UK Factories Acts. Curiously, it had quite strong requirements on safety in relaticm to chemical substances including smasures on classification and packaging of dangerous substances as well as special prov ons on die removal of dusts and fumes. 

---