Scotland in the nineteenth century

10. Labour

Section 10.4: Health and safety

"to enquire into the conditions of work as they affect the health of the operatives in the following industries and processes: india rubber works; paper staining, colouring and enamelling; dry cleaning; basic slag works and the manufacture of silicate cotton; electric generating works; sole-stitching by American machinery; glass polishing; file-cutting; bronzing and metallachrome powder in lithographic works; flour mills; use of converters in metal works; use of steam locomotives in factories; licking of labels for reels in thread mills; use of inflammable paints in shipbuilding yards; galvanized iron works process of dyeing with arsenate of soda; manufacture and use of grindstones and emery wheels; use of lead... in print and dye works; testing of bottles by compressed air; bottling of aerated waters; manufacture of salt; ending and mending in velvet works; and to report what, if any, special rules should be made under section 8 of the Factory and Workshops Act, 1891, for the protection of the persons employed in these industries."

The Committee dealt with the industries among these which were chiefly in need of regulation, outlining the processes involved and the dangers these posed to the employees. The process of bronzing in lithographic works gave rise to dust which often had harmful effects on the employees. The case of a fifteen year old girl who had worked for a small Glasgow firm of lithographers for eleven months was brought to their notice. The manager refused to supply her with a respirator although she was frequently ill. Before the change of management, girls working with bronze were either paid extra money or supplied with milk, which was commonly prescribed for bronzers.

Excessive heat, dusty processes and the danger of arsenical poisoning were inherent in the wall-paper industry. The use of steam locomotives in factories often caused accidents and the manufacture of aerated waters involved risks to the employees as they were often cut when bottles burst. The Committee also dealt with india rubber works, where the main dangers arose from naptha fumes and poisoning by carbon bisulphide. Many india rubber works were inadequately ventilated. Evidence was submitted to them at Edinburgh of the large proportion of india rubber workers admitted to the Royal Infirmary and the Victoria Hospital.

Those employed in the dry cleaning industry were exposed to noxious fumes and the risk of fire. The use of quick drying paints in shipbuilding, which were highly inflammable posed similar dangers. The Committee recommended that no spirit paints should be used in enclosed spaces on board ships.

The Committee recommended the adoption of certain special rules by each of these industries concerning the age of employees, respirators, overalls, lavatory and bath accommodation, prescribed drinks, regular examinations by certifying surgeons, and the reporting of all cases of illness by the certifying surgeons to the inspector of factories for the district.

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Appendix V: Cases seen at the Victoria Hospital for Consumption and Diseases of the Chest, between 16th May 1890 and 15th May 1896, and at the out-patient medical department, Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, between 3rd April 1895 and 3rd June 1896 (pp. 32-33).

"to make enquiry into, and report on the conditions of work, as they affect the health of operatives, in the industries in which anthrax is alleged to occur, viz: wool sorting, hair factories, brush-making etc., bone factories, fellmonger works, furriers works, tanneries, and also in the following kindred industries: wool-combing, blanket storing and tentering, warp dressing, carbonising and grinding, etc. of rags, flock-making and feather cleaning; and to report what, if any, special rules should be made or special requirements enforced, under section 8 of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1895, for the protection of persons employed in those industries."

Anthrax was generally conveyed to humans in Britain by means of wool, hides and skins, horse hair and bristles. Anthrax was scheduled under the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, 1886, so all cases were reported to the local authorities. The Committee concentrated their attention on the various processes carried out in the wool, leather and textile industries.

One of the principal outbreaks of anthrax had occurred in one of the horse-hair factories in Glasgow in 1878. The outbreak was attributed to "Russian manes and tails" imported to be used in carpet and furniture making. Dr. Russell, Medical Officer of Health for Glasgow, recommended that Russian hair should he excluded from all factories and workshops. After this the firm refused to deal with such material.

Appendix 1: Extracts from the report made by Dr. James B. Russell on certain cases of sickness and death occurring among the workers in the Adelphi Horse-Hair Factory, Glasgow in March and April 1878, with remarks on the communication of diseases by means of animal hair (pp. 29-32).

For terms of reference see Interim Report, 1896. [C. 8149]

The report included a letter from Archibald Newlands, Inspector of Factories, describing the case of a bursting grindstone which he had investigated at Paisley (pp. 8-9). The accident which occurred on 27th March 1898, resulted in a death. An inquiry was held at the sheriff court of Renfrew and Bute at Paisley under the Fatal Accidents Inquiry (Scotland) Act, 1895.

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He attributed the accident to the fact that during a recent strike among engineers the stone was left standing in water for various periods. He recommended that grindstones should be examined more frequently and carefully.

A summary of the evidence taken by the Dangerous Trades Committee on file cutting at Glasgow was also included (p. 23). Evidence was submitted by workmen and employers on the relative merits of cutting files by machine and by hand, and on the incidence of lead poisoning which occurred among employees. The witnesses stressed the importance of cleanliness and one suggested that the workmen should rub resin on their fingers.

For terms of reference see Interim Report, 1896. [C. 8149]

The Committee reported on the manufacture of grindstones, emery wheels, silicate of cotton and salt, basic slag works, flour mills, lithographic works, print and dyeworks, and the licking of labels for reels in thread works. The main danger which the manufacture and use of emery wheels posed was that of breakage whilst they were running at high speed. When they visited a firm in Glasgow they found that very effective guards were used there. They not only protected the operatives from portions of the wheel if it burst, but it was also used as a means of drawing the dust away. These guards were illustrated in Appendix II (p. 35).

The report included a letter sent to the Chairman by Dr. William F. Gibb, dated December 1896, concerning the thread mills at Paisley (p. 32). He claimed that girls employed to lick adhesive labels for thread bobbins became prone to dyspepsia and other gastric disturbances.