Special Committee Factories Bill, 1954 debate -
Thursday, 27 Jan 1955

SECTION 15.

Mr. Larkin

I move amendment No. 18:—

To add to the section two new sub-sections as follows:—

(2) Where it is not practicable to effectively remove the wet by drainage then suitable false floors, platforms, mats or other means of providing dry standing places shall be provided.

(3) Where leakage of oil or grease on to the floor takes place suitable provisions shall be made to ensure that a dry and secure standing place is provided for persons employed, in cases where it is not possible to provide for the drainage of such oil or grease as provided for in sub-section (1).

The section provides for the removal of wet by drainage but there are many processes in which you would not actually get a sufficient quantity of water to enable the wet to be removed by drainage. In other words we have that kind of damp atmosphere on the floor which is more dangerous than actual floor water. The suggestion in the amendment is that where it is not possible by means of drainage to secure that the workers shall have dry feet some protection in the form of false floors, platforms or mats should be provided in order to protect workers against real hazards.

I am talking of the kind of damp skin you get on the floors of many workshops ; it makes them very slippy and it is a particular hazard where there is an increasing use now of rubber boots by workers. The wearing of rubber boots on that kind of damp skin creates a very slippy condition, much more so than if there is a full flow of water. Whether this is the best means of making that particular situation or not I do not know, but I personally feel that the particular hazard that the amendment seeks to deal with is an even more serious one than an actual flow of water over a floor from the point of view of secure footing.

Mr. Norton

As the section stands it provides that if any process renders the floor liable to be wet effective means shall be provided and maintained for draining off the water.

Mr. Lemass

That is provided the water is capable of being removed. On the wording of the section, it seems to me that the suggestion in Deputy Larkin's amendment might not be practicable in many cases. In my personal experience of tanneries, for example, one will find water on the floor, but the placing of false floors or platform mats could seriously interfere with the working of the factory where that work involves the moving of trolleys, and so forth, around the place : I think some sort of consideration would have to be given to the problems of individual industries before prescribing a particular method of dealing with the problem of damp floors.

Mr. Norton

Quite apart from the fact that there is a certain obligation which can be enforced under the section, the provision of false floors might well create another difficulty inasmuch as it would give the owner of the factory an opportunity of escaping his responsibilities to provide a properly constructed primary floor in the first instance; besides, false floors might well facilitate the accummulation of stagnant water, to say nothing of the dangers of stumbling. I have discussed this matter with the factory inspectors and they are strongly opposed from their own personal experience to the introduction of false floors because they hold they would give rise to more problems than the installation of such a floor would help to remove. I think, therefore, it would be better to meet the difficulty by regulations providing that where operators were likely to become wet there should be an application to provide suitable protective clothing for such wet processes.

Mr. Larkin

That is my very point, but it is so much the question of the operator getting wet that I am concerned with; it is the question of where the operator is standing while he is working and the security of his foothold. For example, you may have a person using a process in which there is a certain amount of dripping on to the floor and you may never get a sufficient quantity of water to drain it ; you may have grease and oil dropping, which is very frequent in garages, and it is from that point of view that I am looking at this matter. I can understand that it is difficult at the moment to try to find a satisfactory solution, but I would far sooner see a worker standing on an actual floor in water, wearing suitable boots, from the point of view of his security and his foothold rather than see him try to secure a foothold on a damp or greasy surface. Whether this section is merely dealing with the drainage of surplus water purely from the point of view of getting rid of that water or is concerned solely with the safety of the worker I am not quite clear; but I feel it is far more essential to ensure that there is not a damp and greasy surface underneath rather than an actually wet surface. If the Minister would have it looked at and see if it may be possible to deal with it by some other means I shall be satisfied. The risk in the sort of floor I have in mind is far greater than in the case of the floor where there is an actually free flow of water.

Mr. Norton

We will look at it between this and the next stage.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Section put and agreed to.