INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND SANITATION.

(See also under Women and Children, and Licensed Occupations.)

197. Surgical appliances for employees. Every person, firm or corporation operating a factory or shop in which machinery is used for any manufacturing or other purpose except for elevators, or for heating or hoisting apparatus, shall at all times keep and maintain, free of expense to the employees, such medical or surgical chest, or both, as shall be required by the state board of labor and industries, and containing plasters, bandages, absorbent cotton, gauze, and all other necessary medicines, instruments and other appliances for the treatment of persons injured or taken ill upon the premises, and every person, firm or corporation carrying on a business in a mercantile establishment in which twenty or more women or minors are employed, shall in like manner provide such medical and surgical chest as the state board of labor and industries may require. A person, firm or corporation violating any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than five dollars nor more than five hundred dollars for every week during which such violation continues. [Acts, 1909, c. 514, § 104, as am. by Acts, 1914, c. 557.]

198. Belting, etc., to be guarded. The belting, shafting, gearing, drums and all machinery having movable parts in all factories, mechanical establishments, workshops and mercantile establishments, if so placed as, in the opinion of the state board of labor and industries, to be dangerous to employees therein while engaged in their ordinary duties, shall be, so far as is practicable, securely guarded. No machinery except steam engines in a factory, mechanical establishment, workshop or mercantile establishment shall be cleaned while running if objection in writing is made by one of the inspectors of said board. . . . [Acts, 1909, c. 514, § 94, as last am. by Acts, 1914, c. 328, § 2.]

199. Elevators not included. Nothing in [the preceding section] shall be construed as applying to the belting, shafting, gearing, drums or machinery used in the operation of elevators, nor in any way as affecting the powers of the board of elevator regulations given by Acts, 1913, c. 806. [Acts, 1914, c. 328, § 3.]

200. Hatchways, etc., to be protected.

The openings of hoistways, hatch

ways, and well holes upon every floor of a factory or mercantile or public building shall be protected by sufficient trap doors or self-closing hatches and safety catches, or such other safeguards as the inspectors of [the state board of labor and industries] direct; and due diligence shall be used to keep such trap doors closed at all times, except when in actual use by the occupant of the building who has the use and control of the same. [Acts, 1909, c. 514, § 96, as am. by Acts, 1913, c. 806, § 13.]

201. Communication with engineer's room. - In every manufacturing establishment in which the machinery is propelled by steam, communication shall be provided between each room in which such machinery is placed and the room in which the engineer is stationed by means of speaking tubes, electric bells or appliances to control the motive power, or such other means as shall be satisfactory to the inspectors of [the state board of labor and industries], if in the opinion of the inspectors such communication is necessary. Whoever, being the occupant or controlling the use of any such manufacturing establishment, violates the provisions of this section shall forfeit to the commonwealth not less than twenty-five nor more than one hundred dollars. [Acts, 1909, c. 514, § 91.)

202. Prosecution. No prosecution for a violation of the provisions of the preceding section shall be commenced until four weeks after notice in writing by an inspector has been sent by mail to such person, firm or corporation of any changes necessary to be made to comply with the provisions of said section, nor if such changes shall have been made in accordance with such notice. [Acts, 1909, c. 514, § 92.] 203. Protection from flying shuttles. Any person, firm or corporation owning, managing or operating factories in this commonwealth in which looms are employed shall equip the looms with such guards or other devices as will prevent injury to employees from shuttles falling or being thrown from the looms. Such guards or devices shall be made of such material and placed in such manner as shall be approved by the [state board of labor and industries], who are hereby directed to enforce the provisions of this section. Whoever violates any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars for every week during which such violation continues. [Acts, 1909, c. 514, § 101.]

204. Traversing machinery in cotton factories. The owner of a cotton factory which shall have been erected subsequently to May 28, 1896, in which there is any traversing carriage of a self-acting mule installed, or of any cotton factory erected previously to such date in which hereafter such traversing carriage is installed, who permits such carriage to travel within twelve inches of any pillar, column, pier or fixed structure, shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty nor more than fifty dollars for each offence. [Acts, 1909, c. 514, § 95.]

205. Temporary flooring during construction. — If, in the erection of an iron or steel framed building the spaces between the girders or floor beams of any floor are not filled or covered by the permanent construction of said floors before another story is added to the building, a close plank flooring shall be placed and maintained over such spaces from the time when the beams or girders are placed in position until said permanent construction is applied; but openings protected by a strong hand-railing not less than four feet high may be left through said floors for the passage of workmen or material: provided, however, that when such flooring cannot be used without serious interference with the work of construction, such provision shall be made to protect the workmen from falling material as the inspector shall direct. [Acts, 1909, c. 514, § 97, as am. by Acts, 1913, c. 655, § 17.]

206. Staging with temporary flooring on certain construction work. — In the construction of any iron or steel framed building having a clear story of twentyfive feet elevation or more, a staging with a close plank flooring shall be placed under the whole extent of the beams, girders or trusses of such story upon which iron or steel workers are working, and not more than ten feet below the under side of such beams, girders or trusses. [Acts, 1909, c. 514, § 98, as am. by Acts, 1913, c. 655, § 18.] 207. Penalty. Whoever violates any provision of the two preceding sections shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty nor more than five hundred dollars for each offence. [Acts, 1909, c. 514, § 99, as am. by Acts, 1913, c. 655, § 19.]

208. Insulation of poles supporting electric wires. - Poles and other structures which are used to support lines for the transmission of electricity shall be insulated in such manner as to protect employees and other persons from accidents. If such poles and other structures are of any material except wood, and support lines which are operated at a voltage in excess of two thousand volts, they shall be plainly and conspicuously marked "Dangerous. Keep Away." The officer and inspector of wires appointed under the authority of [R. L., c. 122, § 18] or the commissioner of wires of the city of Boston, shall enforce the provisions of this section, and he shall be the sole judge of what constitutes a proper insulation and marking. [R. L., c. 122, § 20, as am. by Acts, 1911, c. 509, § 4.]

209. Penalty. A person or corporation owning poles which are used for the transmission of electricity who fails to comply with the provisions of the preceding section shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten nor more than one hundred dollars for every pole left uninsulated for an unreasonable time after a request for a proper insulation by the officer, inspector or commissioner acting under the provisions of the preceding section. [R. L., c. 122, § 21.]

210. Gas and electric manufacturers to report accidents. - Corporations, persons and municipalities engaged in the manufacture or sale of gas or electricity shall, within twenty-four hours after every accident caused by the gas or electricity manufactured or supplied by them, whereby an employee or other person is injured, rendered insensible, or killed, report in writing to the board, stating the time, place and circumstances of the accident and such other facts relative thereto as the board may require. The chief of police of the city or town, and the medical examiner of the district, in which such accident occurs shall, in writing, report the same to said board. The chief of police shall so report within twenty-four hours, and the medical examiner within seven days, after he has notice thereof. The members of the board shall personally investigate all cases which require investigation. [Acts, 1914, c. 742, § 164.] 211. Certain records of injuries to employees to be open to public inspection. - All records and reports made by the district police in respect to injuries to employees in factories, workshops and mercantile establishments shall be open to inspection by the public at all reasonable times. [Acts, 1913, c. 333.]

EGRESSES AND PREVENTION OF FIRE.

212. Plans for buildings to be used as factories, etc. No building which is designed to be used, in whole or in part, and no building in which alteration shall be made for the purpose of using it, or continuing its use, in whole or in part, as a . . . factory, workshop or mercantile or other establishment and to have accommodations for 10 or more employees, . . . shall be erected, and no alteration shall be made therein, until a copy of the plans and specifications thereof has been deposited with

the supervisor of plans of the building inspection department of the district police by the person causing its erection or alteration or by the architect thereof. . . . (See page 19.) [Acts, 1913, c. 655, § 15.]

erected or altered without sufficient egresses and other means of escape from fire, properly located and constructed. The supervisor of plans may require that stairways shall be enclosed, that they shall have suitable landings, that they shall be provided with hand-rails, that egress doors and windows shall open outward and have approved hardware, that places of egress shall be properly lighted and designated, and that proper fire stops shall be provided in the floors, walls, partitions and stairways of such building. He may make such further requirements as may be necessary to prevent the spread of fire, or its communication from any steam boiler or heating apparatus therein. . . . [Acts, 1913, c. 655, § 15.]

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214. Sufficient egress in certain other buildings.— A building in which 10 or more persons are employed in a factory, workshop, mercantile or other establishment, ... the owner, lessee or occupant of which is notified in writing by an inspector that the provisions of [Acts, 1913, c. 655] are deemed by him applicable thereto, shall be provided with proper egresses or other means of escape from fire, sufficient for the use of all persons employed, ... therein; but no owner, lessee or occupant of such building shall be deemed to have violated this provision unless he has been notified in writing by such inspector what additional egresses or means of escape from fire are necessary and has neglected for 30 days, or has refused, to provide the same. . . . [Acts, 1913, c. 655, § 20.]

215. Egresses to be kept unobstructed. The egresses and means of escape shall be kept unobstructed, in good repair and ready for use, and, if the inspector so directs in writing, every such egress shall be properly lighted and provided with a sign having on it the word "Exit" in letters not less than five inches in height, and so made and placed as plainly to indicate to persons within the building the location of such egresses, stairways shall have suitable hand-rails [and] egress doors and windows shall open outwardly. . . . The certificate of the inspector shall be conclusive evidence of a compliance with the said requirements. . . . (See paragraph 221). [Acts, 1913, c. 655, § 20.]

216. Stairways on outside of buildings.

Stairways on the outside of the building shall have suitable railed landings at each story above the first, accessible at each story from doors or windows, and such landings, doors and windows shall be kept clear of ice, snow and other obstructions. [Acts, 1913, c. 655, § 20.] 217. Fire hose to be kept ready for use. The basement and each story of a building which is subject to the provisions of the [three] preceding [paragraphs] shall be supplied with means of extinguishing fire, consisting of a hose attached to a water supply and capable of reaching any part of such basement or story, or of such portable apparatus as the inspector shall direct; and such appliances shall be kept at all times ready for use and in good condition. [Acts, 1913, c. 655, § 21.]

218. Doors not to be locked during hours of labor. - No outside or inside doors of any building in which operatives are employed shall be so locked, bolted or otherwise fastened during the hours of labor as to prevent free egress. Any person having charge of any such building or of any room thereof, any exit door of which shall be found to be so locked, bolted or otherwise fastened during the hours of labor as to prevent free egress, shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars

nor more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment. [Acts, 1909, c. 514, § 93, as am. by Acts, 1914, c. 566.]

219. Use of explosives regulated. not be used in any factory in such place or dous the egress of operatives in case of fire. 220. Wooden flues, etc., prohibited.

Explosive or inflammable compounds shall manner as to obstruct or render hazar[Acts, 1909, c. 514, § 100.]

No wooden flue or air duct for heating or ventilating purposes shall be placed, or shall remain placed, in any building which is subject to the provisions of sections 15 and 20 of this act [see paragraphs 212 to 216 inclusive], and no pipe for conveying hot air or steam in such building shall be placed, or shall remain placed, within one inch of any woodwork, unless protected to the satisfaction of the inspector by suitable guards or casings of incombustible material. [Acts, 1913, c. 655, § 22.]

221. Certificates of inspection. - Except as is otherwise provided by law, the inspectors [of the building inspection department of the district police] shall from time to time examine all buildings within their respective districts which are subject to the provisions of this act. If, in the judgment of any such inspector, such building conforms to the requirements of this act for buildings of its class, he shall issue to the owner, lessee or occupant thereof, or of any portion thereof used in the manner described in section 20 of this act [see paragraph 214], a certificate to that effect, specifying the number of persons for whom the egresses and means of escape from fire are sufficient. Such certificate shall continue in force for not more than five years after its date, but so long as it continues in force it shall be conclusive evidence of a compliance by the person to whom it is issued with the provisions of this act. . . . [Acts, 1913, c. 655, § 25.]

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222. To be void in certain cases. It shall be void if a greater number of persons than is therein specified are accommodated or employed or assemble, within such building or portion thereof, or if such building is used for any purposes materially different from the purpose or purposes for which it was used at the time of the granting thereof, or if its interior arrangement is materially altered, or if any egresses or means of escape from fire in such building at the time of granting the said certificate are rendered unavailable or are materially changed. The certificate may be revoked by such inspector at any time upon written notice to the holder thereof or to the occupant of the premises for which it was granted, and shall so be revoked if, in the opinion of the inspector, circumstances have so changed that the existing egresses and means of escape are not proper and sufficient. [Acts, 1913, c. 655, § 25.]

223. Copy to be posted.

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A copy of said certificate shall be kept posted in a conspicuous place upon each story of such building by the occupant of the premises covered thereby (see paragraph 221). [Acts, 1913, c. 655, § 25.]

224. Fire escapes, etc., to be kept unobstructed. Any article or thing placed upon a fire escape or an outside means of egress of any building is hereby declared a common nuisance. Any court authorized to issue warrants in criminal cases may, upon complaint under oath made by any police officer that any article or thing is placed or maintained upon a fire escape or outside means of egress of any building, issue a warrant to bring such article or thing when found before a court having jurisdiction of the same, and all articles or things seized under the authority of such a warrant shall be disposed of as provided in R. L., c. 217, §§ 3 to 8 inclusive relative