... HEALTH. INSPECTION. Acts of 1907, Chapter 537, Section 3. Duties of Inspectors regarding Health of Minors. — Every inspector of the state board of labor and industries . . . shall inform himself . . . concerning the health of all minors employed in factories within his district, and, whenever he may deem it advisable or necessary, he shall call the ill-health or physical unfitness of any minor to the attention of his or her parents or employers and of the state board of labor and industries. Acts of 1907, Chapter 537, Section 5. The inspectors of the state board of labor and industries shall, under the direction of the said board . . . enforce the provisions of section forty-one of chapter one hundred and four of the Revised Laws [Acts of 1909, chapter 514, section 94] so far as said section provides that factories shall be well ventilated and kept clean... LIGHTING, VENTILATION AND CLEANLINESS. Acts of 1914, Chapter 328, Section 2. Rules and Regulations. Every factory, workshop, manufacturing, mechanical and mercantile establishment shall be well lighted, well ventilated and kept clean and free from unsanitary conditions, according to such reasonable rules and regulations as may be adopted with reference thereto by the state board of labor and industries. Acts of 1909, Chapter 514, Section 83. Ventilation. SECTION 83. A factory in which five or more persons and a workshop in which five or more women or young persons are employed shall, while work is carried on therein, be so ventilated that the air shall not become so impure as to be injurious to the health of the persons employed therein and so that all gases, vapors, dust or other impurities injurious to health, which are generated in the course of the manufacturing process or handicraft carried on therein shall, so far as practicable, be rendered harmless. SECTION 84. If, in a workshop, or factory which is within the provisions of the preceding section, any process is carried on by which dust is caused which may be inhaled to an injurious extent by the persons employed therein, and it appears to an inspector of the state board of labor and industries that such inhalation would be substantially diminished without unreasonable expense by the use of a fan or by other mechanical means, such fan or other mechanical means, if he so directs, shall be provided, maintained and used. SECTION 85. A criminal prosecution shall not be instituted for any violation of the provisions of the two preceding sections unless such employer neglects, for four weeks after the receipt of a notice in writing, to make such changes in his factory or workshop as shall be ordered by an inspector of the state board of labor and industries. Acts of 1913, Chapter 766. Lighting. SECTION 1. Upon the request of any member of the inspection department of the district police, or upon the request of any five employees in a factory or workshop, it shall be the duty of the state board of labor and industries established by chapter seven hundred and twenty-six of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and twelve to investigate and ascertain whether or not such factory or workshop is adequately lighted. If said board shall be of the opinion, after such investigation, that the factory or workshop is not properly lighted, it shall notify the owner or the person in charge thereof and shall specify what changes should be made in order to light properly the factory or workshop, and the owner or lessee of such factory or workshop shall make the changes so specified as soon as it can be done by the exercise of reasonable diligence. SECTION 2. Any owner or lessee of a factory or workshop who fails to comply with any order of the state board of labor and industries made under the provisions of section one of this act, provided that such failure is not the result of causes beyond the control of the owner or lessee, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars. Acts of 1911, Chapter 603. Issuance of Printed Matter on Protection of Eyes. SECTION 1. The inspectors of the state board of labor and industries, or such other officers as the said board may from time to time appoint, shall, when obtaining information concerning the proper lighting of factories, workshops and other industrial establishments, make such investigation concerning the eye and vision in their relation to diseases of occupation, including injuries to the eyes of the employees, and to the pathological effects which are produced or promoted by the circumstances under which the various occupations are carried on, as, in the opinion of said board is practicable, and the board shall from time to time issue such printed matter containing suggestions to employers and employees for the protection of the eyes of the employees as it may deem advisable. SECTION 2. If it appears to an inspector . . . or other officer appointed by said board, that in any factory, workshop or other industrial establishment, from the nature of the work or of the machinery used in connection therewith, or of other circumstances, there is danger of injury to the eyes of employees engaged in such work, and that the danger of injury may be decreased or prevented by any mechanical device or other practicable means, he shall, if said board so directs, order in writing that such device or other means shall be provided therein; and it shall be the duty of the proprietors and managers of the factory, workshop or other industrial establishment to comply with the order. SECTION 3. Any person, firm or corporation violating any provision of this act shall be subject to a fine of not less than five nor more than two hundred dollars for every week during which such violation continues: provided, however, that a criminal prosecution for any violation hereof shall not be begun unless such person, firm or corporation shall, for a period of four weeks after the receipt of an order in writing from an inspector of the board of labor and industries or other officer, as provided in the preceding section, neglect to comply therewith. Acts of 1913, Chapter 472. - Cleaning of Presses by Publishers and Printers. All publishers and printers shall use a sanitary cloth or other sanitary material in cleaning their presses. Revised Laws, Chapter 75, Section 23. Sanitation of Bakeries. All buildings which are occupied as biscuit, bread or cake bakeries shall be properly drained and plumbed. They shall be provided with a proper wash room and water-closets, having ventilation apart from the bake room or rooms where food products are manufactured; and no watercloset, earth closet, privy or ash pit shall be within or communicate directly with the bake room of any bakery. Acts of 1909, Chapter 514, Section 78, amended by Acts of 1915, Chapter 117 (General). Drinking Water. All industrial establishments within this commonwealth shall provide fresh and pure drinking water to which their employees shall have access during working hours. Any person, firm, association or corporation owning, in whole or in part, managing, controlling or superintending any industrial establishment in which the provisions of this section are violated shall, upon complaint of an inspector of the state board of labor and industries, of the board of health of the city or town, or of the selectmen of the town in which the establishment is located be punished by a fine of one hundred dollars for each offence. Acts of 1909, Chapter 514, Section 104, amended by Acts of 1914, Chapter 557, and by Acts of 1915, Chapter 216 (General). Medical Chest and Room for Injured or Sick 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. Every such person, firm or corporation, employing one hundred or more persons, shall, if so required by the state board of labor and industries, provide accommodations, satisfactory to said board, for the treatment of persons injured or taken ill upon the premises. 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 the manner aforesaid 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. TOILET FACILITIES. Acts of 1909, Chapter 514, Section 79, amended by Acts of 1914, Chapter 328, Section 1, and by Acts of 1914, Chapter 726. Toilets to be provided. — In every factory, workshop, manufacturing, mechanical, mercantile or other establishment, there shall be provided suitable, adequate and convenient water-closets and washing facilities, separate for each sex and plainly so designated, of such number, in such location and so constructed, lighted, ventilated, arranged and maintained as may be determined by such reasonable rules and regulations as the state board of labor and industries may adopt with reference thereto. No person shall be allowed to use a closet or privy which is provided for the use of persons of the opposite sex. If any such establishment is so located that a connection with a sewer system is, in the opinion of the said board, impossible or impracticable, it shall provide such suitable toilet and washing facilities as may be required by the said board. Acts of 1914, Chapter 164. Defacing of Toilet Appliances. Whoever wilfully destroys, defaces, injures or defiles any toilet appliances provided in any place of employment shall be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars. |