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Factory Workers (Dermatitis)

Volume 645: debated on Wednesday 2 August 1961

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83.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the total number of persons who contracted dermatitis in manufacturing industries in the year 1960 and the total number of such cases voluntarily notified to the factory department by employers; what further steps he proposes to check the contraction of this disease; and when he proposes to make the disease notifiable under the Factories Act, 1937.

Statistics of the total number of workers who contracted dermatitis in 1960 are not available; 1,671 cases were voluntarily notified to H.M. Factory Inspectorate during the year. H.M. medical inspectors make frequent visits to factories in which cases of dermatitis are known to have occurred in order to advise occupiers on suitable precautionary measures.Therefore I do not think there is a case for making the disease notifiable under the Factories Acts.A new booklet on the prevention of industrial dermatitis is being prepared by my Department.