§ 22. Mr. J. HUDSONasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the Woollen and Worsted Textiles (Lifting of Heavy Weights) Regulations, dated 27th July, 1925, require that the maximum weight to be lifted by any one man shall not exceed 150 pounds and that beams of 360 and 460 pounds weight which, by the nature of the narrow space between the looms, can only be lifted into the looms by two men are still being used at certain mills in Huddersfield; and whether he is prepared to insist that the Regulations of the Home Office, which were arrived at after agreement between employers and employed, be henceforth carried out at these mills?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSNo, Sir; I am advised that the Regulations do not fix any maximum limits for weights lifted jointly by two or more workers. All they require is that no worker shall, by himself, lift by hand any weight exceeding the prescribed limit, and this requirement is enforced at all the mills. I have not as yet received any representations from the Joint Industrial Council, at whose instance the Regulations were made, for an extension to weights lifted by more than one worker.
§ Mr. HUDSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in some cases it is impossible, in the narrow space between the looms, to have more than two men to lift these beams, and that as they are frequently more than 300 lb. in weight, the Regulations, which specify not more than 150 lb. per man, are, therefore, broken?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSIf the hon. Member will do me the favour of reading my answer to-morrow, and reading the 687 Regulations, he will find that the Regulations have not been broken. The Regulations apply to one man lifting a certain weight by himself, and the Joint Industrial Council—I do not know whether the hon. Member is a member of it—has not asked me to make Regulations which prevent the lifting of these very beams to which he refers.
§ Mr. HUDSONIs it not the duty of the right hon. Gentleman, when Regulations have been made by his Department, to see that they are carried out irrespective of the Joint Industrial Council?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI have told the hon. Member the Regulations made by my Department have been and are being carried out.
§ Captain MACMILLANDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think that this case shows a weakness in the Regulations, and will he ask the Joint Industrial Council whether, in their opinion, this unthought-of weakness could not be remedied?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI am quite prepared to communicate with the Joint Industrial Council, and ask them whether, in their opinion, it is a flaw in the Regulations, and, if so, I will consider their recommendations.
§ Mr. HUDSONWill the right hon. Gentleman consider, also, that when two men endeavour to lift a beam of 400 lbs., rupture and other injuries are a frequent result, and will he help to prevent that?