§ Mr. ARTHUR HENDERSONasked the Home Secretary whether he can give the number of accidents, fatal and non-fatal, reported to certifying surgeons in 1908 in the metal-founding, textile, and shipbuilding industries, and what percentage they show to the numbers employed in each case?
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§ Mr. GLADSTONEThe numbers of accidents reported to certifying surgeons throughout the United Kingdom, during 1908, in the industries mentioned, are as follows:—
Industry. Fatal. Non-fatal. Cases. Percentage of employés. Cases. Percentage of employés. Metal-founding, etc. 96 .04 6,215 2.3 Textile 82 .01 6,344 0.6 Shipbuilding 116 .08 1,260 0.9 In metal-founding and shipbuilding the figures as to persons employed are for the year 1904, and for textile industries those for 1907, these being the latest available figures in each case.
§ Mr. ARTHUR HENDERSONfurther asked how many fatal and non-fatal accidents were reported by occupiers of iron foundries during each of the five years 1904–8; and whether it is possible to say what percentage of them was attributable to lack of proper lighting arrangements?
§ Mr. GLADSTONEThe statistics at my disposal do not distinguish the figures for iron foundries from those for metal foundries generally. The following table shows the number of fatal accidents and the number of non-fatal accidents reportable to the certifying surgeons in metal founding in each of the five years 1904–8:—
It would require prolonged investigation to answer the last part of the question, but if the hon. Member has any facts in his possession tending to show that accidents result from the lack of proper lighting arrangements, I would suggest that he should bring them to the notice of the Committee on Factory Accidents now sitting, under the Chairmanship of my hon. Friend the Member for the Richmond Division of Yorkshire.
METAL FOUNDING. Fatal accidents. Non-fatal accidents reportable to the certifying surgeons. 1904 … 108 3,922 1905 … 125 4,654 1906 … 118 5,520 1907 … 151 6,798 1908 … 96 6,215