§ Mr. W. BAKERasked the Home Secretary whether, seeing that during the year 1924 there were 169,723 industrial 964W accidents, including 956 fatal, an increase of 44,172 over the previous year, and that the number of fatal accidents increased during the same period by 89, his Department is exercising a closer inspection, particularly in the use of wire ropes?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI think the long account which the Chief Inspector gives in his Annual Report for 1924, of accidents due to failure of wire ropes, shows the close attention which is being given to this question by my Department. In addition to what is said there, I may state that special provisions for the prevention of such accidents have been inserted in the revised Docks Regulations which came into force last Spring, and similar provisions have also been included in the draft Regulations for Shipbuilding which are now under discussion. The matter will continue to be closely watched.
§ Mr. BAKERasked the Homo Secretary whether, having regard to the high total of deaths due to transmission machinery, it is proposed to introduce fresh legislation rendering owners or persons responsible for the machinery liable to imprisonment in the case of avoidable accidents?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSIn cases where an accidnet is due to neglect of the occupier to comply with the requirements of the law, the occupier is liable to a maximum penalty of £100, but I find that this maximum is not often imposed, and I doubt whether a power to sentence to imprisonment would be of much practical use. Successful proceedings for failure to fence transmission machinery have been recently taken in a number of cases and important decisions as to the liability of occupiers have been obtained from the High Court. Special steps have also been taken to instruct occupiers by the issue of a Safety Pamphlet on the subject, and I am hopeful that these measures may have the desired effect.
§ Mr. BAKERasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the number of accidents that have occurred with wire ropes where the ratio of pulley to rope diameter and pulley to wire diameter was too low, it is proposed to issue regulations stipulating that ratios below 20 shall not be used?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI am advised that there is at present considerable variation in engineering practice, 965W and no definite standards have been laid down as to the correct ratios between rope or wire diameters and pulley diameters. This question is at present being examined by a Committee of the British Engineering Standards Association, on which the Factory Department is represented, and the matter will be further considered when the Report of that Committee has been received.