§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that mouth and eye diseases are being caused by the failure to supply gloves to ship painters, particularly where the meal break is short with little opportunity for an effective removal of new and little-known chemicals in paint and anti-fouling compositions from the hands; and if he will consider including in the regulations for shipbuilding and ship-repair, 1959, the requirement that painters should be supplied with gloves by the employers to lessen the dangers of skin disease, as requested by the National Society of Painters.
§ Mr. WoodMy Department has no information about serious mouth and eye diseases being contracted by ship painters. The possibility of including a requirement about gloves for painters in the regulations was considered but it was decided that this was not desirable. If the hon. Member knows of cases of the diseases he mentions caused by painters working without gloves, I should be glad if he would let me have details of them so that the matter can be re-examined.
§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the dangers resulting from the swinging of long and heavy sticks by painters working on 78W planks, particularly hernia, duodenal ulcer and falls, despite the contention that this had not caused an accident since 1956, and of the strain placed on elderly workers by wielding sticks over 10 feet for long periods; and, if he will consider including in the regulations for shipbuilding and ship-repair, 1959, the requirement that sticks used by painters on ship painting should have a maximum of 10 feet in length.
§ Mr. WoodMy Department has no information about cases of hernia, duodenal ulcer, injury through falling or general strain being suffered by ship painters as a result of their using sticks exceeding 10 feet in length. The possibility of including in the regulations a requirement prohibiting the use of long painters' sticks was considered but in the absence of evidence of the dangers referred to in the Question it was decided that such a requirement was unnecessary and would be undesirable. If the hon. Member knows of cases of the kind he refers to, I should be glad if he would send me the details so that I could re-examine the question.