Labor laws of Pennsylvania

Table Of Contents

Page

Blower Act of 1913, . . 5

Child Labor Act of 1915, . 6

Section 2. (1) No person or corporation, by himself or his agents

servants, or employes, shall employ or use in the making, remaking, or renovating of any mattress:

(a) Any material of any kind that has been used in, or has formed a part of, any mattress used for or about any person having any in¬ fectious or contagious disease;

(b) Any material known as “shoddy,” and made in whole or in part from old or worn clothing, carpets or other fabrics, or material previously used, or any other fabric or material from which shoddy is constructed;

(c) Any material, not otherwise prohibited by this act, of which prior use has been made, unless the said material has been thoroughly sterilized and disinfected by a reasonable process approved by the Commissioner of Health of this Commonwealth.

(2) No person or corporation, by himself or by his agents, servants, or employes, shall sell, lease , offer to sell, or lease or deliver, or con¬ sign in sale or lease , or have in his possession with intent to sell, lease , deliver, or consign in sale or lease:

(a) Any mattress that has been used for or about any person hav ing any infectious or contagious disease ;

(b) Any mattress made, remade, or renovated in violation of sub¬ section one of this section ;

(c) Any mattress, not otherwise prohibited by this act, of which prior use has been made, unless since last used it has been thoroughly sterilized and disinfected by a reasonable process approved by the Commissioner of Health of this Commonwealth.

(The foregoing section is as amended by the Act of May 1, 1915, Pamphlet Laws, page 510, No. 219.)

Section 3. (1) No person or corporation, by himself or by his agents, servants, or employes, shall, directly or indirectly, at wholesale or retail, or otherwise, sell, lease, offer to sell or lease, or consign in sale or lease, or have in their possession with intent to sell or lease, or consign in sale or lease, any mattress that shall not have plainly and indelibly written or printed thereon, or upon a plain muslin or linen tag securely sewed to the covering thereof, a statement in the English language setting forth:

(a) The materials used in filling said mattress, and whether the same are, in whole or in part, new or old;

(b) The name and address of the maker, vendor, or successive vendors;

(c) And, upon a mattress of which prior use has been made, the words “Second-Hand,” together with the date of sterilization and disinfection, and the name and address of the person or corporation sterilizing or disinfecting the same.

No additional information shall be contained in said statement.

(2) No person or corporation, by himself or by his agents, servants, or employes, shall place upon any mattress the statements required by subsection one (a) and (b) of this section unless said mattress has been made, remade, or renovated by him in accordance ivith this act; and no person or corporation, by himself or his agents, servants, or employes , shall place upon any mattress the statements required by subsection one (c) of this section unless the said mattress has been sterilized and disinfected by him in accordance with this act: Pro¬ vided, That the vendor, in either case, shall insert his name and ad¬ dress in the statement.

(The foregoing two sections are as amended by the Act of May 14, 1915, Pamphlet Laws, page 510, No. 219, the amendments added being indi¬ cated by italics.)

When Description as Felt May Be Made.

Section 4. It shall be unlawful to use in the said statement con¬ cerning any mattress the word “Felt,” or words of like import, if there has been used in filling said mattress any materials which are not felted and filled in layers, unless the said statement shall plainly set forth all the different materials so used.

Misleading Description Prohibited.

Section 5. It shall be unlawful to use in the description in the said statement any misleading term or designation, or term or desig¬ nation likely to mislead.

Section 6. The statement required under section three of this act shall be not less than three by four and a half inches in size, and in form shall be as follows :

Official Statement.

Materials used in filling,

Made by, .

Address, .

Vendor, .

Address, . . .

This article is made in compliance with the act af Assembly of Pennsylvania, approved the first day of May, one thousand nine hundred thirteen, as amended.

(The foregoing section is ns amended by the Act of May 14, 1915, Pamphlet Laws, page 510, No. 219, the amendment being indicated by

italics.)

Removal of Description.

Section 7. Any person who shall remove, deface, alter, or in any manner attempt the same, or shall cause to be removed, defaced, or altered, any mark or statement placed upon any mattress under the provisions of this act, shall be guilty of a violation of this act.

Separate Offenses.

Section 8. The unit for a separate and distinct offense in viola¬ tion of this act shall be each and every mattress made, remade, reno¬ vated, sold, offered for sale, delivered, consigned, or possessed with intent to sell, deliver or consign, contrary to the provisions hereof.

Penalties.

Section 9. Any person or corporation violating the provisions of this act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof before a magistrate or justice of the peace shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars, and not more than fifty dol¬ lars, for each offense.

Duties of Commissioner of Health.

Section 10. Within sixty days after any process of sterilization and disinfection shall have been submitted to the Commissioner of Health of this Commonwealth, under subsection one (c) of section two' of this act, the said commissioner shall approve or disapprove the same, and, if he disapprove, shall state his reasons therefor.

Duties of Chief Factory Inspector.

Section 11. All places where mattresses are made, remade, or renovated, or materials for mattresses prepared, or where mat¬ tresses are offered for sale, or are in the possession of any person or corporation wdth intent to sell, deliver or consign them, shall be sub¬ ject to inspection by the Chief Factory Inspector, whose duty it shall be, in case he has reason to believe any person or corporation is violating this act, to prosecute such person or corporation therefor.

Information by Individuals, Enforcement by Individuals.

Section 12. Any individual who has reason to believe that this act has been or is being violated may present the relevant facts to the Chief Factory Inspector, or any of his deputies ; in which case it shall be the duty of the Chief Factory Inspector to make an investigation of such facts, as on his own initiative; and, if he is of opinion that the act has been or is being violated, to prosecute the person or corpora¬ tion guilty thereof. Any individual may institute proceedings to enforce this act and to punish violations of its provisions.

Repeal.

Section 13. All acts or parts of acts inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed.

Time in Effect.

Section 14. This act shall take effect the first day of January, Anno Domini one thousand nine hundred and fourteen.

MOVING PICTURE ACT OF MAY 1, 1909.

Note. — As to cities of the first class this act has been superseded by the Act of June 9, 1911, P. L. 746, providing for the issuance of permits by the Chiefs of the Bureaus of Building Inspection and Fire, and the Fire Marshal.

Regulating, requiring, and defining certain general specifications for the use and construction of permanent booths or enclosures for operating therein moving-picture machines ; regulating, requiring, and defining certain general specifica¬ tions for the use and construction of portable booths or enclosures for operating therein moving-picture machines ; and providing for the supervision and inspec¬ tion of the same by the Department of Factory Inspection of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; and providing penalties for the violation of the provisions thereof ; and providing that the provisions thereof shall not apply to cities of the first and second class.

Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, association, or corporation to erect, set up, construct, maintain, or use any permanent booth or enclosure for the purpose of operating therein moving-picture machines, unless they are built, erected, and constructed as follows:

Size.

All permanent booths or enclosures to be at least seven feet high, the floor space to vary according to the number of machines in booths or enclosures, as follows:

One picture machine, six feet by eight feet.

One picture machine and one stereopticon, nine feet by eight feet. Two picture machines and one stereopticon, twelve feet by eight feet.

The same to be made of structural steel, as follows:

Four outside horizontal members at top and bottom.

Four corner uprights and members supporting roof, to be made of one and one-half-inch by one and one-half by one-fourth inch angle-irons.

Intermediate uprights to be spaced every two feet, and to be made of either one and one-half inch by one and one-half inch by one-fourth inch angle-irons or two inch by two inch by one-fourth inch tee-irons.

Tee-irons, to which roof is attached, to be made of one and one-half inch by one and one-half inch by three-sixteenth inch tee irons.

All joints to be made with a three-sixteenth inch steel plate, to which each angle-iron or tee-iron shall be riveted or bolted by the use of at least two (2) one-fourth inch bolts or rivets.

All bolts or rivets in frame to have flat heads, said heads always to be placed on exterior side of booth; all angle- or tee-irons being so countersunk as to accomplish this result.

Frame to be built with a six-foot by two-foot doorway; frame of said doorway to be built of one inch by one inch by three-sixteenth inch angle-irons, which are to be joined together by the use of a three-sixteenth inch steel plate.

Covering of Booth.

Sides and top of booth to be covered with asbestos boards of at least one-fourth inch in thickness; said boards to be cut and ar¬ ranged that vertical joints between boards shall always come over an angle or tee-iron, so that both boards may be securely fastened to the same.

After booth is complete, all openings where combustible material is exposed must be plugged with asbestos cement, or other equally satisfactory material. When joints of asbestos boads, on outside of booth, do not come over angles of tee-irons, the cracks between the boards shall be covered by a strip of asbestos board at least one-eighth inch thick and two inches wide; said strips to be securely fastened to both boards in such manner as to cover the exposed joints. The above-mentioned strips and all asbestos boards shall be secured in the proper place by the means of proper bolts and nuts ; said bolts and nuts to be spaced not more than six inches apart.

Flooring.

Floor shall be made of two parts, an upper and a lower floor. Lower floor shall be made of boards seven-eighth inches minimum thickness, supported on lower leg of horizontal angle-irons. Resting on this floor shall be a floor made of asbestos boards of three-eighth inch minimum thickness, or an equally good material.

Windows.

There shall not be no more than two windows per machine in the booth, — one for the operator and one for the machine. Windows for machine shall not be more than six inches high and twelve inches long, and shall be located and cut after machine is set up. Operator’s window shall not be more than four inches wide or more than twelve inches high.

All windows shall be provided with gravity-doors, which, when closed, shall overlap the window opening at least one inch on all sides ; said doors to be held open normally by use of a fine combustible cord in series with a fusible link, so arranged that the doors may easily be released by hand.

Main Door.

Outside of door to be provided with a substantial spring, sufficient to keep door closed. Door to be provided with stop to prevent it from swinging into booth or injuring the hinges.

Shelves.

To be made up of slate slabs or board not less than seven-eighth inches thick, not exceeding four feet in length or twelve inches in width. Said shelves, if of board, to be painted with at least three coats of asbestos paint, and supported by means of angle-irons. Upper shelf to be used for the rewinding and the repairing of films; the lower shelf to be used for the storage of films. A separate metal case, made without solder, shall be provided for each film when the same is not in the magazine or in the process of winding; said films to be kept in these cases.

Ventilation.

Booths to be provided with an inlet in each of four sides; said inlets to be fifteen inches long, three inches high, the lower side of the same not be more than three inches above floor level. Said inlets to be covered on the inside by a wire net of not greater than one-eighth inch mesh netting, to be firmly secured to the asbestos boards by means of iron strips and screws.

Near the center of the top of the booth shall be a circular opening of not less than ten inches in diameter ; the upper side of said opening to be provided with an iron flange, which flange is to be securely fastened to the tee-irons supporting the roof. Securely fastened to this flange shall be a vent-pipe of not less than ten inches in dia¬ meter; said pipe leading to the outside of the building or to a special incombustible vent-flue. In this vent-pipe shall be placed a box con¬ taining a twelve-inch electric fan; said box to be provided with a door of sufficient size to permit of the examination or removal of this fan; this door to be made tight, and provided with proper fastenings. Box and vent-pipes to be made of galvanized iron or other non-com¬ bustible material; fan to be so connected that it can be controlled from within the booth.

Wiring.

If house lights are controlled from within the booth, an additional emergency control must be provided near the main exit, and kept at all times in good condition.

All electric wires to be brought in to the booth and carried to all machines, lights, et cetera, in conduits; one light will be allowed for each machine, and one for the rewinding bench; but all such lights shall be provided with wire guards.

Rheostats.

All rheostats to be mounted on slate insulator, properly supported ; said supports to be made of iron, and securely fastened to the floor; rheostats to be securely fastened to slate insulator.

Machine.

Must be securely fastened to the floor to prevent accidental over¬ turning of the same: Provided, That this section shall not apply to cities of the first and second classes.

Section 2. That it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, associa¬ tion, or corporation to erect, set up, construct, maintain, or use any portable booth or enclosure, for the purpose of operating therein moving-picture machines, unless they are built, erected and con¬ structed as follows: —

Size.

Portable booths or enclosures are to be at least six and one-half feet high and five feet square, and are permitted for the use of one picture machine only.

Frame,

The frame is to be made of standard pipe angle-iron, ventilator trap, and suitable fittings. The pipe frame and angle-iron trap are to conform strictly to specifications hereinafter set forth, and the fit¬ tings and details of construction must be approved by the Depart¬ ment of Factory Inspection of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Skeleton Frame.

Four corner uprights, to be made of three-quarter inch standard pipe.

Eight horizontal members, to be made of three-quarter inch stand¬ ard pipe.

Eight corner fittings, to be made of iron or bronze castings.

Ventilator Trap.

Ventilator trap, to be made of one inch by one-eighth inch angle-iron, shall extend full width of the top and two inches beyond the front of the top pipe; shall be suitably hinged, not less than two feet from the edge of the front angle corners, and joints to be made with one-eighth inch steel plates, riveted or bolted to each angle-iron by the use of at least two three-sixteenths inch rivets or bolts.

Covering of Booth.

The side and top covering of the booth shall be made of an ap¬ proved pure asbestos cloth, same as used for asbestos curtains, weigh¬ ing not less than two pound to the square yard. Seams and hems in the asbestos cloth shall lap at least one inch, and be stitched on each edge with asbestos sewing twine. The top covering shall be made separate from the side covering. It shall completely cover the top, and have the outside flap hang down all around the sides, not less than six inches deep. It shall be fastened tightly, and secured to the top pipes and ventilator trap by means of asbestos cords. The side covering shall be made in one piece, extending around all four sides, and overlapping at the rear of the booth not less than eighteen inches, so as to form a flap doorway. The side covering shall extend from top pipes — to which it shall be suspended by approved metal hooks or rings, spaced not more than twelve inches apart — to the floor, with a flap of not less than three inches all around resting on the floor. The metal hooks or rings, for suspending the side covering, shall be attached to the hem of the cloth by means of a metal strap and two rivets. The side covering shall be drawn down tight and secured to the bottom pipe frame by means of asbestos tie cords. The cloth covering for top and sides must at all times, be kept free from rents or holes, and be main¬ tained in good condition.

Door.

The side covering shall overlap eighteen inches in the rear of the booth. This overlap shall extend from top to bottom, and shall be so arranged as to form a means of entrance and egress.

Flooring.

The frame shall be placed on a mat or carpet made of approved asbestos cloth, not less than seven feet square. This mat must be spread out smoothly on a substantial floor or platform, so that it shall extend one foot from the frame on all sides. This mat must at all times be kept free from rents or holes, and in good condition.

Ventilation.

The top of the frame shall be fitted at the rear with a hinged ventilator trap, as described in foregoing section of frame. The asbestos cloth top covering shall be so arranged, and so attached to the frame, that, when the hinged trap is raised, the asbestos covering shall be raised also in the rear. Suitable devices shall be supplied for maintaining this ventilator trap in a lifted position, so as to form a clear ventilating space, at the rear, or not less than six inches high, extending across the full width of the booth.

Windows.

The look-out window for the operator shall be not more than four inches wide and twelve inches high. The windows for the machine shall not be more than six inches high and twelve inches long. All windows shall be located and cut after machine is set up.

The openings shall be cut in the cloth with care, and the edges reinforced by stitched hem of asbestos cloth ; they shall be provided with asbestos flaps, securely stitched at the top of the openings. These flaps, when closed, shall overlap the window opening at least two inches on the bottom and sides, and shall be weighted across the bottom edge by a piece of three-eighth inch pipe, or equal weight of metal, securely sewed in the pocket in the cloth.

Window Shutters and Ventilator Trap.

The window flaps or shutters are to be held open normally, by the use of a fine combustible cord. The hinged ventilator trap is to be raised, for ventilation, not more than six inches at the rear, and shall be held open by a collapsible prop sustained by fine combust¬ ible cord. The cord from the window shutters and the ventilator prop shall be in series with a fusible link and also approved tension-clip, so arranged that the automatic opening of the link, or release of the tension clip by the operator, will insure the immediate closing of all openings by the dropping of the flaps and the ventilator trap. This fusible link and tension clip shall be arranged in a position directly over the machine, within reach of the operator.

Provided, however, That portable booths or enclosures shall not be permitted to be used in any theatre or public hall in which permanent , booths or enclosures have been installed; it being the intention of this section that portable booths or enclosures shall be used only for temporary exhibitions of moving-pictures in places of assemblage — such as schools, churches, association halls, lodgerooms, theatres — without permanent booths: Provided, That this section shall not apply to cities of the first and second classes.

Section 3. It shall be the duty of the Department of Factory Inspection, by and through its Chief Factory Inspector, his deputy or deputies, to take such means as it may deem necessary to enforce the provisions of this statute. It shall be the duty of said Chief Factory Inspector, his deputy or deputies, within a reasonable time after the approval of this act, to inspect all booths or enclosures in which moving-pictures are now being operated; and should any be found in a dangerous condition, in that they lack adequate fire pro¬ tection, he or they shall immediately order the abatement and dis¬ continuance of such use of such booth and enclosure. The owner, agent, superintendent, person or persons, in charge and control of said booth or enclosure, shall abate and discontinue the use of same within ten days after the service of the notice of abatement or dis¬ continuance. Any such person or persons, who shall fail to comply with the said order of abatement or discontinuance, so issued as aforesaid, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on con¬ viction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars and not more than five hundred dollars, or an imprisonment in the county jail for a term of not less than ten days nor more than ninety days, within the discretion of the court, for each and every such violation.

Section 4. Any person or persons who violate or ignore any of the provisions of sections one and two of this act shall be deemed guilty of misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars and not more than five hundred dollars, or an imprisonment in the county jail for a term of not less then ten days nor more than ninety days, for each and every viola¬ tion. In all cases of violation of sections one and two of this act, the prosecutions shall be instituted in the name of the Common¬ wealth by the Chief Factory Inspector, or his deputy or deputies, and hearing shall be conducted by the alderman, justice of the peace, or other committing magistrate before whom the information is lodged; after full hearing of the parties in interest, the aiderman, justice of the peace or other committing magistrate shall, if the evidence warrants it, impose the penalty herein provided, which shall be final to the party against whom the penalty is imposed, unless the said party shall furnish good and sufficient bail for his or her appearance at the next term of the court of quarter sessions of the county wherein the offense is alleged to have been committed.

Section 5. All fines imposed and collected for any violation of this act shall be forwarded to the Chief Factory Inspector, who shall pay the same into the office of the State Treasurer, for the use of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

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REPORT OF ACCIDENTS ACT OF JULY 19, 1913.

Requiring employers to make report to the Department of Labor and Industry of accidents to employees, and prescribing a penalty for non-compliance there¬ with.

Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That within thirty days after the beginning of the disability of an employe because of any personal injury, caused by an accident occurring in the course of his em¬ ployment, the employer, whether a person, firm, or corporation, shall make report of such accident to the Department of Labor and In¬ dustry. Such report shall set forth the name, address, and nature of the business of the employer; name, address, sex, age, nationality, and occupation of the employe; date, day of week, hour, place, and character of the accident, and the nature of the injury, and the dura¬ tion of the disability, or probable disability, as far as the same can be ascertained. Such employer shall, also, upon request of the Department of Labor and Industry, make such further report as may reasonably be required by it.

Section 2. Any person, firm, or corporation having knowledge of the occurrence of such personal injury to an employe, in the course of employment, who shall fail to make report as aforesaid, shall be liable to the Commonwealth for a penalty of one hundred dollars to be recovered by action brought by said department.

Section 3. Reports made in accordance with this act shall not be evidence against the employer in any proceeding, either under the Workmen’s Compensation Law of one thousand nine hundred and thirteen or otherwise.

Section 4. No employer who has made the report required by this act shall be required to make any other or further report of such accident to any other department of the government of the Commonwealth.

Section 5. This act shall not apply to casual employments; nor to accidents resulting in disability continuing less than two days.

WIRE-GLASS ACT OF MAY 20, 1913.

Regulating the openings of buildings, upon, over, or under external fire-escapes.

Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That all exits to external fire- V(

escapes shall be by means of doors of fire proof construction, in which doors there may be placed wire-glass, if glass is required for v lighting the interior; and all windows, hereafter opening upon, over.

or under external fire-scapes, shall be of fire-proof construction, with wire-glass therein, and with metal fire-proof frames around the windows. > "Ai ’;[[ |

Section 2: Every person, firm, or corporation, trustee, board of education, and board of school directors, or any person or persons having charge, either as agents, trustees, or as a commission, having charge of any building, neglecting or refusing to comply with section one of this act, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars, or an imprisonment for not more than two months, or either or both, within the discre¬ tion of the court: Provided, That nothing in this act shall interfere with fire-escapes, now in use, approved by the proper authorities.

WOMAN’S ACT OF JULY 25, 1913.

As Amended 1915.

To protect the public health and welfare, by regulating the employment of females in certain establishments, with respect to their hours of labor and the conditions of their employment ; by establishing certain sanitary regulations in the estab¬ lishments in which they work ; by requiring certain abstracts and notices to be posted; by providing for the enforcement of this act by the Commissioner of Labor and Industry and others ; by prescribing penalties for violations thereof ; by defining the procedure in prosecutions ; and by repealing all acts and parts of acts inconsistent with the provisions thereof.

SECTION 1.

SECTION 2.