ON women's laboue. 311 



XV. — Denmark. 



Factory legislation in Denmark originated with the law of 1852 on 

 unhealthy industries. The same trades were further regulated by the law 

 of 1858, but no protection was afforded to labour generally until the 

 passing of the Factory Act of 1873 and the Act for the Prevention of 

 Accidents of 1889. These laws, which have remained in force up to nearly 

 the present time, are now superseded by a law published on July 1, 1901, 

 which came into force on January 1, 1902. 



The law existing in 1901 applied to all factories and workshops where 

 steam or other power is used. It placed no restriction upon the labour of 

 adults of either sex, but afforded a certain protection to young persons 

 under eighteen years of age. 



The chief features of the new law are : — 



(1) The clause which prohibits the employment of women during the 

 four weeks after confinement, except upon the production of a medical 

 certificate showing that the mother's employment will not injure either 

 herself or her child. 



(2) The creation of an industrial council composed of a president 

 appointed by the King and eight other members, of whom three at least 

 must be employers and three at least employees, appointed by the Minister 

 of the Interior. It acts as an advisory body to the Factory Department, 

 and may investigate, on its own initiative, any question arising under 

 the law. 



(3) The organisation of the staff of inspectors as a factory department, 

 at the head of which will be a director appointed by the King, with two 

 secretaries, experts in economics and technology. The number of in- 

 spectors will be fixed by the legislature in the 'Budget Law,' but the 

 Minister of the Interior may in the meantime appoint up to twenty 

 inspectors. The number permitted by the old law was only two, with 

 twelve sub-inspectors appointed by the Act of 1889. 



(Jr) The provisions of the law of 1889 on the prevention of accidents 

 are incorporated in the new law, which requires, in addition, that a 

 minimum space of 282 cubic feet be allotted to each worker, and that 

 efficient ventilation be secured, if necessary, by artificial means. Work- 

 rooms must be properly warmed, and employers are bound to provide 

 rooms in or near the factory where their workpeople can take their 

 meals. Provision for warming food must also be made wherever this is 

 possible. ' 



The law on the prevention of accidents arising from the use of 

 machinery, April 1889, forbade the employment of women to clean or oil 

 machinery in motion. There are no other direct restrictions placed upon 

 the employment of women by Danish law. 



The number of women employed in industry in Denmark 'is, according 

 to the census returns of 1897, 36,760, exclusive of employers, forewomen, 

 ifcc. Of these some 13,000, or not quite one-third, come within the scope 

 of the Factory Acts. The new Factory Act mentioned above will un- 

 doubtedly occasion a great extension of inspection, but it is of too recent 

 date to give available results. 



' Hygiine et Securiti (leg Travailleurs, pp 139-143 (Labovr Gazette, August 1901). 



