Public Relatio ns in Cleansing I MPORTANCE of the public-relations. aspect
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of cleansing service was stressed by Mr. C. V. Roberts, cleansing superintendent of Stockport, at the Institute of Public Cleansing conference at Stockport last Friday. Employees of the department, he said, were admitted to all types of premises without question and were not usually appreciated until they were missing.
Speedy handling of complaints was essential if the public was to be satisfied, and, to meet this requirement, Stockport recently equipped each inspector with a light ex-Army utility van, which was reconditioned in the depart
ment's workshops. Complaints were passed to the area inspector concerned and a report on action returned within 24 hours.
Forty-eight vehicles were controlled by ttre . department, and maintenance was carried out in accordance with four schedules Schedule A, a routine checkover, came around every four weeks, and Schedule B, a thorough examination with all-round adjustments, occurred at qualerly intervals. Both these inspections were carried out at night undei the supervision of the night inspector Comprehensive docking took place at 24-week and 72-week intervals.
Special shee:s were provided on which drivers reported vehicle defects, and, from a study of these complaints, it appeared that troubles ran in series. It. might be suspected that when drivers a26 discussed their machines, they imagined that their own suffered from the deficiencies that other employees had mentioned • Among the records instituted was an account of inlividual vehicle costs, including earnings at the appropriate rate per hour. These figures were posted to the individual vehicle history books and the cost of each machine throughout its life could be ascertained from this source, which made accurate comparative operational figures available for the different makes in use.
Delegates to the conference were given an official welcome by the Mayor of Stockport, Conn. R. E. Gurney. QUALITY INDUCEMENT SCHEME RAISES OUTPUT
AN inducement scheme primarily intended to improve the quality of the work of operatives at the Gravesend factory of Henley's Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd., has had a secondary effect of increasing output. The arrangement, under which some employees are earning substantial additions to their pay, was mentioned in a recent broadcast by the B.B.C.
Employees are assessed by points under headings such as quality and quantity of work, application, effort and initiative, co-operation, attention to safety, and care of tools and material. A maximum of 100. points can be scored. Independent reports on •the individual workers under their control are submitted by foremen and charge hands to • a panel consisting of the works manager, departmental supervisor, the foreman or charge-hand concerned, and the persongel officer.
Rates'of pay are increased in propor • tion to individual awards. Points are assessed every three months.
NEW STANDARD FOR FUEL FOR OILERS
A BRITISH standard for fuels for oil Pt engines, which was introduced in 1937, has been brought up to date by B.S. 209:1947. The standard, which covers petroleum and shale fuels for oil engines, now permits the use of additives in the fuel, but does not yet cover fuel oils derived from coal. • Two classes of fuel are specified in detail. They correspond closely with those called in the 1937 edition "High-speed Diesel Fuel" and • "Marine • and Industrial Diesel Fuel."
Copies of• the standard can be obtained from the tiritish Standards Institution. 24, Victoria Street, London,
S.W.!, at 7s. 6d.1 •
• WOOD-VENEERED ALUMINIUM
PAA NEW material, which consists of aluminium sheet with wood veneer cemented on one or both sides, is now being made by Venesta, Ltd., Vintry House, Queen Street Place, London, E.C.4. It is known as Vendura and can be compared with plywood with a centre ply of metal.
It is claimed to be fire-resisting and combines many of the advantages of both wood and metal. It can be glued like wood and riveted like metal, and various veneers are available, including walnut, mahogany, oak and sycamore. The material can be bent without difficulty to small radii.
22 PER CENT. CUT IN ROAD MAINTENANCE FORCE
THE Government's plan to divert 20,000 men from road maintenance will reduce the present labour force of
• 90,000 by 22 per cent., said Mr. Callaghan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, in the House of Commons last week.
He added that the Minister was to consult highways authorities on the best means for putting into effect this decision. There would be a reduction in maintenance grants next year.