Pity he got it wrong. What about the Factories and Workshops Act 1901, to name just the principal act that had been in force for over ten years by then. See the (woefully incomplete) timeline on the HSE web site at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/timeline/index.htm

Some of you may remember when we had lots of high street bookshops including the admirable John Smiths on St Vincent Street, Glasgow where I paid 50p to buy the 1901 edition of "Public Health Acts", originally priced at 7/6 so not a lot of inflation in ~80 years. As Jim is aware the 1901 Act was largely consolidation of earlier legislation including the Factory and Workshops Acts of 1883, 1891 and 1895 amongst others. Those of you who know about the principle that occupiers' liability will generally not accrue (Tomlinson v Congleton Borough Council) if the hazard is natural and obvious, or manmade and akin to a natural hazard (e.g. a pond in a public park in Edinburgh or a reservoir in Central Scotland - relevant case law for both) may wonder if there are exceptions to this rule?......... Quarry (Fencing) Act 1887 subsequently repealed and reenacted..... Section 3 Where any quarry dangerous to the public is in open or unenclosed land, within fifty yards of a highway or place of public resort dedicated to teh public, and is not separated therefrom by a secure and sufficient fence, it shall be kept reasonably fenced for the prevention of accidents, and unless so kept shall be deemed to be a nuisance liable to be dealt with summarily in manner provided by the Public Health Act 1875....... .....and just to demonstrate that we've understood some of the principles of occupational health for a very long time. F&W Act 1883 Section 2.....it shall not be lawful to carry on a white lead factory unless such factory is certified by an inspector to be in conformity with this Act. Section 15. It shall not be lawful to let of suffer to be occupied as a bakehouse.....unless the following regulations are complied with: (i) No watercloset, earhcloet, privy or ashpit shall be within or communicate directly with the bakehouse (ii)....... (iii)......