§ 31. Duty to furnish information and facilitate inspections. The owner, operator, manager or lessee of any place affected by the provisions of this chapter or his agent, superintendent, subordinate or employee, and any person employing or directing any labor affected by such provision shall, when requested by the commissioner or board, furnish any information in his possession or under his control which the commissioner or board is authorized to require; shall answer truthfully all questions authorized to be put to him; shall admit the commissioner, a deputy commissioner, or other officer or employee of the department, to any place which is affected by the provisions of this chapter for the purpose of making inspection or enforcing the provisions thereof, and shall render assistance necessary for a proper inspection.