There was no OSHA then, no worker's rights so they worked 6 days a week, 10 hours or more a day in unclean unsafe environments, including children. There was no government manditated minimum wage per hour so employers paid whatever they wanted to keep their workers. Common safety hazards in factories were machinery that chopped off fingers or hands and women in hoop skirts were especially vulnerable due to their attire. There was no proper safety training or precautions. If a worker was injured beyond the ability to continue to work, they were just let go without compensation. Coal miners dealt with lung problems due to inadequate ventilation, noxious gasses and poor lighting conditions. Black lung was the most common health problem.
Today at least in modern industrial environments (like the US) we have government programs, unions, and high priced lawyers (hehe) to protect the worker from many hazards.
(Why do some of these questions sound like a thesis for a high school paper?)
Today at least in modern industrial environments (like the US) we have government programs, unions, and high priced lawyers (hehe) to protect the worker from many hazards.
(Why do some of these questions sound like a thesis for a high school paper?)
