Working Conditions during the Industrial Revolution



Working Conditions during the Industrial Revolution

Coal Mines:

Working in coal mines was the most dangerous job during the IR. Some of the dangers included:

❖ Flash floods and people drowning

❖ Tapping into a poisonous gas and people suffocating or getting caught in a fire

❖ Cave-ins and wooden structures collapsing

Women and children pulled coal 10-20 miles/day. They would pull coal through tunnels which were quite small (16”-18” in height).

Workers at coal mines did not have sick leave or vacation time. On the other hand, the average number of hours worked in a day at a coal mine was less than that at a factory. Usually, workers worked 11 hours/day instead of 14-16 because the conditions were more difficult than those in a factory.

Factories:

Women wore dresses and could get their hair and/or dresses caught in the machines. Lace workers (people making lace products) could go blind because they concentrated on 1 small thing for many hours.

All people in factories were at risk for lung disease from the chemicals and dust in the air. Asthma was a common problem.

Like working in coal mines, workers in factories did not have sick leave or vacation time. The breaks workers received were:

❖ Breakfast = ½ hour

❖ Lunch = ½ hour

❖ Tea = ½ hour

❖ Dinner = 1 hour

The average number of work hours in a day was 12-18. In 1842, the average expectancy of a factory worker in a city was 17.

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