Ashley US History: 3rd Quarter Research Project

Safety in the workplace was not something that people worried about before the birth of industrialization. When hundreds of young women died due to the Triangle Fire, the public began to demand some reforms. A dropped match on the 8^th floor of Triangle Shirtwaist Factory sparked a fire that killed over a hundred people locked inside. Private industry of American factory would never be the same.

The Triangle Waist Company was a factory in the heart of Manhattan, at 23-29 Washington Place, at the Northern corner of Washington Square East. In New York City, on March 25, 1911 a fire broke out in the Triangle Factory and killed 146 workers. Unfortunately many of the women working in the Factory were Italian and European Jewish immigrants coming to the U.S. to find peace. Within 18 minutes of the fire, 146 people were dead. 25 young women threw themselves down elevator shafts trying to escape. The water streams from hoses could not reach the 7^th floor. 19 bodies were found fried against locked doors. 25 bodies were found bundled in the cloakroom. “The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire of 1911 would change the regulation by government of business. Before the fire government had mostly stayed away from business feeling it had no power to legislate it (CSUN).” Groups like International Ladies Garment Workers Union and Women’s Trade Union League fought for better working conditions. Innovation changed the way factories were build. Innovation made safer working conditions.

Sweatshops before 1911 were easily described by low wages, long hours, and dangerous working conditions. Max Blanck and Isaac Harris owned the Asch building. Blanck and Harris had a “personal business.” Sadly, factory was in the hands of workers who did not follow through with workers rights and forced unsafe working conditions. They could treat workers however they wanted to without being punished. Owners hired people to pick workers and pocket a portion of the profits. The subcontractors could pay the workers whatever they felt like. A few weeks before the fire, workers had been forgotten in Americas industrial machine. After the fire, communication allowed for a better future interaction between the worker and the boss.

After the fire, workers went to Union quarters to demand Harris and Blanck be brought to trial. “Role that strong unions could have in helping prevent tragedies became clear. Workers organized in Unions would be more aware of their rights and ability to obtain safe working conditions. (Cornell).” Many organizations came together to help families cope. Executive board members of Ladies Waist and Dress Makers union met to plan relief for survivors and families of the fire. The Joint Relief Committee came together with American Red Cross and provided 30, 000 dollars. The fire persuaded people with power to take action against the dangerous practices in the factories.

“If you ask the average American worker, ‘“Is it okay for workers to work in a shop where the conditions are so dangerous that it could cost them their lives and not have government intervene,”’ most people would say ‘“No. There’s a line.’” The Triangle Fire drew that line. It burned that line, really, into the nation’s conscience (Annelise Orleck).” State and federal laws were put in place because of this. Unions gained workers who wanted to fight for their safety. Collaboration that instance combined with a few smaller situations made a big enough statement that something had to be done to protect the workforce.

The Factory Fire killed a ton of people because owners locked their workers in until the day was over. When the fire happened they could not get out. This fire made the world realize that the work force needed safety laws. It put work safety laws in motion that are still used today.

JWA-Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
I found this site the least helpful. I did not use it as much as the other sources. It did not have much information on what I was looking for. Just the Jewish views.

Business Communication- Management Ethics and the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

This source was helpful, yet I did not use it as much as the last three sources. There was to much information compacted into one big paper, that continued to go on and on about the same thing.

CSUN- Leap for Life, Leap of Death

I used CSUN to get an exact number of deaths during the fire. This website provided me with the exact number of bodies found and people that jumped.

PBS- American Experience Triangle Fire Video

This is the most credible site. The video provided me with a visual aspect of it all. This was my favorite because I am a visual learner.

OSHA- Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

This source was also very precise and credible! It separated each aspect of the fire into a different category which made it easier to learn.

Cornell- Remembering The 1911 Triangle Factory Fire
This source provided me with information no other website provided. It talked about the mourning and protest after the fire, relief work, and investigation and trial. This source went above and beyond.