A Brief History of Workplace Safety in the United States

Workplace safety has come a long way from where it was many years ago. In fact, a little over 200 years had passed before United States workers had the protections that are used today. Modern workers benefit from an environment where ample regulations are in place to safeguard the well-being of employees.

Much of the laws that are in place today have evolved over time after tragic workplace accidents occurred in the past, in a time when worker safety was not a consideration. The workplace safety laws in the United States of today have largely kept workers in better health, minimized accidents, and allowed for access to quality medical treatment if an accident occurs.

Individuals who are injured while on the job can work with an attorney to improve their chances of getting all of the benefits they are entitled to. The PA & NJ workers’ compensation attorney at Monaco Law knows New Jersey and Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation laws. Attorney Monaco can help you get the most from your workers’ compensation claim and potentially a personal injury claim.

Improvements to Workplace Safety

 Before the Industrial Revolution, a majority of people worked in agriculture and also made products at home to sell to earn a living. Once the rise of factories and mills became prominent in the country, people started to flock to cities where they were being built to obtain employment. As factories churned out goods, the economy became accustomed to mass production. Workers to keep the factories going were plentiful, and as a result, factories and mills were able to offer low pay, did not have to tend to working conditions that were hazardous, and employees were often expected to work gruelingly long days.

All of these factors combined made work environments incredibly dangerous. That proved to be true as several horrendous work accidents led to severe injuries and death. Children, who were also employed in factories and mills, were not immune from pulling long days and were subject to physical bodily harm. With little ones working in such perilous and demanding environments, many children lost their lives, and horrific stories of children being crushed or decapitated were common. Children were also developing diseases, enduring painful burns, blinding, and poisoning.

The Factory Act of 1802 came out of these atrocities to children that were happening in the factories. This law mandated certain factories to improve conditions with ventilation, shorter workdays, and providing young workers with education. With the introduction of the Factory Act, the push for more worker protections and oversight began to take hold.

Then, in 1833, the first factory inspectors were introduced. With time, the number of inspectors grew, as did legislation that strengthened the safety measures for women and children workers.

Eventually, the Employer’s Liability Act of 1880 pioneered the way for workers to be granted rights to compensation if they were harmed at work. In 1970, the Occupational Safety and Health Act required employers to take responsibility for providing safe workplaces that would not be harmful to their employees. Then, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, along with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, came about. Other legislation continued to pass and, paired with advancing technologies, has given workers of today the most streamlined and effective workplace safety standards.

Speak to a New Jersey and Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today 

Call our experienced South Jersey personal injury lawyer at Monaco Law PC at (609) 277-3166 for our New Jersey office and (215) 546-3166 for our office in Pennsylvania to discuss your workers’ compensation case today.

We are a New Jersey and Pennsylvania personal injury law firm serving Atlantic County, Bucks County,  Burlington County, Cape May County, Camden County, Chester County, Cumberland County, Delaware County, Gloucester County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Montgomery County, Philadelphia, Ocean County, Salem County, and all of South Jersey.

Source:

cdc.gov/niosh/index.html