Triangle Waistshirt Fire of 1911

A Lesson in Having a Safe Workspace

What is a waistcoat?

The Factory was in New York City

It was Saturday afternoon on March 25, 1911

The Factory was located on the Ninth and Tenth Floor

A Fire Breaks Out!

Fire spreads quickly

Work space cluttered with baskets full of fabric scraps

Oil from machines all over the floor

Flammable barrel of oil also in the room

No sprinkler system: just buckets of water

Onlookers Gather

Only two exits: one has a fire escape but it breaks with all the weight; the other exit cannot be accessed since the door is locked!

Women must chose their death: Burn or Jump to hit the concrete

TheFire Rescue Crew tries to catch them…but fails.

The Fire Department ladders only reach to the 5th floor

Some fire department hoses do not have enough pressure to reach the 9th floor

As a result, 146 women die!

People of New York City shocked!

Family Members Want Justice

The Two factory owners, Max Blanck and Isaac Harris, are taken to trial.

Here is an account of their trial We will now read a play that is the actual

testimony of their trial We need three male roles:

Mr. Croker: Witness and Fire Dept. Chief Abram Elkus: Lawyer Vice-Chairman: Court room judge

We need one girl role: Narrator

Reading Activity

As we read, answer the questions on the “The Trail for the Triangle Waistshirt Fire” worksheet

Post-Reading Activity

Now that you have heard the evidence, are the two owners guilty of manslaughter?

Also imagine you are a government official making recommendations regarding factory safety: What made the fire so tragic? How could lose of life have been prevented?

Think this over yourself and then share your thoughts with your table partner

I will randomly call on three pairs to share their thoughts with the class

The two owners are found innocent since they followed existing fire codes The only legal issues in the case was

whether or not the two men locked the factory’s main entrance and exit door

Their attorney established doubt in the case, leaving the jury with room to pronounce them innocent

Labor Unions gain respect and power Unions now seen as respectable institutions Labor unions such as the International

Ladies' Garment Workers' Union established a safety board made up of both union leaders and business employers. This committee monitored compliance to safety laws, reported any issues, and worked together to resolve any safety issue

Unions also demanded new safety regulations in their collective bargaining agreements

State Governments Support Workers State of New York forms a commission to

investigate workers’ safety The state’s legislature added workmen's

compensation and revised many of the state's job safety and health codes Cannot smoke by hazardous material Clear aisle ways and exits Removal of rubbish to prevent the spread of a fire

In addition 36 new codes were made not just about fire safety but about workers’ safety in general

Protective mandates made during this time: Employers agreed to start fire drills Required by law to have unlocked doors,

clear aisles, and unobstructed fire escapes Unions reported noncompliance to these laws

to the local police, fire department, and Mayor

In short, the cultural perspective of unions and workers’ rights shifts in favor of the workers