Causes Of The Triangle Factory Fire

The Triangle Factory fire took place in New York City on March 25, 1911, it remains as a landmark event in the history of United States industrial disasters. The fire claimed the lives of 146 people, most of them immigrant women and girls, and caused an uproar against unsafe working conditions in factories and sweatshops in New York and throughout the United States. It resulted in the creation of numerous workplace safety regulations on the state and federal levels, impacting america still to this day. The Asch building, was owned by Max Blanck and Isaac Harris, it was located on Washington Place and Greene Street in New York City. The top three floors of the building is where the Factory was located. Workers dealt directly with subcontractors

Blanck and Harris ment to torched their factories before business hours in order to collect on the large fire-insurance, not an uncommon practice in the early 20th century.This was not the cause of the 1911 fire, but it did contributed to the tragedy. Blanck and Harris refused to install sprinkler systems, and other safety measures to protect the factory and its workers. The fire started out small, but attempts to put it out failed. The fire spread from waste pile to waste pile, eating up the fabric used in making the clothing. The workers began to rush to the stairways and elevators and could not escape the

Upon seeing the gross amount of health and safety issues in the building, the investigation escalated and the Legislature created a group of 9-person to Investigate thoroughly to find what needed to be changed. They studied issues related to the health and safety of workers, the condition of the building they worked, and existing and additional necessary laws and ordinances. After investigating thousands of establishments and interviewing hundreds of witnesses, the Commission issued their report including recommendations for Laws. The Commission’s proposal led to what is called "the golden era in remedial factory legislation.” During the years 1911 to 1914, new laws put in place to reform the state labor code and were authorized. After New York enacted these safety laws, other U.S. states echoed New York’s trailblazing legislation. These laws were covered and to improved sanitation conditions such as improved eating and restrooms and, fire safety which included an increase of emergency exits, installation of firewalls, and easy access to fire extinguishers, alarm systems, and automated sprinklers. The Commission took it even further in their investigations and included the 36 laws to the child labor codes, the prohibition of night work, and the beginnings of minimum wage. Until the New Deal 30 years later, these labor laws and building codes