Child Labor in Mills and Coal Mines
Child mostly worked in Mills and Coal mines , Coal mines were very dangerous, especially for children. There were only few safety rules, Children were around many explosives because of this, many employees and children were either injured or killed.
Most of the smaller children worked as "trappers." The trappers work with the trap doors. They sat in a hole that in the ground, and held a string which was connected to a door. When they heard a coal wagon, they would pull the string which would open the door, so the coal wagons could come in. Where the children sat was often dirty and damp. This was a very lonely job, but it was the easiest job. The older children worked as coal bearers, which is where they would carry coal that was in baskets on their shoulders.
Children in the mills worked as hard as possible and often lived there. The children were often orphans that were taken in by the mill owners. Most of their time was spent working at the machines with little time to do anything else, like sleep. There were serious accidents that happened in the mills, like when children were scalped if their hair got caught up in the machines. Some children got their hands smashed by the machines.
Child mostly worked in Mills and Coal mines , Coal mines were very dangerous, especially for children. There were only few safety rules, Children were around many explosives because of this, many employees and children were either injured or killed.
Most of the smaller children worked as "trappers." The trappers work with the trap doors. They sat in a hole that in the ground, and held a string which was connected to a door. When they heard a coal wagon, they would pull the string which would open the door, so the coal wagons could come in. Where the children sat was often dirty and damp. This was a very lonely job, but it was the easiest job. The older children worked as coal bearers, which is where they would carry coal that was in baskets on their shoulders.
Children in the mills worked as hard as possible and often lived there. The children were often orphans that were taken in by the mill owners. Most of their time was spent working at the machines with little time to do anything else, like sleep. There were serious accidents that happened in the mills, like when children were scalped if their hair got caught up in the machines. Some children got their hands smashed by the machines.