Working conditions for coal miners.
Working conditions and wages for coal miners were horrible.
Conditions
Miners often endured poor and dangerous working conditions. Miners risked their lifes that could be easily ended by floodings, explosions, and colapsing mines. In one unnamed coal mine, 58 deaths out of a total of 349 deaths in one year, involved children thirteen years or younger. Life for all those who worked underground was very hard.
Mine explosion in England during the industrial revolution.
Workers
As seen here, workers were often required to push carts through a 16 inch wide and tall tunnels. Most would strip down to only under wear to survive the unforgiving heat. Men, women, and children all worked in the mines. Children often were given the job to pull a cart full of coal. Most days they'd pull an average of 10 to 20 miles. "I had a belt around my waist, and a chain passing between my legs, and I go on my hands and feet." Betty Harris a worker in the mines explained.
Long time effects
Coal dust was often inhaled by the miners. Coal dust damaged lungs and created simple breathing moiling. Black lung disease was often caused by coal dust. "And it just gets worse and worse. It's -- you can't fix it. There's no treating it. And, eventually, some miners will end up making a choice between eating and breathing, because they can't do both at the same time. Some are afraid to fall asleep, because, while sleeping, they can't muster the strength to get that breath down." Howard Berkes explaind to a news paper interviewer.
Stop this now!
After reading this flyer you have a better understanding of the true hardships miners had to go through.