Back to the Books on Workers’ Compensation: The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire of 1911 and the Development Workers’ Compensation in the United States

Most Louisiana workers are aware that if they are seriously injured on the job and disabled from work, they may have options under Louisiana workers’ compensation laws. Indeed, under Louisiana workers’ compensation laws as they stand today, most Louisiana workers who are injured on the job and who are rendered disabled from work are entitled to important benefits such as wage replacement compensation, medical cost expense reimbursement, vocational rehabilitation services to get back to work, and disability benefits. Fortunately, the same is true of workers in most states, as workers’ compensation laws exist throughout the country to help injured workers get back to their jobs after suffering a disabling workplace injury. But where did the concept of workers’ compensation come from and what prompted the proliferation of workers’ compensation laws in Louisiana and throughout the United States? The answer lies in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911.

A Terrible Blaze at Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Kills 146 Workers

On March 25, 1911, at the overly cramped Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in Manhattan, New York, a fiery inferno blazed. Fire spread quickly through three floors of the factory, giving the many workers packed into the factory no time to escape. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory only had one fire escape at the time, which collapsed during efforts to rescue the workers trapped inside. In addition, workers became crushed as they ran through the building looking for an escape, only to be met with locked doors (to prevent theft) or doors that did not open the correct way. Worse still, when firefighters arrived on the scene, their ladders were too short to reach the floors that were ablaze and safety nets that they brought were also ineffective and ripped. In the end, the horrific fire claimed a total of 146 workers’ lives. Many of the workers had just recently arrived from Europe to the United States to work and were young women. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire was regarded as the deadliest workplace accident in history until the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

After the Ashes: Protecting American Workers through Safety Measures and the Development of Workers’ Compensation Programs

After the horrific events that unfolded at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, the labor movement gained momentum in the United States and a sense of urgency was added to cries for improvements in women and immigrant labor rights. This in turn led to the promulgation of better safety standards and, ultimately, workers’ compensation programs in New York and throughout the United States. The tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire is a lesson in the importance of worker protections, and the 146 lives that were lost can never be forgotten.

Help for Injured Workers in Louisiana

If you were injured at work and need assistance obtaining workers’ compensation benefits in Louisiana, contact the experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe. The experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe offer a free and confidential consultation to learn about your case and to see if they can help. Contact Lunsford Baskin & Priebe today and speak with an experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyer about your case for free.

Source:

osha.gov/aboutosha/40-years/trianglefactoryfireaccount