The Mines Act
The law that banned women and girls from working in coal mines.
Mines Act of 1842
What is the Factory Act of 1833?
This law was the first to appoint inspectors to enforce factory regulations.
The law that limited the workday for women and children to ten hours.
Ten Hours Act of 1847
One major reason labor laws were difficult to enforce.
Too few inspectors
The youngest age boys could legally work in coal mines after this act.
10 years old
The minimum age a child had to be to legally work in factories or mines under this act.
The groups that pressured Parliament to pass the Ten Hours Act.
Labor unions and reformers
A reason inspectors often failed to enforce labor laws properly.
They were bribed or underfunded
Why did lawmakers believe women should not work in coal mines?
They believed the work was too dangerous or degrading
The maximum number of hours children ages 9–13 were allowed to work per day.
9 hours
The maximum number of hours women and children could work on weekdays under this law.
10 hours
What did factory owners change to get around labor restrictions?
Work shifts or schedules
A major negative effect this law had on women.
Fewer job opportunities
The number of hours of education working children were required to receive each day.
2 hours
A tactic factory owners used to avoid losing profits after the law passed.
Starting shifts earlier or manipulating hours
Why children and women continued working despite labor laws.
➡️ Their families needed the income
How did some women continue working in mines despite the ban?
Disguising themselves as men or children
A common way families avoided child labor laws under the Factory Act.
Lying about children’s ages
One negative economic effect this law had on women workers.
Lower wages
Which group’s working conditions largely did NOT improve because of these reforms?
Adult men