Child Labor in the Victorian Age - Essay Example

Unfortunately, as many of those in the government were for child labor, many laws and rules stayed the same, continuing to endanger the children in their workplaces. As most of the businesses during the Victorian age were industrial and factorial, "these were the places of employment that children were limited to and forced to work, so the working conditions were horrid, and not just for the children but for their elders as well (Horn, 1997)". In many instances, such as the coalmines and gas companies, the children worked amongst harmful gases and other potentially dangerous vapors.

The outdoor industries, such as shipyards and construction sites, found the children working outside in all manners of temperature and weather conditions, from heat to the icy winters, harsh sunshine to foot upon foot of snow (Damrosch, 1104). As these children often came from poor families, they were unable to afford the proper attire to keep them protected during the changing weather conditions. Other dangers that were presented to the children simply came from the areas in which they worked.

On a construction site or a shipyard, there was always the fear of falling beams or walls, stepping on nails, which often led to severe infections that caused disease such as tetanus, which could not be cured during that time and the children often died from it. The children were constantly at risk for getting injured in their workplace; they were too young to be properly aware of all these dangers, and the elders took little concern to the well-being of these children, with many of the elders viewing the children as disposable - it would not be difficult to hire another child if need be.

In fact, most of the injuries and deaths on the job during the Victorian age were children, and neglect or unchecked safety issues often caused these. The children, as with the older workers, received few, if any, breaks during their workdays. They were permitted meals at the proper times, but those