The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire occurred in New York City in March 1911 and caused the deaths of 146 garment workers. The main reason this fire was so deadly was because the owners of the factory had a policy which kept key doors locked in order to prevent thefts and unauthorized breaks. The workers ranged in age from 14-43 and of the 146 deaths, 123 were women.
Frances Perkins witnessed the events that day and was tapped to lead a committee on public safety. This committee was responsible for the recommendation of new legislation that would limit the workweek of women and children to 54 hours. It was in this capacity she met a New York State Senator named Franklin Delano Roosevelt and she would later become the first woman appointed to the U.S. Cabinet as Secretary of Labor.
Between 1911 and 1913 numerous laws, including the “54 hour bill,” would be passed in New York, all in attempt to improve the working conditions for factory workers. These changes would make New York one of the most progressive states in regards to labor laws.
