Poor working conditions were a result of unregulated businesses in the early 20th century. Prior to the fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, all businesses were thought of as private, therefore, not available to be regulated. Many factory workers endured long hours in a generally insanitary area with poor ventilation, and no notice of the dangers of their occupations and how to avoid them (“Preliminary Report,” 1912). In the case of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, the door had been locked during work hours, and only one fire escape on a ten-story building. According to the report of the FIC, “health is the principle asset of the working man and woman” (“Preliminary Report,” 1912). The result of the mass mourning of the public at the horrific
