The first cotton spinning mill, set up by entrepreneur Samuel Slater in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, had a high incidence of industrial accidents for children.

Lowell had its share of problems, too. A rule stated that girls should contain their hair in a net. However, vanity prevailed and many girls were injured or killed when long hair caught in heavy machinery. Deafness, either partial or total was the price paid for listening to the overwhelming noise of the power looms. One of the girls described the aftermath of having worked there as hearing crickets chirping in her ears all the time.

Poor air quality was by far the greatest risk of all of these mills. Windows were nailed shut and steam was regularly sprayed into the air to maintain humidity. This kept cotton threads from drying out and snapping in the looms. Free-floating cotton lint was inhaled, often causing extremely debilitating pulmonary ailments which resulted in girls leaving the mills, never to return. We can only imagine the darkness of the mill, illuminated only by air-polluting whale oil lamps which hung burning from a post at each loom. In spite of these issues, when one girl left, another was waiting to take her place. The lure of high wages was just too compelling.