Lives and limbs: company records as a source for the history of industrial injuries.

Abstract

The paper demonstrates how much information can be extracted about the history of industrial injuries from company records. After some background on work processes in the mining industry, accident registers of the Wemyss Coal Company are examined for two three-year periods, 1906-9 and 1921-23. Discussion and statistics are provided for types of injuries, duration of absence for different kinds of injuries, parts of the body affected, and causes of injuries, with comparisons made between the two periods. After some background on the jute industry the accident register of the Bow Bridge works is examined over four five-year periods between 1897 and 1934 for number and severity of accidents, types of injuries, parts of the body affected, causes, and age and gender distribution of accident victims. Wherever possible comparison is made with national statistics. The study shows how much information - both quantitative and qualitative - can be extracted from company records and provides a framework for further local studies in a hitherto neglected field.