Radium girls facts for kids
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The Radium Girls were a group of brave young women. They worked in factories painting watch dials. Their job was to make the numbers glow in the dark. This glow came from a special paint containing radium.
Radium is a substance that is radioactive. This means it gives off energy that can be harmful. The factory owners told the girls the paint was safe. But it was not.
To paint the tiny numbers, the girls had to make their paintbrushes very fine. They did this by licking the brush tips. This meant they swallowed small amounts of radium paint every day. Over time, this caused them to become very sick.
In 1917, some of these workers decided to sue their employer. Their legal fight helped create new laws. These laws made it clearer that companies must protect their workers. It also meant workers could sue if they got sick because of their job.
Contents
The Glowing Job
In the early 1900s, glowing watches were very popular. Factories hired many young women to paint the watch dials. These women were often teenagers or in their early twenties. They worked long hours for low pay.
The paint they used was called "luminous paint." It contained a chemical element called radium. Radium was discovered by Marie Curie. People at the time did not fully understand how dangerous it was.
How They Got Sick
The factory managers encouraged the girls to "lip-point" their brushes. This meant putting the brush tip in their mouths to make it sharp. They were told the radium paint was harmless. Some even painted their fingernails or teeth with it for fun.
But radium is a radioactive material. When swallowed, it stays in the body. It acts like calcium and settles in the bones. Over time, the radium damaged their bodies from the inside. Many girls developed serious health problems. They suffered from bone pain, tooth loss, and other terrible illnesses.
Fighting for Justice
As the women became sicker, they realized the paint was the cause. They tried to get help from the company. But the company denied that the radium was harmful. They even tried to blame the women's illnesses on other things.
The Lawsuit Begins
In 1927, five of the Radium Girls decided to take legal action. They sued the United States Radium Corporation. This was a very difficult and long fight. Many people did not believe them at first.
The women were very ill, and their health was getting worse. They needed money for their medical care. Their brave fight brought attention to the dangers of radium. It also highlighted the need for worker safety.
A Landmark Case
The Radium Girls' case became very famous. It showed that companies had a duty to protect their employees. It also helped establish the right for workers to sue their employers. This was if they got sick from their jobs.
Their courage led to important changes in workplace safety laws. It also helped create rules about handling dangerous materials. The Radium Girls' story is a powerful reminder. It shows why worker safety is so important.
Images for kids
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Radium painters working in a factory
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1921 advertisement for Undark
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Former factory site in West Orange, N.J.
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See also
In Spanish: Las chicas del radio para niños
