工業革命說安全

工業革命使大英帝國國運昌隆，同時也帶出嚴重的社會問題，特別是童工的安全與勞工福利問題。 蓋因童工身體靈巧，適合在狹窄的空間工作，如在織布廠的車間作維修，穿插於礦洞作煤炭工人，或作煙囪清潔工等等，全屬是高危的工種。

適齡兒童不在學校讀書，倒在工廠礦洞埋頭苦幹，這會否動搖國本呢？ 不知道啦。 不過卻因為童工的待遇惡劣，死病傷枕藉，引起英國政府的關注，於是制定了第一代的勞工 (童工﹖)法例，名曰 Factories Act，時為 1802 年。

Factories Act 1802

Factory owners must obey the law.

All factory rooms must be well ventilated and lime-washed twice a year.

Children must be supplied with two complete outfits of clothing.

Children between the ages of 9 and 13 can work maximum 8 hours.

Adolescents between 14 and 18 years old can work maximum 12 hours.

Children under 9 years old are not allowed to work but they must be enrolled in the elementary schools that factory owners are required to establish.

The work hours of children must begin after 6 a.m., end before 9 p.m., and not exceed 12 hours a day.

Children must be instructed in reading, writing and arithmetic for the first four years of work.

Male and Female children must be housed in different sleeping quarters.

Children may not sleep more than two per bed.

On Sundays children are to have an hour's instruction in the Christian Religion.

Mill owners are also required to tend to any infectious diseases.

由此觀之，當年英國童工之生活與在集中營的真是相差不遠。

香港曾是英國的殖民地，法律當然是借鏡宗主國啦，這二百年前的英國《工廠法》在現行香港的《工廠及工業經營規例》中仍留有一鱗半羽的模仿痕跡，頗具玩味，至少於我而言。