What did workplace safety look like before OSHA? The answer is simple: it didn't.

In the premiere episode of The History of Safety in Labor, Robert Courtney Jr. takes listeners back to 1885, when America stood on the edge of the Industrial Revolution. Railroads stretched across the country, factories transformed manufacturing, and steel, coal, and industry fueled unprecedented growth. But behind that progress were millions of workers who labored long hours in dangerous conditions with few protections and little hope of returning home safely every day.

This episode explores how America changed from a nation of farms and small towns into an industrial powerhouse, setting the stage for the labor movement and the eventual fight for workplace safety.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Why the Industrial Revolution changed America forever
• How railroads transformed the nation's economy
• The rise of factories, steel, and manufacturing
• Why workplace injuries were once considered "part of the job"
• The human cost behind America's industrial success

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Homer "Jr." Mann, a Teamster whose belief in hard work and the dignity of American workers helped inspire this series.

The History of Safety in Labor is an original documentary series from the Inside the Aisle Podcast, hosted by Robert Courtney Jr.

Episode 1: America Is Changing