Textile-mill work wasn't always physically demanding, but it was monotonous and hours were long. This, and close proximity to moving heavy machinery, contributed to many accidents. In 1831 Alexander Dean, a flax-mill worker, recalled:

'There was one girl who... got entangled in the machinery, till all her clothes were torn off her back... she was lying up against... an upright shaft, and the shaft got hold of her clothes.'

What other hazards did workers face?