* Working hours for children under 9 were limited to 9 hours per day
* Working hours for children 9-13 were limited to 12 hours per day
* Children under 13 were not allowed to work at night
* Children under 18 were not allowed to work more than 12 hours per day
* All factories were required to provide at least a one-hour meal break per day
* All factories were required to provide adequate ventilation and sanitation
* Factories were required to be inspected by government officials to ensure compliance with the law
Penalties for Violations
Employers who violated the Factory Act were subject to fines or imprisonment. The fines were often small, however, and the prison sentences were rarely lengthy. This meant that many employers were willing to risk violating the law in order to increase their profits.
Overall, the Factory Act of 1833 was a significant step forward in improving the working conditions for children in Victorian factories. However, there were still many shortcomings in the law, and many children continued to work long hours in dangerous conditions.