- No female was to be employed underground
- No boy under 10 years old was to be employed underground.
- Parish apprentices between the ages of 10 and 18 could continue to work in the mines.
During the Industrial Revolution, coal mining in England was the backbone of textile production, mills, and transporting products. Coal mines would flood, so steam engines were used to pump out water, to avoid flooding. However, these steam engines were not always reliable. Coal mines would often flood, ventilation shafts would overflow after storms, and more. This bill was put into effect to protect women and children from not only dangerous conditions, but also very harsh and abusive conditions. Children as young as 5 or 6 would work the ventilation shafts, and soon push coal carts when they are about 10.