History's Worst Paychecks

1910's: Radium Girls (Glow-in-the-Dark Factory Workers)


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Think your job is bad? Imagine painting tiny watch dials with a glow-in-the-dark paint so toxic it makes your bones disintegrate—and being told it’s perfectly safe.

In this episode, we’re diving into one of the most horrifying workplace scandals in history: the Radium Girls. These young women spent their days carefully applying radioactive paint, unknowingly poisoning themselves with every brushstroke. Their bosses? They knew the risks—and let it happen anyway.

From gruesome medical horrors like radium jaw (yes, their faces literally fell apart) to the jaw-dropping corporate cover-up that followed, we’re uncovering the brutal truth behind the so-called “miracle element” that turned deadly. And when the women fought back? They changed labor laws forever.

Join us as we explore the eerie glow, the terrifying symptoms, and the workers who refused to go down without a fight. After this, your worst day at work will feel like a dream.

If you enjoy the show, follow and rate us five stars, and tell a friend—it’s the best way to support History’s Worst Paychecks and help us keep uncovering the most miserable jobs in history!

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History's Worst PaychecksBy PastCast Studios